Masonry Magazine October 1995 Page. 11
The ISO 9000 Standard
If you haven't gotten the message about the value of the quality management process by now it's your own fault. In partnership with NCMA, MCAA has developed the Masonry Quality Institute and has trained over 500 members in the skills of quality management. Over the last three years, the message has been sent-implement quality management.
More than one-third of all American businesses have implemented the quality process. They are proving that it works. There are numerous reasons why the quality process is essential to your business. The most important of which is that quality is now demanded by our customers. No longer will our customers accept mediocrity in product or service.
Our customers have been spoiled. They know they can get reliable, responsive service. And if you don't meet their expectations, they will go somewhere else. This customer demand is increasing and picking up even more momentum. The more companies that give the customer excellent service the more the customer wants.
As we move through the 90's, we will see a more formalized demand by our customers. In fact, it has already started. Some of our larger members have already come in contact with customers who specify that they certify that they have implemented a quality management process. Like any other specification, if the company cannot meet the specification, they don't get the work.
And although this specification for quality is focused primarily with larger, institutional customers, it's only a matter of time before all customers will rely on these quality standards to select their suppliers. The standard that the customers will use already exists. It is referred to as the ISO 9000 Standard.
The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9000 Standard was developed in 1987 during meetings of the European Common Market. This standard provides a process of business management which is geared to meet a minimum set of customer expectations. By 1993 over 40,000 European companies had adopted the ISO 9000 Standard.
The ISO 9000 Standard was developed as a way of assuring standardized compliance with recognized principles of quality management. The ISO 9000 Standard is divided into three categories, each focusing on the general nature of the business.
ISO 9000 is the most comprehensive in scope and establishes standards for companies that are involved in internal product design, through production, testing, installation and service.
ISO 9002 establishes standards for procurement, production and installation. It is different from 9001 in that the design function is not included.
ISO 9003 establishes standards only for production. Since there is very little difference between the 9002 and the 9003 standards, there is very little focus on the 9003 standards.
Each of the ISO standards focuses on twenty elements or standards of quality management with which the company must comply. These elements include:
■Management Responsibility- Who is responsible for assuring that