They were right all along...
db said:
I'm sorry, but this just burns me up!

Not Wes' post, but when companies think that registration is the end goal. That's in part why I am against having mandates. This stuff can work, if you approach it right.
You mentioned in another thread, Dave, that your Grandfather said that if something was worth doing, you wouldn't need to be told to do it. Wise words.
Too often we do our job the way we do because...well...that's the way we've always done it. We get caught up in the routine. There was a song I remember from nursery school..."This is the way we wash our hands". We are a species of habit...even amongst our group of Quality-minded professionals, we admit that change is difficult.
An audit, be it internal or external, first/second/third party, should be not only a tool to demonstrate conformity, but a method by which improvements can be gained. That's why we call such findings "Opportunities for Improvement".
It's amazing what a fresh pair of eyes can see in your processes...redundancies you've never noticed, unclear interactions, areas such begging for efficiency.
Audits are to be a win-win. The Auditor gets the warm and fuzzy that all is in order. The Auditee (and hopefully the Client, too) get suggestions on how to improve.