PRE-REQUISITS FOR EFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION

OF ISO 9001 AND OTHER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

1. ISO 9001 and other management system standards require a high degree of
commitment from top management of the company. This commitment should be
visible in the organization. For this purpose:
a) Top management should not consider its duty fulfilled by appointing a Consultant
and a Management Representative (MR). It should take very active interest in the
development and implementation of the system.
b) Top management should regularly review the progress and should take
necessary corrective actions wherever required. For this regular meetings with
consultant are needed.

2. MR should be very knowledgeable about standard requirements. He should have

necessary coordination skills to act as an effective conduit between top management
and other employees on matters related to the system. He should keep in regular
touch with departmental heads and other employees and collect data relating to
system implementation. It is said that a company’s system is as effective as MR.

3. The top management should not compromise the position and authority of MR, or
else departmental heads and other employees will not extend required cooperation
to him. This will affect the health of the system.

4. Similarly the consultant should be given due respect, and under no circumstances
his position should be compromised, directly or indirectly. Consultant is an outside
expert, providing guidance to MR and other employees. Company has engaged him
as it does not posses required knowledge and experience of standards and systems.
Consultant acts only as a facilitator in system implementation, and in no case, should
be considered or treated as a part of the team.

5. Consultant has in-depth knowledge of standards and systems. It is up to the

company and its employees to take benefit of his knowledge and experience. His
presence in the company premises should be fully utilized in understanding and
effectively implementing the system.

6. Recently a trend has set in various Indian companies to undermine consultant’s role.
This has only harmed the companies. Top management should ensure that
consultant is given due respect or else company will not be able to take full
advantage of consultant’s presence in the company.

7. Another undesirable trend presently seen in various Indian companies is to go for

such consultants who quote lower fee in comparison to experienced and settled
consultants. In doing so, the company itself becomes the looser as the system and
its implementation will not be up to the mark, and certification will not result in larger
benefits to the company. It is rightly said that one should go to the best doctor and
lawyer. So the consultant.