QMS for SME’s

     

•       Small scale industries play an important role in the country’s economy- it is the critical link in the entire value chain of medium and large enterprises. This is realized by the industries, government, and the banks. 
•       It is true that many automotive giants treat their major and critical vendors/ outsource providers as their partners and give them inputs for product, quality and service improvements. Has it REALLY helped them to move forward or make products for open market with the same quality levels?  The answer is NO. The Big Brothers have ensured that their products get the highest priority in terms of meeting the specified standards. They also insist the suppliers to get them certified to ISO 9001 standards-as a routine matter. Companies carry out certification and subsequent sustenance to satisfy the Big Brothers.
• ·         With the advent of ISO 9001:2015, the whole concept of QMS has undergone a conceptual change and it is for the small industries to embrace it and get the benefits.  The new requirements of Leadership, Context of the organization, Risk based thinking and Performance monitoring would help the SME’s to move forward to integrate the QMS and the business management and improve their value additions with confidence.
• ·         Also they can NOW outsource the QMS design, implementation and sustenance to a qualified professional who can ensure that the QMS is fully integrated into the Business management system
• ·         Against this background I am proposing to provide the necessary support to the SME’s thro the following options. These templates would be a simple tool for the SME’s to understand, and implement.
• ·         Option 1- Templates for the above 4 major requirements would be provided. Companies can use them and develop their own total system documentation, based on the existing documentation. These templates have been used for getting a company certified by reputed certification body.
• ·        Option 2- Based on the inputs, obtained thro a standard questionnaire (which will be kept confidential) and  company details, products & services offered, customer profile, company culture, etc., documentation for the above 4 major requirements, would be customized to the particular company.
•      Option 3- Total system documentation needed to meet the requirements,  would be carried out if the existing documentation is provided, but without any modification of the existing process documentation
• ·         Option 4- Total documentation package to transit from the certified ISO 9001:2008 to the  upgraded version of ISO 9001:2015
• ·         Option 5- An uncertified company going in for the  upgraded version of ISO 9001:2015 from scratch
• ·         Option 6- Providing documentation for conducting Internal audits to meet the requirements of the standard, implementing the same and facilitating the company ready for the external certification audit
• ·         Option 7- Be an outsourced QMS professional to guide the company

SME’s have the flexibility to choose the above options individually or in combination. Also a group of companies can come together, form a cluster and choose to go in for any of the above options as one common entity. 

Transition from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015 standards

I am happy to inform that I have been successful in completing a consultancy assignment towards taking a company in Bangalore, for transition from ISO 9001:2008 to the next version of ISO 9001:2015 standards. This company is the first company in Bangalore to be recommended by TUV for ISO 9001:2015 standards.

This has been achieved in a record time of 3 months during December, 2015-March, 2016, from initiation to the end. While transiting, major conceptual changes have been addressed and incorporated, minor changes in the procedures and in the Quality Manual were made and marginal changes were done in tweaking of the system. The new concepts which have been introduced in the updated standards, include

• Context of the organisation, 
• Leadership& commitment, 
• Risk based thinking, 
• Control on outsourced processes, products, & services, 
• Internal and external communications, and 
• Performance monitoring.                                                                                                                                                      

These were conceptualized, incorporated, and implemented successfully.
External audit was carried out by TUV, Nord and the company was recommended for certification without any observations/non-conformity.

This has ensured validation of the- understanding of the concepts, templates and processes I had developed,approaches deployed, methodology used were adequate to meet the requirements of the standard and the needs & expectations of the certification body.

AS can be seen, major changes has a focus on integrating Business Management with the system management. Focus is more on performance based requirements, under specific organisational conditions as envisaged by the Leadership. Therefore, the transition calls for the following- 14 major conceptual changes to be addressed, 17 minor changes in the Apex Manual and the control procedures and 22 marginal changes that calls for tweaking of the system,

THE EXISTING PROCESSES AND THE PROCEDURES BEING PRACTICED CAN BE CONTINUED AS THEY ARE.

I am suggesting to companies to upgrade the documentation which can be customized to suit the  the organisational culture, products & services offered and to meet the standards requirements, training on the concepts and the requirements of the new standards, carry out an Internal Audit from a qualified Transition Auditor and go in for upgradation audit. This would be particularly helpful for small and medium industries.

I have the necessary templates, and the other relevant documentation to effect this transition in a short time frame and in a cost- effective manner.  I have also upgraded myself by getting qualified through IRCA Regsitered Tranistion Course

I am here to provide a service to meet your upgradation/new requirements for QMS, from concept to certification