We all know that part of looking like a big company is acting like a big company. Whilst any small business owner should be proud of what they've achieved, the reality is there is an associated (even if it's misguided) trust in dealing with a ‘big' business. They've been around the block. They're tried and tested. They're a safe bet.
Whilst the public sector makes great claims to using more SMEs, there is still undoubtedly bias towards larger suppliers when it comes to tendering for local or central Government work. The same can be said of the private sector; in the current climate, do companies dare try someone new?If you're one of these small businesses keen to expand, but aren't sure how to open new doors, then you may be interested in the ISO 9001 quality management standard. You may have occasionally seen an ISO 9001 logo on a van on the motorway, or on someone's letterhead; what you may not know is that the standard has been implemented by more than 1,000,000 organisations worldwide.
So what is it? Well, the standard can be traced back to when the military required a robust quality standard during World War II. Government then realised the potential of the standard for all, before it was then taken on by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), where the standard was improved with input from over 100 member countries. The standard we know today allows organisations of all sizes and types - from one man bands to multi-nationals - to create and maintain an effective Quality Management System (QMS).
ISO 9001 focuses on a number of core quality management principles, helping organisations to improve consistency, traceability, leadership, customer focus and the involvement of its people. It's therefore the ideal solution for aspiring small businesses who want to ensure they have effective and robust systems in place so they can expand without the associated growing pains.
Whilst improved processes will undoubtedly improve business efficiency and customer satisfaction, avoiding any unnecessary re-work and associated costs, we haven't touched on why you're still here - how does ISO 9001 help to win new business?
Because of its global reverence, ISO 9001 is very popular within government in tendering situations. Rather than having to check the quality credentials of every single supplier, by simply asking for proof of ISO 9001 certification, a huge amount of time and money can be saved. For those active in public sector tenders then, ISO 9001 can be the difference between winning and losing new work.
With the current economic climate making winning work harder than ever, ISO 9001 also gives that vital differentiator when battling competitors for private sector work too. After all, if one of your suppliers said they have had their quality credentials independently verified, proving they make less mistakes and deliver better service against another supplier who had nothing to back their sales spiel up, who would you choose?
The reality is, ISO 9001 is more than "just another badge". It may give you that big company look, but there are also tangible benefits to be had too. Could it be the key to your business' growth?
Authored by Robert Fenn at The British Assessment Bureau. www.british-assessment.co.uk
For more information on the quality management standard you can visit their dedicated ISO 9001 certification page. You can also download a case study featuring Nicoll Curtin, a recruitment agency who have shared their experience of achieving certification.
