Should the billing process be part of ISO 9001:2008?

[Sidney Vianna]

We all know that, for the most part, ISO 9001 is used in the Business World where goods are exchanged for money. We also know that ISO 9001 focus on customer satisfaction and one of the most common sources for customer dissatisfaction is incorrect billing.
So, shouldn't the ISO 9001 standard have more explicit requirements concerning the billing/invoicing process as it affects customer satisfaction?
Most QMS that I have assessed do not include the billing/invoicing processes. Even though it is a process that, without a question, is critical to both the supplier and the customer.

 

[harry]

Some companies have complicated accounting practices - various types of billing, invoicing, discounts and what nots including transactions which we do not like to know of (some of which are customer request). On top of that, yearly submission of audited accounts in my country is a legal requirement.

Therefore, over here we normally advise our clients to leave billing and invoicing (accounting) out of the system and let the other 'auditor' crack his head.

Otherwise, it is certaintly a good suggestion Sidney - for it can go a long way to improve customer satisfaction.

 

[Greg B]

I am in Logistics (one of many hats) and as such I'm part of our customer service group. We do fall under the scope of our QMS and detail all of our processes up to and including documentation to customers/customs/shipping lines etc including invoicing and bills of lading etc but the final money handling transaction aspects of these processes are covered under our financial accounting systems which are audited separately to our QMS. It is a federal legislative requirement that it be audited independently so we do not see the benefit of having it audited twice.

 

[Howard Atkins]

There are two aspects of the auditing requirement for the financial side of the company.
The first which is the requirement of the country to audit the actual financial records which is based on the need to ensure that the government gets all its taxes.
The reason that I believe that the billing process should be part of the QMS as it is a vital part of customer satisfaction.
The requirements of the financial community and the requirements of the QMS are different, one emphasis the accuracy and the other the manner and the method.
The other advantage is that it will connect all aspects of the company together.

As you can guess I voted YES

 

[Clausterphobic]

different standards being merged?

It is a federal legislative requirement that it be audited independently so we do not see the benefit of having it audited twice.

I can see that there's a tendency for the ISO merging different standards although I must admit that billing is a part of the business process. But as GregB said, I don't see the benefit of being audited twice.

what would this mean? ISO auditors should also be adept with accounting(billing) procedures? I should be studying right now!

Obviously I voted no.

 

[Claes Gefvenberg]

So, shouldn't the ISO 9001 standard have more explicit requirements concerning the billing/invoicing process as it affects customer satisfaction?

I do agree that this is an important aspect of the customer supplier relationship, but I'm not so sure about adding requirements. There is nothing to prevent us from including it in our systems as it is (7.2).

Lets discuss what those new requirements should look like, should they be added. (I have not voted yet).

/Claes

 

[Howard Atkins]

In my opinion it is not auditing twice, rather different aspects.
I believe that the financial audits are involved with the accuracy of the calculations and the method of calculating various aspects of the actual allowed exceptions.
There is no audit from a customer, internal and external viewpoint.
Financial institutions are ISO9001 registered and audited as suppliers of services by the registrars and audited by the various bodies for financial aspects.
These services are by all definitions Customer Orientated Processes and to exclude them is incorrect

 

[Coury Ferguson]

We all know that, for the most part, ISO 9001 is used in the Business World where goods are exchanged for money. We also know that ISO 9001 focus on customer satisfaction and one of the most common sources for customer dissatisfaction is incorrect billing.
So, shouldn't the ISO 9001 standard have more explicit requirements concerning the billing/invoicing process as it affects customer satisfaction?
Most QMS that I have assessed do not include the billing/invoicing processes. Even though it is a process that, without a question, is critical to both the supplier and the customer.

The billing process should not be part of the ISO requirements, in my opinion. Any complaints would be handled through the Customer Satisfaction requirement.

 

[RoxaneB]

As Howard so aptly phrased it, billing/invoicing is a Customer-orientated process. If the "taking" of Customer requirements is worthy of 'shall' statements, why not the other end of the process? In essence, this would be completing the loop as it pertains to relations with the Customer.

The auditing of billing/invoicing would focus on conformance to the requirements as opposed to compliance to financial regulations. For those of us who fall under the Sarbanes-Oxley umbrella, I'm curious to know how ISO 9001 companies are integrating the financial processes into their BMS (if at all).

I look at the financial audit process as being two-fold, comparable to EMS audits. One is a compliance audit the regulations, rules and statutes. One is a conformance audit to the requirements of the management system.

I am curious, however, to see how it would fit into the existing standard...

 

[RoxaneB]

The billing process should not be part of the ISO requirements, in my opion. Any complaints would be handled through the Customer Satisfaction requirement.

Coury Ferguson

But shouldn't a company be striving to not have complaints...especially in something as simple as paperwork? The fact that complaints are occuring in this area (for some companies it's the bulk of their errors) should give us reason to pause and consider that perhaps controls are needed in this part of the Customer-oriented process?