We understand your hesitation about going after an ISO certificate. The internet is filled with articles that can’t stop praising and listing the benefits of ISO certification. This, in itself, can create doubt in the minds of those who have encountered people who are filled with false promises. In this article, we will tell you the reality of ISO certification and its worth, without sugarcoating any of the benefits.

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ISO certification procedure

We understand that your prime concern about getting an ISO certification is its cost and the length of the entire process. Here, we want to emphasise that surplus time and extra finances can be significantly reduced if you spend an appropriate amount of time in the pre-implementation phase. During the planning phase, find out which ISO certificate aligns the most with your organisational needs.

For example, if you are experiencing inconsistency in the delivery of your products or services, then ISO 9001 is the perfect solution for you. Similarly, if you are getting complaints about your workers experiencing or noticing safety issues at the workplace, then the ISO 45001 standard will be beneficial. Moreover, if you are worried about your environmental performance, then the ISO 14001 standard will help you strike the perfect balance between cost savings and environmental sustainability.

Resources you need to acquire an ISO certification

Furthermore, the planning phase is also the stage where you decide if you have adequate resources to acquire an ISO certification. Resources are just not limited to finances, but also include time, human resources, organisational knowledge and future aspirations. Now, a useful hack is to hire an experienced, well reputed and knowledgeable ISO consultant to guide you in the ISO certification process.

Role of ISO consultant in the ISO certification process

Not only will the ISO consultant help you select the most appropriate ISO standard, but will also help in the implementation of your management system, thereby, allowing you to save both money and time.

This is the mistake that majority of the business owners make, thinking that they can implement the management system on their own. Overconfidence can often lead to wastage of precious resources. It all boils down to expertise. If you have adequate knowledge about ISO standards, internal auditing and troubleshooting, then implementing your own management system is a wise decision. Otherwise, it becomes worthwhile to invest in an ISO consultant.

Benefits of ISO certification in Australia

Benefits of ISO certification

You may have come across different articles talking about the common benefits of ISO certificates including better employee productivity, bigger business opportunities, better brand credibility and increased cost savings.

Let us explore the actual truth in each of these benefits:

Employee productivity

Regardless of the ISO standard that you select, you will encounter the same foundation. The standard will ask you to conduct assessments of your processes, highlight the unnecessary parts, remove it to make workflows smoother. If you actually follow through on these instructions, your work processes will become smoother and leaner, almost guaranteeing a boost in employee productivity.

However, you must understand that employee performance and productivity is a byproduct of managerial action. If you are not conducting regular managerial reviews to understand how your employees feel working with the newly modified processes or you do not provide them with the adequate resources such as training programmes to work with your management system, you will notice a drastic drop in productivity.

Therefore, one can say that ISO standards will guide you in enhancing employee productivity, but you will have to supplement it with good management.

Big business opportunities

Yes, ISO certification brings with it many business opportunities, but it is up to you to either explore or ignore them. For example, if your aim is to work with large industries, many of them release tenders. Having an ISO certification is a prerequisite for qualifying for these tenders, but, just an ISO certificate will not allow you to overtake your competitors.

You must have a compelling application, a lucrative bid and a good reputation within your industry. So, in other words, we can say that ISO certificates will act as a “stamp of approval,” ensuring that the contractors do not ignore your bid.

Better brand credibility

Yes, utilising the ISO logo helps to boost your marketing efforts, but you need to build your credibility through various platforms.

Better cost savings

Yes, ISO certification will introduce you to many cost saving opportunities, but to identify these opportunities you must regularly conduct audits.

To summarise, ISO certification acts as a garnish over your efforts. Yes, they are beneficial, but if you do not put in the right amount of effort, you will only see ISO certification as a rudimentary piece of paper.

ISO certification is Worth it!

ISO certification can bring you many benefits such as better cost savings, better brand credibility, bigger business opportunities and employee productivity. However, these benefits are conditional, where you need to invest your time, energy and efforts into reviewing your management system, engaging with your employees and actively seeking the business opportunities that are presented to you. Some people may argue that ISO certifications are costly and the process is time consuming, however if you invest in an ISO consultant, you can potentially save both money and time.