Many companies wonder whether a certification with a quality label improves the efficiency of their company. Certification on its own does not improve the efficiency, yet the correct and accurate implementation of a quality management system does. The final certificate is especially important to show your customers and the outside world that you operate in a meticulous, efficient and high-quality manner. The certification should best be considered a great recognition of the work done.

During the implementation of a quality management system, all existing processes of the organisation have to be mapped and critically examined. The current work method will be compared step-by-step with the standards contained within the intended quality management system. Thanks to a gap analysis, your company gets a clear vision on the current state of affairs and the road you must still travel to a high-quality organisation.  

Once you have correctly mapped the current processes, you are also able to improve these processes in a targeted way. You are able to systematically remove non-adding value tasks or steps from the process. You will save time and costs this way and you will increase the efficiency of your organisation. This is not a process with an endpoint.

Continuous improvement cycle

When implementing a quality assurance system, it is important to start a continuous improvement cycle at the same time. By means of the consecutive and repetitive steps of Plan, Do, Check, Act, you gather and analyse data on the course of your processes. Based on these analyses, you start looking for inefficiencies and possible causes. Then you adjust, after which you gather new data. By doing so, you continue to improve the efficiency of your organisation. This system of continuous improvement requires a high level of maturity of your organisation as well as a change in mentality. Quality should not only be a matter for the quality department, but it has to be borne as a responsibility by all the departments.

External accountability

When you opt for an official certificate for your quality management system, you will be externally accountable. You will obtain the certificate once you are successful in the certification audit.  

You will lose the certificate if you no longer succeed in a later phase. That is obviously difficult to explain to your customers, so your company has every interest in keeping and maintaining your quality management system up-to-date.

External audit and certification audit

It is always possible to have an interim external audit conducted. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more. An external expert evaluates your efforts and offers you specific points of improvement. This will give you the chance to adjust.  

During a formal audit you will only receive a final result and a mention of the issues. You will not receive any suggestions for improvement.

Would you like to know more about certification and the efficiency of your company? Feel free to contact us with all your questions.