The Difference of being AS 9100D Compliant vs.Certified

[Sidney Vianna]

We still get audited again and again by our customers. Why?

If customers are doing quality system audits, rather than process and product focused assessments, then it is obviously an indication of lack of trust in certificates. The motives for that can be “root caused” to the commoditization and trivialization of management system certification, something that very few fight against.

 

[dwperron]

This is likely true, but in my experience many of the companies that are certified are also pretenders, but maybe less pretender than those who merely self-proclaim compliance.

When ISO 9001 came out one huge selling point was that by having a 3rd party do the audits everyone would trust the result, so we wouldn't need to suffer through all those customer audits (or perform audits on our suppliers). How'd that work out? We still get audited again and again by our customers. Why?

Because as long as there are QA staff members whose jobs include performing audits you can be sure they will find a reason that requires them to audit you. Job security.

On the other hand, I know that I have had many customers over the years who are satisfied with a current ISO 9001 registration certificate. And I have also accepted many ISO certificates in lieu of an audit myself. Not perfect, but it works.

 

[Big Jim]

This is likely true, but in my experience many of the companies that are certified are also pretenders, but maybe less pretender than those who merely self-proclaim compliance.

When ISO 9001 came out one huge selling point was that by having a 3rd party do the audits everyone would trust the result, so we wouldn't need to suffer through all those customer audits (or perform audits on our suppliers). How'd that work out? We still get audited again and again by our customers. Why?

I'm among the first to acknowledge that some certified companies are also pretenders to one extent or another. There are some that do the absolute minimum to maintain their system. There are two extremes here. Those that do as little as they possibly can and those that embrace what certification can do for them. Those that do the minimum will always find it an irritation like a thorn in their side. Those that embrace it find that life gets easier.

 

[Mike S.]

BTW, my asking "why" was a rhetorical question. But your responses resonate.