Archive for category: All

Finishing up with the 3^rd and last major role of the Quality Management Representative:

Role 3. Promote customer requirements. The last responsibility is to ensure that people are aware of customer requirements throughout the organization. Since one of the main thrusts of an ISO 9001 quality management system is customer satisfaction, it is vital that all employees understand what the customer needs, and how they are able to affect how well the company satisfies these needs. Customer focus is one of the main Seven Quality Management Principles behind ISO 9001 requirements, and as such needs to have an advocate in the company.

By being the “voice of the customer” in the organization, the quality management representative can make great strides in how satisfied customers are. If the company implemented a quality management system to improve customer satisfaction, it only makes sense that someone is responsible to promote the customer needs in the company, and the management rep is the leader of this initiative.

External liaison. The additional note to paragraph 5.5.2 of the ISO 9001 standard states that the “responsibilities can include liaising with external parties on matters relating to the QMS.” This is where the quality management representative becomes the one name that the certification body can call, or the customer can contact with complaints. It is often these optional responsibilities that are seen as the main role of the management rep, but in fact these could be done by one of many other people without affecting the effectiveness and success of the QMS.

Utilize your quality management representative

As I hope you can see, utilizing your quality management rep as the leader of the QMS is the best way to ensure the quality management system is effective, efficient and improves over time. In order for this to work well it is important to choose the best person for this job, just like any other management position in the company, because choosing the wrong person could mean that your QMS implementation is at best sub-optimal, and at worst a complete failure and waste of resources.

Contact me for a free phone consultation and for my free ISO 9001:2015 Readiness Checklist and perform a quick self-assessment to gage your preparedness for the new standard. Then call to see how I can help.

920-841-3478

Steve@TheRightApproachConsulting.com

ISO 9001, ISO 13485 & AS9100 all call out a requirement to have a member of management assigned as the quality management representative (It should be noted that ISO 9001: 2015 has removed this requirement, however, someone(s) will still need to fulfill the responsibilities). It is important that you document in some way (appointment letter, management review minutes) that top management has appointed this person to the position. I have previously published “Steve’s Particular Set of Skills” for this position, and now I will review the responsibilities placed on this individual.

Having the right person for this position can make or break your QMS (quality management system), and to help you understand the role and how it can fit into your existing organization. While this role is often taken on by the quality manager, it is not a requirement that this be the case; any member of management can be assigned these responsibilities. The Management Rep is the face of the QMS and often has extensive face time with your customers

Major Responsibilities of the Management Representative

Role 1. QMS Process Maintenance. The standard asks that the management representative ensure that the QMS processes are established, implemented and maintained to comply with the standard. This may involve review of internal audits, discussion with process owners, and review of the processes and procedures to ensure they are properly maintained. Companies that try to manage this through a “divide and conquer” process owner effort generally fail with no single person having responsibility and authority. By having a focal point for the overall processes, the management rep can not only ensure that each process is functioning, but that the interaction of the processes is maintained. By doing this, the interactions can then start to be optimized; because it is not always the case that optimization in one process is the best thing for the overall system.

The next blog will cover Role 2. Reporting on QMS performance.

Contact me for a free phone consultation and for my free ISO 9001:2015 Readiness Checklist and perform a quick self-assessment to gage your preparedness for the new standard. Then call to see how I can help.

920-841-3478

Steve@TheRightApproachConsulting.com

1. Timing: ISO 9001: 2015 was released last year, and while the final deadline is 2018; no new certificates will be issued after June 2017. So, depending on your certification date, you may most likely need to comply with 2015 if you have a surveillance or recertification audit after June 2017.
2. Requirements: There are significant changes to the standard that will require new processes, new training and new execution. You will need time to build history to the new system so don’t delay starting!
3. Don’t Wait: There are over 2 million companies globally that are ISO registered, and all 2 million of them have the same deadline for ISO 2015, so you will be competing with them for your registrar’s time. Don’t wait until the last minute or your registrar may not be available when you need them and you risk a certification lapse.