I
Ithalion
So, I'm currently in the process of getting my company ISO 9001 compliant. I've been struggling some on how "deep" to go with the Outsourced Processes. There are many processes that VERY INDIRECTLY affect conformity (HVAC, Building Safety Inspections, etc.), a few that DIRECTLY affect conformity (Coatings, Instrument Calibration, Machined Parts, etc.) and then some that are in between (Security, Emissions Testing, Forklift Maintenance, etc.). Basically, I'm including the blatantly direct processes as well as the ones that are a bit more indirect but can still be easily reasoned to affecting conformity (not having Emissions Testing can greatly affect our Field Service and local Shipping in the way of On-Time "Delivery").
Because of these struggles of considering what to include, I've searched this forum a lot (and found some very helpful threads), but I haven't found anything on Outsourcing Shipping. Obviously a large percentage of companies outsource shipping (through UPS, FedEx, freight services), and I have been told from a couple sources that this DOES need to be included as an outsourced process (which I think makes sense). However, I'm having some problems finding a way to control it:
My company has a couple different shipping scenarios that would need to be controlled:
1. Customer requests/demands a specific shipping company (do we need to place controls in this case? We have no way of knowing what companies are going to be requested until it happens and we can't very well say "No" if that's the company the customer wants it to be shipped through -- it'd be a "Use at your own risk" sort of situation right? Maybe as long as we just make sure they know that that company isn't specifically approved by us?)
2. We also will use a Transportation Services broker to find which freight company would be best to use (so as long as we place controls proving that the broker is good then we should be fine, right?)
3. Then we do have a couple regular shipping companies we use, that we can just identify and control, but there is the occasional international/flatbed shipment that we just need to find a new/random company on the spot (in which I'm having a hard time thinking of a way we could quickly approve them to ship)
So, any suggestions on how to place controls on these three scenarios (especially #3) or confirmation on what I thought would be a good idea for each?
Thank you guys in advance, I've found this forum incredibly helpful so far.
Because of these struggles of considering what to include, I've searched this forum a lot (and found some very helpful threads), but I haven't found anything on Outsourcing Shipping. Obviously a large percentage of companies outsource shipping (through UPS, FedEx, freight services), and I have been told from a couple sources that this DOES need to be included as an outsourced process (which I think makes sense). However, I'm having some problems finding a way to control it:
My company has a couple different shipping scenarios that would need to be controlled:
1. Customer requests/demands a specific shipping company (do we need to place controls in this case? We have no way of knowing what companies are going to be requested until it happens and we can't very well say "No" if that's the company the customer wants it to be shipped through -- it'd be a "Use at your own risk" sort of situation right? Maybe as long as we just make sure they know that that company isn't specifically approved by us?)
2. We also will use a Transportation Services broker to find which freight company would be best to use (so as long as we place controls proving that the broker is good then we should be fine, right?)
3. Then we do have a couple regular shipping companies we use, that we can just identify and control, but there is the occasional international/flatbed shipment that we just need to find a new/random company on the spot (in which I'm having a hard time thinking of a way we could quickly approve them to ship)
So, any suggestions on how to place controls on these three scenarios (especially #3) or confirmation on what I thought would be a good idea for each?
Thank you guys in advance, I've found this forum incredibly helpful so far.