The first step in getting ISO certified is by performing a GAP analysis to see the gap between your existing quality management system and ISO standards. If indicated, you can hire an ISO consultant to implement the system. The last step is to schedule an ISO audit for certification.
The time frame for ISO certification can vary based on the scope of your business, number of locations, number of employees, where your organization is in terms of your current quality management system and how well you collaborate in the process.
Choosing the right ISO certification body (registrar) is critically important for your organization. Some of them will look for evidence for over a year. Some organizations are new organizations that need to start a quality management system from scratch, while other organizations already have fully developed quality management systems for a while. If you are a new organization and if it’s the first time you are getting an ISO certification, choosing these certification bodies as your certification body will make the process to get certified longer. LMG has the experience and resources to help you identify and choose an appropriate certification body for your unique situation.
The cost of ISO Certification can vary based on the size and complexity of your organization. LMG closely works with various certification bodies and helps you reduce the cost by choosing the right certification body for you. Our fees are the lowest in the industry. We will give you a fixed total fee in the beginning of the process so that you can budget your ISO process without any surprises
Once issued, the ISO certificate is valid for three years from the date of issuance. Although no new certification audit is required for 3 years, the certification body (registrar) will come back at every year for the next 3 years to do a surveillance audit.
It’s a process of evaluating how developed your existing quality management system related to the ISO standards and requirements.(See ISO GAP Analysis)
Any organization trying to make a positive impact on their investment, market share, sales growth, sales margins and increase your bottom line can benefit from implementing a quality management system based on ISO 9001 standards (See Benefits of ISO 9001)
Once you decide to have a quality management system implemented, naturally, the next question that asked is whether you should go with an ISO consultant or do it ourselves.
