Yesterday we found out our auditor from our registration company won't be able to make it to our previsously scheduled second surveillance audit later this month, and due to his schedule won't be able to reschedule this audit with us. :mg: The registrar has asked it if is alright if we would allow a substitue auditor to come in his place either later this month or March.

My question is, what should we expect from this substitute auditor? We know what to expect from our regular auditor, and have done things knowing how he audits. Will this substitute try and emuliate our regular auditor's values and expectations or will this be like starting from scratch with a brand new auditor with unknown values or expectations? :confused:

Any advice or thoughts will be welcomed! Thanks a head of time! :)

The auditor might have different techniques and have a different personality but he/she is still auditing to ISO 9001:2000.


If the auditor is on the ANSI-RAB List you should feel comfortable that he/she is trained and proffesional. Above and beyond that remember that you are the customer and you can request another auditor.

You might want to call your registrar and see if the auditor is available for a visit or at least a phone conversation prior to the audit.

Yesterday we found out our auditor from our registration company won't be able to make it to our previsously scheduled second surveillance audit later this month, and due to his schedule won't be able to reschedule this audit with us. :mg: The registrar has asked it if is alright if we would allow a substitue auditor to come in his place either later this month or March.

My question is, what should we expect from this substitute auditor? We know what to expect from our regular auditor, and have done things knowing how he audits. Will this substitute try and emuliate our regular auditor's values and expectations or will this be like starting from scratch with a brand new auditor with unknown values or expectations? :confused:

Any advice or thoughts will be welcomed! Thanks a head of time! :)We've had the same situation occur. It wasn't a problem, but each auditor has his/her own style so don't expect a clone.

Over the last four years, we've been audited by three different auditors - all from the same registrar. As has been said, they're people and people have their own personalities - but they're all auditing to the same standard. We've been happy with all of the auditors.

With my current employer, I've experienced 5 different auditors all brought a personal flavor to their audit, but all applied the principles of ISO 9001:2000. We had problems with only 1 of them who had some difficulties in time management (he was upgrading to lead auditor during our audit). After our intitial audit we requested that he not come back.

When I was under 9K, and now since I do accreditation assessments, one thing I have noticed.....

An auditor audits to a given standard, and under the registrars rules, so there is some consistency, however, each auditor also has their own set of "hot buttons" and that will vary.

Best advice, keep your system as close to compliance as possible on an on-going basis, and if the auditor writes a finding without being able to quote chapter and verse, challenge it.

Remember though the chapter and verse may also come from the registrars rules, but the auditor must be able to show the rule to you.

Hope this helps.

Hershal

Good advice. Hershal

What’s your thoughts on "value added auditing" and how do you think that it will effect the usage of substitute auditors ?

By value added, do you mean offering - shall we say - insights for how an organization may improve with respect to the audited requirements? If so, I am all for it, PROVIDING the auditor watches the issue of consultancy, due to conflict of interest issues. The hard part is, consultancy is a gray line.

As for substitute auditors, that is a hard one. Some will be good at it, some will not, as each auditor and their background is different.

Those organizations that use contract auditors really have a hard challenge to make sure every auditor is singing the same song. That issue is true in the registrar (ISO 9K) world and in the accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025/17020) world.

Just my thoughts of course, not official from anyone but me.

Hershal

It is the grey line that concerns me....but we will have to see where how it pans out

Thanks for your comments