What are the most valuable parts of ISO 9001:2015?

[Kronos147]

Evidence based decision making:
We look at our KPI's against Goals. Where we don't meet goals, we use our resources to correct and improve. Where goals are met, we consider raising goals.

Caddy Shack:
Judge Smales (to Ty Long): "If you don't keep your score (golf), how do you measure yourself against other players?"
Ty Long: "By height."

 

[Scanton]

From my experience the three main things current and potential customers gain from a supplier having a recognized QMS are:
[the first two from Ninja]
1. Customers who would visit to audit do not do so since an outside auditor already did and they are comfortable.
2. Customers buy from you when they would not do so if you didn't have the cert.
and the third would be:
3. Customers would know you have appropriate processes and systems in place to deal with problems/issues that they may have with your services and/or products.

 

[Ninja]

Just to be clear...
The first two:

1. Customers who would visit to audit do not do so since an outside auditor already did and they are comfortable.
2. Customers buy from you when they would not do so if you didn't have the cert.

Are gains for having the cert...

The third

3. Customers would know you have appropriate processes and systems in place to deal with problems/issues that they may have with your services and/or products

...you don't need the cert for. And should have in place whether or not you have the cert.
Expanding this further...the biggest benefit here is that you have those systems...customers knowing it is a minor side benefit.

 

[AndyN]

Ninja -

 

[Scanton]

Quote: “...you don't need the cert for. And should have in place whether or not you have the cert.”

Agreed, however there is a world of difference between a company that "should have" something in place and a company that “does have” something in place, and I thought having ISO9001 tells your customers that you are a “does have” something in place, company.

Quote: “.the biggest benefit here is that you have those systems...customers knowing it is a minor side benefit.”

Isn’t this precisely why larger business/organisations have ISO9001 as a minimum requirement for their suppliers and generally don’t do business with those that don’t have a recognised QMS, (they require the minimum structure and systems to be in place in order for them to do business with you) so I really don’t see “customers knowing “ as a “minor side benefit”.

I picked one aspect of the QMS as an example of what I have observed absent or massively under resourced in companies without a QMS. I can only go by my own observations from my experience in supplier quality, and note that many of the companies I observed without a recognised QMS were generally woeful in this area (not all, but many), whereas companies with a recognised QMS were generally much better.

 

[Ninja]

Didn't mean to step on your toes...sorry if I did.

Yes, there is a world of difference between "should" and "do".
With the two items on the plate (Functioning QMS and Official Cert), I am assuming that "do" is the topic, and that "Have cert" and "dont have cert" are the only two choices left.

There are plenty of customers who require the cert.
Of those (in my experience) they will come and audit anyway.
To my eyes, this means that some honcho requires the cert...but the folks tasked with managing suppliers want to see for themselves.
When this occurs, I (personally) see it as a lack of trust in the certification auditor...and reduces the financial value of having the cert.
Hey, life happens and we all move along.

When stacking up the two 'transitions' (in bold):
Not having QMS...'installing' QMS...having QMS
Having QMS...getting Cert....having Cert

My thoughts are that the transition of 'installing' a QMS is by far of the most value...whether customers know or not.
Customers knowing certainly has its own value...but having the QMS has more value IMO.
Having the cert also may have value...but again having the QMS has more value.
...all three of these values are additive, and many customers decide to get all three...

The OP is in a company questioning the cost/benefit of the Cert...and questioning the value concentration of the QMS.
Thus I was sharing my opinion of which items have more or less value...knowing that all of them have some value.
Having the cert has benefit...and that benefit may or may not outweigh the cost...depends on your customer base.
Having the QMS has benefit...and I've never seen a company where cost outweighed it.

Note: I couldn't think of a better verb than "installing" the QMS..."adopting maybe? Installing isn't right...but I don't have a better word right now.

 

[John Broomfield]

Ninja,

Our clients develop their management systems.

After all, their systems for doing business already exist.

John

 

[Ninja]

Develop. A much better word, thank you.

 

[SpinDr99]

Well, I was informed this am by top management that we are not going to retain our ISO 9001:2015 certification. Keep in mind that only a couple months ago we transferred from 9001:2008 to 9001:2015 after the auditor only finding 3 minor non-conformances. Considering the fact that I've only been a QC Manager for about 1 1/2 years, I think that is pretty darned good! (Not to break my arm patting myself on the back.)

They said that they are not finding any value in it, which is incredibly short-sighted in my opinion. I'm told that there is no potential business to be gained in our industry (reverse logistics and 3PL), so it is not worth keeping.

They do see SOME value in parts of it and they don't want to throw it all away, so they want me to go through ISO 9001:2015 and suggest the most valuable parts of it. While I am NOT HAPPY with this decision, I need the job and am doing my best to roll with the punches.

My question is this. What do you feel are the most valuable parts of ISO 9001:2015?

Thanks in advance.

Respectfully,

QC Dave

Funny how top management sees SOME value but want you to determine what parts to keep. Seems 2015 has put too much on their plate and this is their way of avoiding their responsibility and work to maintain 2015. Maybe you can remind them of how much 2015 certification has cost them, and how their throwing away money on the balance of the contract with the registrar that they'll get nothing for. In the mean time, update the resume and look for a company that takes the Quality function seriously and appreciates what a robust QMS (WITH the commitment of TOP management) does for the company.

I've seen companies like this too often and makes me want to start the count-down to retirement.

 

[Randy]

Nobody is answering the OP's question