Maximizing your reach to customers and scaling it to new heights is one of any small business’s fundamental goals. To accomplish these goals, you might want to bid on any corporate projects that come your way. These projects might be released by a larger pool of organizations or the government themselves. While there would be others like you, who are bidding on the project, the host organization might need to set some minimum quality standards or criteria for shortlisting small businesses.
One of the essential criteria out of these can be a quality certification for your organization. This is precisely where the ISO certification comes into the picture. While there are various kinds of ISO certifications depending upon the product, business, etc., they are usually proof of acceptable international standards.
ISO certification can help a business in several ways. If you’re wondering whether it applies to your business or the ways it can add value to your organization, you’re at the right place. We’ve gone ahead and researched all the information about ISO you need to have for your small business. Let’s take a look at these below-
What is the ISO Certification?
The International Organization for Standardization or ISO is an international independent and non-governmental body that lays down a set of rules and guidelines to ensure the quality, safety, efficiency, and performance of products and systems. When competing in a global marketplace, it is essential that checks and balances need to be in place. If these aren’t maintained in an organization, the chances are that the consistency and quality are impacted across industries.
To avoid such scenarios and maintain the industry standards across nations, some international standards are maintained that help keep sectors and organizations on the level playing field. One such set of global standards is the ISO.
ISO certifies that any particular organization, management system, manufacturing process, or documentation method has fulfilled all standard quality assurance requirements. The motto of ISO standards is to ensure consistency. Be it energy management, social responsibility, medical equipment, ISO standards are applicable in several industries.
Each ISO certification has a separate set of criteria and is classified numerically. For example, one of the most common ISO certifications is ISO 9001. You might come across organizations that highlight their certifications in the format ISO 9001:2008. Let’s take a look at what these three things imply in the certification format-
- ISO: It signifies the international body that is in charge of all ISO certifications
- 9001: This is the number appearing after ISO. It helps in classifying the standard. The 9000 family of ISO standards refers to quality management. 9001 is one of the best quality standards of the ISO and has many management principles.
- 2008: The last number in the series represents the version of the ISO standard is maintained. For example, 2008 means that an organization is following the ISO 9001 version launched in 2008.
More than 22000 different ISO certifications are used as a standard for product services and processes worldwide.
How Does it Help Your Business?
ISO certifications can help your business in several ways. Not only is it a standard of quality assurance, but it also encompasses factors that can have a direct impact on your customers. Let’s discuss some of the ways by which ISO certifications help your business-
Customer Satisfaction
When it comes to customer satisfaction, businesses put in their best efforts and sometimes even travel the extra mile. This is also because the competition is more than fierce in today’s world, and the customers are rational. Customers today are far more aware of the market than they were a few years ago. Therefore, if they find a brand following international rules and regulations, they will naturally opt for them while purchasing goods and services. As a result, even though your business might be doing everything right, the lack of an ISO certificate can make you lose your customers.
Process Improvements
When it comes to several processes within an organization, standardization is the best way to improve them. By looking at the industry standards laid by ISO, you can keep a check of your organization’s processes and take measures to improve them.
Product Improvement
There are different ISO certifications available for products. Taking a look at the guidelines mentioned in them would help you compare your product with the international standards. In case your products are not upto the standards, improve them on different parameters mentioned in the ISO certification.
Operational Efficiency
The international guidelines are formed to enable a seamless operation across all industries. Once you opt for certification, not only does it improve your processes but also your organizational procedures. With a seamless operation, your business and employees can be more productive and yield better results.
Internal Auditing
Internal auditing is mandatory for the growth of your organization. It helps you keep your processes up to date and maintain standards for all of them. ISO certification helps in quality assurance, something you can look up to during your internal audit.
Risk Management
Risk Management is yet another crucial aspect of an organization. It helps your business stay afloat even amidst a crisis. With an ISO certification, you can minimize your business losses due to compliance with a useful set of guidelines already accepted across industries.
Training and Competence
ISO can help you stay competitive in the market and train your employees with international standards. This means you will be at a level with all big players in the industry and have an opportunity to mark your customers with better-skilled staff and a more significant competitive edge.
Brand and Reputation
An ISO certification directly impacts the brand value of your organization. On the one hand, it makes your brand come across as more reliable and trustworthy. While on the other projects, your products are qualitatively valuable. These factors are responsible for building a brand reputation in the market.
Add Value to Your Store with ISO
The importance of an ISO certification cannot be ruled out for business. It keeps a qualitative check on several processes responsible for driving business and building a brand’s reliable reputation. ISO certifications can also boost customer relationships and facilitate more business opportunities in the global competitive market.
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