If your background is in manufacturing, it can be difficult understanding what a “service” nonconformance can look like.  If you are not sure what it is, then it is even harder understanding how to document a “service” nonconformance.  If you’re having trouble documenting any kind of nonconforming condition, it most likely means that your customer requirements aren’t clear.  After all, manufacturing defects are pretty obvious right?

In manufacturing we know what a defect is.  Good products are made to specifications and therefore meet customer requirements.  A good product meets the intended purpose, has the right dimensions, and is what was ordered.  The product does not break when used.  It is free from dents, scratches, or material blemishes.  The product should be clean, safe, and doesn’t make the customer think.  It should just work…

We see product defects.  They are pretty obvious.  So why can’t we see service defects?

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Developing an ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) requires a lot of effort to create a system, change employee behavior (management and workers), and obtain the desired results.  Many companies have successfully built an ISO QMS, passed their initial registration audit, and later failed to maintain all of the documents, records, and quality process activities.  Creating an ISO QMS is one thing but maintaining it can be just as difficult for your organization.

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PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) Cycles refers to the PDCA wheel (Figure 1) and the continuous motion that PDCA requires.  PDCA is not as easy as it sounds but, if you are interested in ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems (QMS), then you will find that PDCA cycles are the foundation for all ISO 9001 cycles.  Master PDCA and you will become the master of your ISO 9001 QMS.

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Officially, the worst global economic recession in several generations ended over a year ago and we are on the way back, according to the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research. Unofficially, they need to revisit their definition of “recession”, as most of us are still plagued by a tight money supply, a lethargic job market, stagnating production and a general crisis of confidence.

Some of you aren’t buying the “fear, uncertainty, and doubt“ story, though. You’re going about your business logically, methodically, and with a clear sense of direction and purpose. You’re making things happen now and you’ll be in the lead when 2011 rolls around.

For the rest of us, there are many things we could be doing to make great strides forward in the coming year. Among them are implementing or refining the following key procedures:

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Writing procedures is an exercise in controlling the cost of compliance.  You’re trying to comply with customer expectations, management objectives, government regulations, and/or industry standards, making compliance expensive.  Regardless of the reason for compliance, wouldn’t you want to write as few procedures as possible if you could still conform to the compliance mandate and keep your compliance costs to a minimum?

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Lean approach simplifies the ISO 9001:2008 quality procedures manual and clearly points out the required QMS procedures and records.

St. Louis, MO – June 18, 2009 – Bizmanualz, Inc., a business publications, training, and consulting company based in St. Louis, MO, today announced the release of the updated ISO 9001 Policies and Procedures Manual. The company has greatly improved its product by modeling its policies and procedures on the Deming (“Plan-Do-Check-Act”) Cycle.

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In this series of articles we are discussing implementing an ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) in four distinct phases. By breaking the implementation into stages, it becomes more manageable and less overwhelming. In phase one, the general requirements described in Clause 4 of ISO 9001 QMS requirements are implemented, and in phase two the elements of continual improvement from Clause 8 are set in place and practiced.

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If your goal is ISO certification, the best method is to create a compliant QMS in stages.

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Creating a Quality Management System (QMS) that fulfills the requirements of the ISO 9001:2008 Standard can seem like a daunting task.  But it doesn’t have to be. 

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Speak of operations assessment, and we’ll hear its significant value. Speak of an audit, and we’ll run for the nearest emergency exit. There’s no difference between the two, yet

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