Industry Scrambles To Obtain ISO/QS Certification
As
outsourcing of materials and labor becomes more popular to industry in the
United States, it also poses some potential roadblocks. industry leaders are
quickly learning that without ISO or QS certification they are losing customers
and money due to a lack of quality control. Increasingly, companies make
certification a standard requirement for doing business with them. Thus, no
ISO, no sales. With the help of experienced facilitators, obtaining the
needed documentation is not difficult, and the rewards are significant.
Companies that implement QS-9000 requirements report an average of more than 6
percent cost savings in the first year, according to a survey by the Automotive
Industry Action Group. The survey also revealed a 48 percent improvement in
defect rates, and a 38 percent improvement in on-time shipping performance, plus
a 23 percent increase in market share among registered companies. By the year
2000 a great many of the most competitive, quality-conscious companies will
already be certified. Those who are not need to start the process now, or gamble
on the consequences.