5 Aspects Addressed by A Quality Management System

Posted by Luke Tayler on January 16th, 2020

This article provides detailed insights into some key business aspects that a quality management system (QMS) can address, such as bringing efficiency and delivering quality products or services.

ISO 9001 certification represents a focus on quality in a business, therefore, achieving certification will help to acquire more customers and lay a solid, long-term foundation for growth. The standard expects organisations to implement an effective quality management system (QMS) that will address all areas contributing to product or service quality. QMS implementation is meant to support growth and profitability in your organisation while ensuring ISO 9001 compliance.

A QMS is a tool intended to help organisations achieve high-quality products or services, focus on customer satisfaction, and improve business efficiency. To explain, we have detailed a few core aspects that a QMS targets to improve overall business performance.

Customer Expectations

The customer is the key focus of the QMS, and the primary objective of every QMS is to pay attention to customer expectations in regard to product or service quality. To accomplish this, it is essential for the organisation to research and analyse the target market, trends, and customer behaviour. With this knowledge, QMS goals can be constructed and measures taken to achieve them.

Employee Performance

The ISO 9001 standard clearly specifies that every employee in the business needs to be competent and deliver high-quality products. There should be enhanced communication, team collaboration, and increased clarity on every process’ objectives. This ensures that every employee contributes to the quality management goal. QMS implementation helps your organisation achieve these goals, ensuring each process will continure to add value to the products or services.

Organising Processes

The standard requires the company to have a systematic quality control process, which means that every requirement for QMS implementation must be documented and followed. A process-based approach will help to define QMS goals, quality assessment task guidelines, and keep close track of the ongoing quality management practices.

Involvement of Management

The ISO 9001 standard also focuses on the involvement of management in quality control. When leaders become involved, the quality management system will be more effective. Management can ensure a unified commitment of the members to quality by communicating to the employees every process modification that must be implemented. Management also needs to understand customer expectations, end-users of the products, vendors, distributors, and other interested parties.

Risks Management

The QMS highlights risk management as a key focus area because the ISO 9001 standard lists risk minimisation as an important aspect for quality management. Therefore, organisations need to be prepared for many possible risks, such as defective products or non-conformances, and ensure preventive action is taken. They need to find a way to determine, monitor, and analyse risks.

Key Takeaway

Organisations need ISO 9001 certification to ensure their quality control will address these important aspects. Achieving high quality products or services must always be the main vision for the organisation, and a proper QMS will integrate these five key aspects while striving to consistently maintain them, helping employee become a part of the quality management approach.

Author bio: Damon Anderson is a quality assurance consultant with a leading ISO certification agency that provides services for ISO 9001 certification, ISO 14001 and other key certifications. He is a dedicated blog writer and posts to enlighten businesses on the relevance of the quality management system in businesses.