Certified Quality Manager - Do you think the Certification name should be changed

[Carl Keller]

I received an interesting package over the weekend from the Major Quality Organization in the U.S.

I am a Certified Quality Manager and although I have dropped my membership, my Certification is good for 2 more years. I was chosen to fill out a survey for the Body of Knowledge for future exams. The survey was pretty much what I expected with how important I thought training, different quality initiatives, statistics etc. played into a Quality Managers job, that is until I hit the last two questions.

1. Do you think the Certification name should be changed from Certified Quality Manager to another name? (I said NO)

2. Which of the following would you choose as the new name for the certification.

They gave a list of 10 different "New" names, and here is the kicker: ONLY 2 OF THE 10 NAMES CONTAINED THE WORD "QUALITY" IN THEM!!!!

Needless to say, I had a lot to write in the "comments" section at the end!

They are truly a disgrace.

Carl-

 

[Rob Nix]

Yes, Carl, and they should be glad they weren't asking for new names for the ASQ, e.g. what word would you replace in "American Society for ???"? Hmmm?

 

[Carl Keller]

It's all about the dollars at this point

 

[Craig H.]

Yes, Carl, and they should be glad they weren't asking for new names for the ASQ, e.g. what word would you replace in "American Society for ???"? Hmmm?

Sophistry?

 

[Wes Bucey]

Sophistry, spin, or just plain "identity crisis?"

Do you ever get the idea that ASQ HQ is like a large anthill that goes wild with activity whenever somebody prods the hill with a stick? Then you wait for a few minutes and everything settles back down into a dull routine.

The idea of an alternate outfit SELLING certifications is starting to look better and better. Maybe we need an influx of fresh thinking to go along with price and service competition. Monopolies rarely are noted for innovation and service. Of course, monopolistic price gouging goes without saying.

Remember, I am an ASQ Senior Member, so I may be biting my own hand here.

 

[Carl Keller]

I am absolutely ready and willing to grant a certificate to anyone passing my "audit by mail" that states I have have found their quality system to comply with ISO 9000 revision 2000. I will give them a certificate number and will place my ASQ Certified Quality Manager certificate number on the certificate as reference to my credentials.

The price? Considerably lower than ANY current registrar. Let's say $500 for companies under 200 employees and $1000 for companies larger.

As a testament to my inovation and service, I will provide the certificate already framed and will reduce the annual registration cost 5% every year.

Auditor Certification and Certified Quality Manager cert costs to follow.

Carl-

 

[Wes Bucey]

Award time?

Are you bucking for the Humanitarian Award, now, Carl?

 

[Carl Keller]

Humanatarian?

Nah.....

At $500 per, It is a win-win.

They get just as useful a tool to their QMS, I get rich, and ASQ, well, they get NOTHING so I guess it is more like win-win-loser.

Carl-

 

[Raptorwild]

Well that answers that question in the back of my mind if it would be worth spending my hard earned money for a certificate to hang on the wall! I think I have learned more from this cove forum than anywhere else.

Humanatarian?

Nah.....

At $500 per, It is a win-win.

They get just as useful a tool to their QMS, I get rich, and ASQ, well, they get NOTHING so I guess it is more like win-win-loser.

Carl-

 

[Wes Bucey]

Why do YOU need or want a certificate?

Back on topic:
Certification is a pocketbook item.

We joke and rail a lot about certification, but the fact remains earning the actual certificate does not mean the certificate holder is more knowledgeable than a non-certificate holder. Organizations who use certificate status as the sole criterion for hiring or promotion are just as blind as those which select suppliers on the basis of whether they hold registration certificates to ISO or other Standard.

If you are the prospective employee who stands to gain by getting certification, get one, ESPECIALLY if the organization will pay your way.

For the rest of us to whom certification doesn't add or detract from income, consider testing yourself against the tests for the body of knowledge which are offered in texts, on CDs, and on the internet. If you consistently score 90% or better on those, odds are good you would have passed the actual certification test given under more stressful conditions.

Consider this similar to self-declaring your organization to be "compliant" to an International Standard. It really all depends on what your "customer" demands!