Troubleshooting Your Registration

Make sure your auditor is qualified for your standard.
Not all registrars are qualified for all standards. For example, only 52 of the 179 registrars accredited for QS-9000 are recognized by the International Automotive Task Force to register automotive suppliers to ISO/TS 16949. In the Aerospace industry, AS 9100 audits must be led by an Aerospace Experienced Auditor (AEA). The Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB) must approve AEAs, requiring that four years within the last ten must have been spent in the aerospace industry.

The first step in any registration process . . . make sure your registrar and auditors are qualified for the specific standard you are pursuing.

Consider improvements to all company processes, not just those that impact product quality.
Management systems have traditionally centered on product realization processes used to take inputs from the customer and transform them into product that meets customer expectations. However, a truly effective QMS encompasses all processes implemented within an organization's management system, including Management Responsibility, Resource Management, and Measurement, Analysis and Improvement.

Measurable quality objectives should be defined by top management for all relevant functions and levels within the organization. This approach makes the QMS more than a device for ensuring product quality, expanding it into a strategy for customer satisfaction, continual improvement, and growth.