If there were a way for your construction company to gain new customers would that interest you? The answer is – of course! It’s time to inform the world, including your potential customers and clients that your services and your organization are recognized as leaders in quality in construction. You can achieve this by obtaining ISO 9001 Certification.
What is ISO 9001 Certification?
ISO 9001 is a Quality Management System built on seven important principles that are the foundation for ongoing performance improvement and organizational excellence. These seven principles create an organizational focus that includes:
- Being customer-focused
- Finds and nourishes leadership
- Rich engagement of people
- Using a process approach to project management
- Continual improvement of processes and workmanship
- Decisions that are based on evidence and metrics
- A high degree of relationship management
What are the Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification?
When your construction business holds an ISO 9001 certification your firm enjoys many benefits including:
- The ability to bid on government contracts at all levels
- Gives you independent feedback on how you implemented your ISO 9001 program
- Gives your construction company world-renowned recognition of your management processes to architects, project owners, subcontractors, and other external stakeholders.
- ISO 9001 certification tells your customers that your services are of high quality and gains their confidence
- Gives you a competitive edge for marketing purposes
Steps for Ensuring a Smooth ISO 9001 Certification Process for Your Construction Business
The ISO 9001 Certification Process is dependent on certain steps being completed. Let’s take a closer look at these steps.
Step 1 – Planning
A common denominator in the failure of many companies to obtain certification is the lack of planning or no planning at all. For your process to be successful you need to create realistic goals and attainable time periods. Sound planning is the single most important common denominator for construction companies that successfully implemented an ISO 9001 certification process.
Step 2 – Leadership
Leadership is an equally important aspect of ISO 9001 implementation. For a construction company to succeed in obtaining certification top management must be actively involved in promoting and securing ISO certification.
Step 3 – Employee Involvement
With top management behind the implementation, it is imperative to nurture employee understanding and commitment to ISO 9001. To achieve employee buy-in, top management should seek the opinions and advice of key employees. This includes foreman, team leaders, and shop stewards if unionized.
Step 4 – Ongoing Communication
Change is hard for everyone. Implementing ISO- 9001 means some significant changes in company culture and processes. Since change is unsettling, timely, accurate, and concise communications about the changes, progress, and challenges related to certification help assuage worker concerns.
Step 5 – Keep Track of Your Key Performance Indicators
Key Performance Indicators commonly referred to as KPIs is a way to measure the progress of your certification process. Another way to keep track is through your internal audit system. Progress should be measured against the objectives you stated as part of the planning process.
Step 6 – Get Software to Support You
The right operations software can help you guarantee your quality standard. With Assignar, you can manage and improve your quality management processes. One of its customers, Perfect Hire, uses Assignar to keep their workforce of the highest quality.
