For many businesses and smaller organisations, this can be a real dilemma.
Do you try to become ISO 9001 accredited on your own, implementing everything you need to do yourself?
Or do you invest in securing the services of an experienced consultant?
Here’s our guide to the pros and cons for each approach:
The case for doing it yourself
Many smaller businesses and organisations are very cost conscious. So, they feel they need to justify every penny they spend.
The main benefit of implementing it yourself would be saving money.
However, there is a major caveat here. Most business leaders only look at the cost of employing a consultant and they fail to factor in the cost of staff time and buying in any resources they may need to complete the work.
When costing the project, you need to factor all this in. Our advice is: do your research thoroughly.
Another potential benefit is that someone who implements the process themselves will also learn a great deal about the business’s processes, vulnerabilities, and the potential risks it faces.
It could give you a greater understanding of your organisation. Take a look at our last blog which offers a free checklist for implementing ISO 9001.
The case for calling in an experienced consultant
Consultants have a wealth of experience you can draw upon and established links with certifying bodies.
This helps them ensure your quality management system is created and implemented in the most efficient way for your business.
Most consultants work across several industries, so choose a consultant with experience in your sector. They will understand your industry and the potential pitfalls and know what needs to be done to ensure you stay ahead of your competitors.
The time commitment put into achieving ISO 9001 certification can feel onerous for a busy manager or business leader. Employing a consultant can free you up to concentrate on other areas of the organisation.
Completing documents can feel like a Herculean task, especially if they are on paper or in spreadsheets. Your consultant will know how to save time on administration.
We believe you can save time and money and get an efficient quality management system by employing a consultant. It’s always worth a no-obligation conversation.
If you’d like to talk to our consultants about implementing ISO 9001, call us on 029 2070 3328 or email us on info@penarth.co.uk.