Press

P RESS

registration is getting more attention and that's going to increase.

ISO registration is not just a consideration for the big guys. Some smaller carriers, particularly those with blue-chip clients, are getting in on the act.

I recently met with Rose Johnson, a quality systems consultant in Burlington, Ont., to learn more about ISO. The primary motivation for most companies to look at ISO 9000 registration is pressure form customers. But it is not just increased customer satisfaction which flows as a result. An important side benefit is that for the first time internal policies and procedures have been documented. Consequently, the registrant's business winds up operating more efficiently, with less time wasted putting out fires.
Before getting into what ISO 9000 can do for you as a carrier, there are a few common misunderstandings that should be addressed.

What ISO registration
can do for you

by Blair Gough

ISO is just for big companies.
Fact: there are companies with as few one or two employees that have become registered.

ISO is an exercise in paperwork.
Fact: ISO does require a company to have documented policies and procedures. But this is something any well-managed business should have. If management is considering ISO registration, then creation of documentation should be more than an exercise in paperwork just to satisfy auditors. Full implementation should be seen as an opportunity to improve the business by establishing meaningful policies and procedures.

ISO will waste a lot of time.
Fact: A primary goal of ISO is to reduce or eliminate waste of al sorts.

One difference that can identify an ISO registrant is being proactive rather than reactive. In their infancy, quality systems focused on inspection of the finished product, whereas the modern focus is on preventing any problems prior to adding value. Take the common example of a shortage. Your customer complains that only 19 pieces were delivered instead of 20. The OS&D people get involved and investigate the dispute.

The better approach is to prevent problems such as this from happening, or being proactive. For example, dispatchers should be trained to examine the load and related paperwork at the point of pickup and delivery, to verify that bill of lading details are correct. The bottom line is that all persons involved operate according to specified procedures designed to reduce or eliminate problems such as this, the result being a superior service and a satisfied customer.

According to Johnson, ISO registration can be summed up in three phrases: say what you do, do what you say, and prove it. In other words, document the procedures used in servicing customers (say what you do); follow those procedures (do what you say); and successfully pass a registrar audit (prove it).

While many companies will suggest they are already keeping customers happy, effective ISO implementation simply takes what is already functioning well and builds upon it. After identifying key operating processes (e.g. dispatching, driving), the nest step is to begin documenting the quality system.

After documentation is in place and processes are working according to documented procedures, internal audits should begin with results viewed at regular management meetings. After a months of operating the system, generating records, and conducting reviews, the company should be ready for an on-site registrar audit. The registrar's first step will be to review and approve the quality system documentation prior to carrying out the on-site audit. If satisfied, the registrar will recommend it for registration. If accepted, a certificate is issued , valid for three years, during which time surveillance audits will be conducted once or twice per year.

The overall process, from taking the decision to pursue registration through to being registered, usually takes between 12 and 18 months.

There is constant pressure on carriers to do more for less. Competition is fierce and reputable trucking companies strive to differentiate themselves from carriers who seem to haul for next to nothing, but perhaps to the detriment of safety, etc. Perhaps this environment serves to explain why there is an unprecedented interest in ISO 9000 registration in the North American trucking industry. Johnson feels we are still on the crest of the wave, where becoming registered offers at present a competitive advantage, but that the time may come quickly where registration is simply a basic requirement for doing business. According to Johnson, ISO registration can be summed up in three phrases: say what you do, do what you say, and prove it.

Truck News
Industry Insight
May 1997

Blair Gough is a consultant
to the trucking industry.

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registration is getting more attention and that's going to increase. ISO registration is not just a consideration for the big guys. Some smaller carriers, particularly those with blue-chip clients, are getting in on the act. I recently met with Rose Johnson, a quality systems consultant in Burlington, Ont., to learn more about ISO. The primary motivation for most companies to look at ISO 9000 registration is pressure form customers. But it is not just increased customer satisfaction which flows as a result. An important side benefit is that for the first time internal policies and procedures have been documented. Consequently, the registrant's business winds up operating more efficiently, with less time wasted putting out fires. Before getting into what ISO 9000 can do for you as a carrier, there are a few common misunderstandings that should be addressed.	What ISO registration can do for you by Blair Gough
ISO is just for big companies. Fact: there are companies with as few one or two employees that have become registered. ISO is an exercise in paperwork. Fact: ISO does require a company to have documented policies and procedures. But this is something any well-managed business should have. If management is considering ISO registration, then creation of documentation should be more than an exercise in paperwork just to satisfy auditors. Full implementation should be seen as an opportunity to improve the business by establishing meaningful policies and procedures. ISO will waste a lot of time. Fact: A primary goal of ISO is to reduce or eliminate waste of al sorts.
One difference that can identify an ISO registrant is being proactive rather than reactive. In their infancy, quality systems focused on inspection of the finished product, whereas the modern focus is on preventing any problems prior to adding value. Take the common example of a shortage. Your customer complains that only 19 pieces were delivered instead of 20. The OS&D people get involved and investigate the dispute. The better approach is to prevent problems such as this from happening, or being proactive. For example, dispatchers should be trained to examine the load and related paperwork at the point of pickup and delivery, to verify that bill of lading details are correct. The bottom line is that all persons involved operate according to specified procedures designed to reduce or eliminate problems such as this, the result being a superior service and a satisfied customer. According to Johnson, ISO registration can be summed up in three phrases: say what you do, do what you say, and prove it. In other words, document the procedures used in servicing customers (say what you do); follow those procedures (do what you say); and successfully pass a registrar audit (prove it). While many companies will suggest they are already keeping customers happy, effective ISO implementation simply takes what is already functioning well and builds upon it. After identifying key operating processes (e.g. dispatching, driving), the nest step is to begin documenting the quality system. After documentation is in place and processes are working according to documented procedures, internal audits should begin with results viewed at regular management meetings. After a months of operating the system, generating records, and conducting reviews, the company should be ready for an on-site registrar audit. The registrar's first step will be to review and approve the quality system documentation prior to carrying out the on-site audit. If satisfied, the registrar will recommend it for registration. If accepted, a certificate is issued , valid for three years, during which time surveillance audits will be conducted once or twice per year. The overall process, from taking the decision to pursue registration through to being registered, usually takes between 12 and 18 months. There is constant pressure on carriers to do more for less. Competition is fierce and reputable trucking companies strive to differentiate themselves from carriers who seem to haul for next to nothing, but perhaps to the detriment of safety, etc. Perhaps this environment serves to explain why there is an unprecedented interest in ISO 9000 registration in the North American trucking industry. Johnson feels we are still on the crest of the wave, where becoming registered offers at present a competitive advantage, but that the time may come quickly where registration is simply a basic requirement for doing business.	According to Johnson, ISO registration can be summed up in three phrases: say what you do, do what you say, and prove it.
	Truck News Industry Insight May 1997 Blair Gough is a consultant to the trucking industry.
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