Recognised in all industry sectors all over the world, ISO 9001 is the international standard for quality management systems. It serves as a framework that allows any organisation of any size in any field to implement an effective quality management system (QMS) and consistently improve quality over time.

Planning and implementing an ISO 9001-compliant QMS is a smart move for any business owner because of the following benefits:

• It focuses efforts on delivering high-quality products/services and ensuring customer satisfaction
• It ensures that every part of your organisation is working towards the same goal
• It helps to eliminate waste throughout your operations
• It establishes a system for continuous improvement within your business

Once your QMS is in place, you will need to apply for ISO 9001 certification by using an independent UKAS-accredited body. Of course, you will still benefit from the implementation of a well-planned QMS even if you choose not to get certified, but gaining ISO 9001 certification is useful because:

• It is a requirement for winning work in certain sectors
• It forces you to maintain your QMS in order to pass surveillance audits
• Most importantly, it demonstrates to potential customers/clients that you are a high-quality business

If you are interested in implementing a quality management system and getting your company ISO-certified, contact NPT Management Systems today - we work with businesses throughout the South of England, and we specialise in ISO 9001 certification.

Testimonials from our clients

Still wondering why it's so important to get certified? Here are some quotes from business owners who achieved ISO 9001 certification with the help of NPT Management Systems:

"We now provide maximum value to our customers, as we are able to see where waste occurs and have been trained to eliminate it quickly." - Rule Twenty Six

"We have seen an increase in repeat business and recommendations." - Racing Snake Yacht Charters

"We now have the systems to monitor quality and delivery issues, and the tools and skills to fix them." - Baker Trayte Marine Ltd

"The cost of implementing our quality management system will be repaid by the savings it has created within a very short period." - Level Developments

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Related: What Are The Benefits of ISO Certification?

Achieving ISO 9001 certification can be a huge boon for a business. Not only does this accreditation inspire confidence in potential customers, but it can also open the door to a number of lucrative contracts (in the UK defence industry, for instance) that specify ISO certification as a requirement.

However, many companies that potentially stand to benefit from ISO 9001 certification shy away from pursuing because of the cost. If you're worried that ISO 9001 certification will put too big a dent in your organisation's finances, we at NPT Management Systems may be able to help...

How we can help you to save money

We have been helping businesses to secure ISO 9001 certification for many years, and during our time in this industry, we have forged close ties to a number of independent UKAS-accredited certification bodies. Getting certified via one of these bodies is one of the most costly parts of the ISO 9001 process, but interestingly, not all certification bodies charge the same amount - and that's where we come in.

If you get in touch with NPT Management Systems and explain your certification requirements to a member of our team, we will gather certification quotes from the many UKAS-accredited bodies to whom we have ties. We will then pass the best quotations along to you so that you can make a final decision.

This comparison service is totally free of charge. If you'd like to find out more regarding the cost of iso 9001 certification, please email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk today.

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So you want to gain ISO 9001 certification for your business...but you're not sure of how to achieve this?

Don't worry! Here at NPT, we've helped countless organisations to achieve ISO certification on the first attempt, and we're more than happy to advise company owners who - when it comes to ISO 9001 - don't know where to start.

Here's a rough guide to the ISO 9001 certification process that you and your organisation will need to go through in order to gain that all-important accreditation.

Stage 1 - Planning

In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to implement a quality management system (QMS) that meets ISO requirements and is geared towards maximising the quality of your output and the satisfaction of your customers/clients. The first thing to do is plan how you will do this; you may have to start from scratch with a brand new quality management system, or if you already have a QMS in place, you may simply have to plan some changes and improvements to bring it into line with the ISO 9001 standard.

Stage 2 - Implementation

Once you have a robust plan in place, the next stage is to implement your quality management system throughout the whole of your organisation. In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to ensure that every member of every department is operating within the system you have laid out!

Stage 3 - Certification

Finally, you will need to seek certification via a UKAS-accredited body. They will evaluate your QMS and how it is being implemented, then award certification if everything conforms.

Do you need help with this process? We at NPT can help you to plan and implement an ISO-compliant quality management system; we can also help you to select a certification body for the final stage of the process. Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Last year, we helped Southern Coating Contractors Ltd to achieve two separate certifications: ISO 9001 and NHSS19A (National Highways Sector Scheme 19A). SCC wanted an ISO 9001-compliant management system that would help them to grow the business, but they also required the HSS19A accreditation in order to carry out work on the UK's road network. As we reported last June, SCC were recommended for both accreditations after a gruelling four-day certification body audit found zero non-conformances.

Of course, the hard work doesn't end with getting certified! Last month, SCC had their first surveillance audit since achieving ISO 9001 / NHSS19A status, and once again, the NPT team were called in to assist the organisation during this process. We're pleased to reveal that the audit went very well, with no non-conformances raised once again.

We would like to offer our congratulations to SCC for this great result and we wish them the best for all future surveillance audits.

Contact NPT Management Systems today - we can help you to achieve the accreditation your organisation needs to succeed.

Looking to achieve ISO 9001:2008 certification for your organisation? If so, you may be interested to learn that this is no longer the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard. In fact, it was revised two years ago and superseded by ISO 9001:2015.

What happened to ISO 9001:2008?

ISO review their globally-recognised standards every few years in order to ensure that they are reflective of the current marketplace and its latest trends and technologies. In September 2015, they published ISO 9001:2015, a new revision of their well-known ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems.

Aside from being more user-friendly and simpler to understand than its predecessor, the 2015 edition brought the structure of the ISO 9001 standard into line with other management system standards (such as ISO 14001) to enable easier synchronisation. ISO 9001:2015 also places greater focus on leadership and risk management.

What does this mean for my business?

• If you do not yet hold ISO 9001 certification, this change simply means that you should now pursue ISO 9001:2015 certification instead of ISO 9001:2008 accreditation.
  
  
• If you are already certified under ISO 9001:2008 by a UKAS-accredited certification body, you have until the end of September 2018 to transition - if you have not migrated to ISO 9001:2015 by this time, your ISO 9001:2008 certification will become invalid. It is important to remember that it takes time to transition, so if you haven't yet started planning to transition to ISO 9001:2015, you should do so now.

Whether you are looking to migrate to ISO 9001:2015 or get your organisation certified for the first time, NPT Management Systems can help. We work with businesses of all sizes across all sectors, and we have a superb track record when it comes to ISO 9001 certification.

Contact us to discuss your requirements with one of our expert ISO 9001 quality consultants.