Why do so many ISO 9001 Implementation Programs Fail?

[Big Jim]

In talking with a client who's program has stalled, he said that his customer, the one that pushed for it in the first place, is no longer pushing for his registration.

So a reason is simply that the customer no longer is applying pressure.

 

[Hodgepodge]

In talking with a client who's program has stalled, he said that his customer, the one that pushed for it in the first place, is no longer pushing for his registration.

So a reason is simply that the customer no longer is applying pressure.

This makes it sound like your client doesn't see any real value in developing and implementing the program. Why? Answer this question and we will get a glimpse as to why so many implemenations fail.

 

[vincentkuipers]

This makes it sound like your client doesn't see any real value in developing and implementing the program. Why? Answer this question and we will get a glimpse as to why so many implemenations fail.

In my opinion it has to do with the consultant involved in building the managementsystem. Make it small, make it usable and make it profitable and make the client believe in the use of it. If you can do that, you won't fail.

Vincent

 

[Big Jim]

This makes it sound like your client doesn't see any real value in developing and implementing the program. Why? Answer this question and we will get a glimpse as to why so many implemenations fail.

In this case, he says that the system is active and fully functioning, although I wonder just how much without 3rd party auditing. What he did say clearly is that as long as his customer is not pushing for it, he won't spend the money to get registered.

And he certainly is using it, even if it is perhaps in a limited manner, beause he said that life is easier with it and he can't picture doing business without the structure it provides.

 

[JaneB]

In my opinion it has to do with the consultant involved in building the managementsystem. Make it small, make it usable and make it profitable and make the client believe in the use of it. If you can do that, you won't fail.

Vincent

This sounds as though you're laying the blame of all/most failures at the feet of consultants! Now, there are certainly some self-styled 'consultants' around who aren't worthy of the title, alas. And yes, they've caused much damage. But as with any supplier - caveat emptor also applies. Companies must do their own due diligence to select a good consultant, as they would any other supplier.

And yes, I'm all in favour of simple and practical systems, and on the whole find that the benefits of such systems speak for themselves. But I do not believe the consultant's role is to 'make the client believe in the use of it'. As the Standard itself says, adopting the Standard is a strategic decision of the organisation. If their exec management hasn't already got a good reason or two for seeking it, they'll almost certainly fail with a consultant or without.

As a consultant, I of course aim to have my client discover/realise (if they need to) that the Standard is all pretty much basic good business sense and I coach them in understanding it with this aim in mind. But any management wanting or expecting a consultant to convince them to 'believe' in their very own business management system, is seriously and sadly misguided.

 

[ISO 9001 Guy]

Most organizations are simply doing it wrong by not using the process approach. Many companies hate ISO 9000 because they are doing it wrong, they have been for years, and nobody has told them!
How can you expect good results from a tool when you don't use it according to the manufacturer's recommendations?

 

[kgott]

I agree that managements have got the wrong message and 9001 implementation has been done incorrectly in the past but it’s up to us in the business to try and change all that around.

I myself carry this responsibility as much as anyone else here but my knowledge and experience is not perfect and reading this forum has shown me I am not the only one.

There are very good people on this forum and I have learned a lot from it. I might add that I have learned a lot from Patricia Ravanello who no longer posts on the forum but in my view she has a better understanding than most of how ISO 9001 implementation should be done.

The process approach has much merit but I try to communicate to management that ISO 9001 is a framework for managing all business processes and not just those that unfortunately start with 'quality.'

Over the years I have learned that we have to be good communicators and we only have a few minutes to sell a message that will sink in before the listener starts to turn off, this comes from learning about communication.

I also try to communicate that the advantages of 9001 are more efficient and stable processes. These two messages are my (your number here) second sales pitch.
I have learned that to package the a-f requirements of ISO 9001 4.1 into 3 or 4 requirements expressed in my own words also helps.

I am not suggesting my way is the way but if there was a way of building a list of ideas of the best way to understand and apply 9001 requirements that could be expressed in bullet points and which could be aggregated into a list or a brief article type description, I think that would be useful to many of us who lack knowledge, skill and experience, such as myself.

 

[AndyN]

Most organizations are simply doing it wrong by not using the process approach. Many companies hate ISO 9000 because they are doing it wrong, they have been for years, and nobody has told them!
How can you expect good results from a tool when you don't use it according to the manufacturer's recommendations?

You have evidence of the 'most'? What's wrong and what's the 'process approach?" Is there any ISO (or other widely available document) which defines and describes such a thing?

This has been hashed out in two other threads already and it can't all be about process approach, in my experience, there's more to it.

 

[Marc]

Process Approach posts

Most organizations are simply doing it wrong by not using the process approach. Many companies hate ISO 9000 because they are doing it wrong, they have been for years, and nobody has told them!
How can you expect good results from a tool when you don't use it according to the manufacturer's recommendations?

No more "Process Approach" posts in this thread.

Thank you.

 

[snappy]

Re: Process Approach posts

No more "Process Approach" posts in this thread.

Thank you.

I respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree. The fact that organizations are not using the process approach--and screwing up their quality systems as a result--is perhaps the number one reason why quality systems fail.