Earning ISO certification is a major accomplishment for a company. The designation instills confidence that the ISO-certified supplier provides services that meet wide international acceptance and can back up its claims about quality. After all, ISO 9000 is a globally recognized standard for quality management systems that is maintained by the International Organization for Standardization.
While that is a good reason for pursuing certification, tangible benefits are what clients value most. They value reduced costs and optimized production that result from continual improvement. ISO-certified processes can help the client organization position itself for continual quality improvement.
“ISO certification tells the client that the certified company is quality-conscious, with processes in place to help meet the client’s needs,” said David Mortimer, Program Manager with Harris Corporation. “When these processes result in consistent quality, both the company and the client benefit financially and in their relationship.”
Mortimer noted that as clients evaluate project proposals that are otherwise equal, ISO certification could be advantageous as a decision-making criterion. “While ISO certification is no guarantee of results, it demonstrates that the certified company has made a positive commitment to quality and to improving the client experience.”
Project Delivery Enhanced
Black & Veatch’s telecommunications division had previously earned the ISO 9001:2008 certification, which identifies companies that meet the most current ISO standards, for its wireless engineering services. As part of its certification renewal, the division recently expanded its ISO certification to include all telecommunications engineering and deployment services.
“For ISO to work, we have to be dedicated to continual improvement,” said Jenny Meegan, Senior Vice President of Black & Veatch’s telecommunications business. “We see ISO standards as a foundational piece, not as a finish line. Continual improvement is part of what has allowed our telecom business to successfully manage our growth.”
To meet certification requirements, the telecommunications division was audited independently by one of the world’s leading certification bodies, Det Norske Veritas (DNV).
“ISO certification means we have the systems and processes for implementing telecommunications infrastructure projects with superior quality,” said Jenny Perlingiero, Manager of Black & Veatch’s Telecommunications Quality Management System. “These important steps help us identify process improvements that will further enhance service delivery to our clients. To us, that means helping them reduce waste and increase profitability.”
Perlingiero said that meeting ISO standards ensures consistency in project execution, with quality assurance checkpoints installed in all projects. That consistency is one of the factors that makes a difference to clients receiving service from ISO-certified providers.
Subject Matter Experts
Jenny Meegan, MeeganJL@bv.com
Jenny Perlingiero, PerlingieroJ@bv.com
