How to find a good ISO 9001 Implementation Consultant in Calgary, Canada?

[happydude]

Hi All,
I've been away for some time, (working like a maniac) and I've been tasked to look at this ISO certification process - again. I am at the point where I need to find a consultant to take a look at my stuff.
I've tried to google "ISO Consultant" but a bunch of non related stuff is popping up. Then I tried, "ISO Consultant, Calgary", Ok, I got one company that popped up, way down the list. I called them, however, they seemed quite loofy.
Is there some sort of key word I am missing?
It could be something as simple as adding more clarity in the search bar that I am currently unable to figure out.

Any help would be appreciated!

 

[qualitypirate]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Maybe talk to whatever certification body you want to work with for actual certification. It is likely they know of someone who is trustworthy.

 

[happydude]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Yea that's a good idea. I will give it a shot. Thanks !

 

[AndyN]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Maybe talk to whatever certification body you want to work with for actual certification. It is likely they know of someone who is trustworthy.

Thanks for this bit of excellent advice! As a CB, we often see excellent work which is done by consultants assisting clients to develop effective, (properly) documented system, which are well deployed and valuable. We like to refer these people, so it's a great place to start your search. However, not all CBs are that way. Some pay for referrals, which may be thought of as a little odd (ISO/IEC 17021 doesn't prohibit it) and can be confusing as to WHY the referral is happening.

 

[John Broomfield]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Hi All,
I've been away for some time, (working like a maniac) and I've been tasked to look at this ISO certification process - again. I am at the point where I need to find a consultant to take a look at my stuff.
I've tried to google "ISO Consultant" but a bunch of non related stuff is popping up. Then I tried, "ISO Consultant, Calgary", Ok, I got one company that popped up, way down the list. I called them, however, they seemed quite loofy.
Is there some sort of key word I am missing?
It could be something as simple as adding more clarity in the search bar that I am currently unable to figure out.

Any help would be appreciated!

happydude,

To avoid attracting ISO Consultants with procedures to resell on their laptops try using the term "management system consultant" with and without the relevant standard in a separate set of quotes, for example "ISO 22000" and the name of your state, region or city.

Other organization's procedures may be cheap to buy but are always expensive to implement.

Essentially you are looking for a certified lead auditor to help you and your colleagues to develop your organization's process-based management system so it is based on what you already do, conforms to the standard and helps employees to determine and fulfill objectives and other requirements.

Be careful of seeking your consultant through a registrar. The consultant may then feel obliged to recommend the registrar quid quo pro instead of independently helping you to develop your registrar selection criteria based on what your prospective customers (to grow the business) will respect.

Please let us know what you end up doing.

John

 

[Wes Bucey]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

I'm a consultant, but I'm not necessarily looking to travel to Calgary, so consider this as FREE advice:

1) Top management and staff should be on the same page in determining WHY they want to pursue registration to an ISO Standard.

2) If this is customer driven or regulatory agency driven, ask the customer (or prospect) if he has any suggestions for good consultants and registrars (don't EVER get caught in the trap of going the cheap route of a quick and dirty consultant who provides a thumb drive of word-processed documents for you to fill in the blanks with your company name.) Similarly, don't use a registrar who does not meet your customer's or regulatory agency's criteria. Ask the regulatory agency if they have a list of approved registrars or if they have a criteria checklist.

3) I discuss the criteria I use in agreeing to take on a consulting client in this post. You should also read what I, as a professional consultant, feel are the characteristics and attributes of a real consultant as opposed to a "wannabe" in this post.

4) Ensure the consultant will leave your organization in a position it can continue and evolve without calling in the consultant on each and every change. (Don't hire the outfit that continually looks for excuses to bill you.)

 

[Reg Morrison]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Essentially you are looking for a certified lead auditor to help you and your colleagues ...snip....

There are many good consultants that have never been nor will be a certified lead auditor. Not sure why being a certified lead auditor should be a criteria for a consultant.

Be careful of seeking your consultant through a registrar. The consultant may then feel obliged to recommend the registrar quid quo pro ...snip

I agree with that. If you get consultant recommendations from a registrar, make sure you ask for references from the consultant and DO talk to them about the consultant's services.

Too many consultants brag about leading their clients through certification. A good consultant would certainly ensure that any process and system put in place works for the betterment of the organization and their customers and not simply pass audits.

Good luck.

 

[John Broomfield]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Reg,

Certified Lead Auditor was one of the criteria used to select our management system consultants for the following reasons:

1. Rapid learning and competence in our methodology
2. Knowing what questions to ask helps enormously in the analysis of the processes comprising the system.
3. It also helps in recognizing evidence of effective or ineffective planning, operation or control of processes when documenting the procedures.
4. Training the management rep, deputy and internal auditors
5. And in conducting the pre-certification system audit.

A very useful qualification but admittedly not the whole story.

John

 

[Big Jim]

Re: What's the Google Search term to find an "ISO Quality Management" Consultant?

Reg,

Certified Lead Auditor was one of the criteria used to select our management system consultants for the following reasons:

1. Rapid learning and competence in our methodology
2. Knowing what questions to ask helps enormously in the analysis of the processes comprising the system.
3. It also helps in recognizing evidence of effective or ineffective planning, operation or control of processes when documenting the procedures.
4. Training the management rep, deputy and internal auditors
5. And in conducting the pre-certification system audit.

A very useful qualification but admittedly not the whole story.

John

I'm a consultant and a lead auditor. As an auditor, I see the work of many consultants, and as a general rule if they are not auditors as well they don't truly understand what an auditor expects to see. This is certainly not a hard fast rule though, just as an engineering degree doesn't guarantee that someone will be a good engineer. For the most part, the degree really helps, but I know some degreed engineers that can't find their way out of a wet paper bag, and I also know some exceptional engineers that don't have degrees.

The real test is can they do the work. It helps to ask for and check references and interview them carefully.

 

[WCHorn]

Gee, years ago I couldn't throw a rock without hitting an ISO 9001 consultant. What happened?

I still get unsolicited telephone calls even though I haven't needed a consultant for 17 years.