Introduction :
In today's race for market growth and market share organizations have realized the need to focus on meeting and exceeding
customer needs and expectations. Successful organizations are seeking to achieve more than just customer satisfaction. They
are targeting to achieve customer delight. They believe that by focusing on the customer, and supplying defect free products,
backed by effective delivery and after sales service they survive competition and move on to gain a position of leadership in
their respective markets.

Many effective management tools are now available and are continually being developed to enable organizations to achieve
these objectives. Some of these are in the form of International Quality Standards and other related Standards, which can be
used by organizations big and small, manufacturing or service oriented to identity areas for improvement and implement
changes in products, processes and organizational culture to enable meet the challenges of competition.

These standards give guidelines on the principles to be adopted by organizations. They do not prescribe the method to be used to implement the principles. This is left to the concerned organization, which leaves it a lot of freedom for adopting practices and procedures that are most suitable for its operations. This refutes the myth that the standards need an organization to adopt rigid and unchangeable and prescriptive procedures and practices. When clearly understood and correctly interpreted these standards are a pleasure to adopt and implement. As one senior executive in an organization exclaimed after the organization was recommended for certification “ I used to struggle a lot before we adopted this management system. Now I am more relaxed at work. I do no work, the system works! 

Here are some of these tools for organizations to pick from:

1. ISO 9001, ISO 9002 and ISO 9003:1994: 
First published in 1987, the ISO 9000 series of standards enable an organization to set up a quality management system and
supply products and services that are free of non-conformities and aim to achieve customer satisfaction.

These series of standards were revised in 1994. Organizations that have effectively implemented these standards and have
used it as a management tool to meet customer requirements and to enhance customer satisfaction have been immensely
benefitted by way of better housekeeping, higher safety and an enhanced market share and improvement in bottom line.

In the latest round of revisions (15th December 2000) the standards have undergone major restructuring and certificates based
on the 1994 version will be valid only till 14th December 2003. Organizations who have already obtained certification to the 1994
version will find it beneficial to study the Revised Version of the Standard viz. ISO 9001:2000 and consider early switch over. In
any case the transition will have to be made within the above deadline.

2. ISO 9001:2000 
This revised version has only one certification standard namely: ISO 9001:2000. The other two ISO 9002 and ISO 9003 have been
withdrawn. Two guiding standards ISO 9000:2000 and ISO 9004:2000 are available for use as “guiding standards”.

Implementation of this standard will enable an organization to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products that meet
customer and to meet applicable regulatory requirements. It aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement of the system and the assurance to conformity to customer and applicable regulatory requirements. The stress is more on continual improvement of the quality management system rather than the adoption of numerous procedures. It incorporates eight excellent management principles within the standard and has only six mandatory procedures. It leaves a lot of more freedom to the organization, compared to the 1994 version, as to which processes it should document.

The eight principles adopted are titled as follows: Customer focused organization, Leadership, Involvement of people, Process
approach, Systems approach to management, Continual improvement, Factual approach to decision making, and Mutually beneficial supplier relationships. These principles are expressed throughout the standard in each of its “clauses”.

3. ISO 9000 : 1998 for Automobile Sector
QS 9000:1998 is based on the 1994 version of the ISO 9000 series and ISO /TC 16949:2002 requires the organization to meet the
requirements of the 2000 version of the ISO 9001 standard.

In both cases, the basic requirement is to adopt the appropriate version of the ISO standard and then meet additional requirements that are specific to the automobile industry and to the OEM automobile manufacturers. 

This Standard can be adopted by organizations that are suppliers to automobile manufacturers. Implementation of this Standard enables continuous improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of variation and waste in the supply chain.

4. HACCP for Food Industry
The HACCP system, which is science based and systematic, identifies specific hazards and measures for their control to ensure the safety of food. HACCP is a tool to assess hazard and establish control systems that focus on prevention rather than relying mainly on end product testing.

HACCP can be applied throughout the food chain form the primary producer to final consumer and its implementation should be guided by scientific evidence of risks to human health. Besides enhancing food safety, implementation of HACCP can provide
other significant benefits. The application of HACCP system can aid inspection by regulatory authorities and promote
international trade by increasing confidence in food safety.

5. SA 8000 Social Accountability Standard
This Standard specifies requirements for social accountability to enable an organization to:

a) Develop, Maintain and Enforce policies and procedures in order to manage those issues which it can control or influence;
b) Demonstrate to interested parties that policies, procedures and practices are in conformity with the requirements of this
Standard

The requirements of this Standard apply universally with regard to geographic location, industry sector and company size.

6. ISO 14001:1996 Environmental Management System (EMS)
This International Standard specifies requirements for an environmental management system, to enable an organization to formulate a policy and objectives taking into account legislative requirements and information about significant environment impacts. The Standard is applicable to any organization that wishes to:
a) Implement, maintain & improve an EMS
b) Assure itself of its conformance with its stated environmental policy.
c) Demonstrate such conformance to others.
d) Seek certification/registration and self-declaration of conformance with this International Standard.

When implemented correctly it enables an organization to meet legislative requirements and customer requirements. It provides immense opportunities to reduce manufacturing and related costs.

7. ISO 17025 for Laboratory certification:
ISO 17025, which replaces the previous Guide 25 accreditation, is a document prescribing the "General requirements for the
competence of a calibration and testing laboratories".ISO 17025, which replaces the previous Guide 25 accreditation, is a document prescribing the "General requirements for the competence of a calibration and testing laboratories".

It's aims are to:

a. Provide a basis for use by accreditation bodies in assessing competence of laboratories
b. Establish general requirements for demonstrating laboratory compliance to carry out specific calibrations or test; and
c. Assist in the development and implementation of a laboratory's quality system.

8. Indian Merchants' Chamber Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award (IMCRKBNQA)
(Manufacture, Service, Small Business)
The IMC Ramkrishna Bajaj National Quality Award is an annual Award to recognize Indian companies for business excellence and quality achievement.

The Award promotes
1) Awareness of quality as an increasingly important element in competitiveness.
2) Understanding of the requirements for quality excellence.
3) Sharing of information on successful performance strategies and the benefits derived from implementation of these strategies.

The Award has three eligibility categories:
1) Manufacturing companies. 2) Service companies. 3) Small Businesses.

Awards may be given in each category each year. Award recipients may publicize and advertise their Awards.
In addition to publishing the receipt of the Award, recipients are expected to share information about their
successful performance strategies with other Indian organizations.

We are thankful to Mr. Thomas X. Rego (Executive Director, Growth Choice Quality Consultants)
for providing this valuable information.