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Gaining a competitive edge is key to succeeding in the well-populated recruitment market and businesses need to exploit every opportunity to get themselves noticed. One way to do this is to get ISO 9001.
Benefits of ISO 9001 for recruitment companies
ISOs are internationally recognised standards of best practice developed by the International Organisation of Standardisation. They demonstrate that those who are certified in them operate to a consistently high standard. They also give your business the opportunity to strengthen existing business practices and drive continuous improvement.
ISO 9001 is the standard for quality management. Its purpose is to define a system that helps to eliminate error by creating processes that allow your business to get it right first time, every time.
This repeatability is paired with a strong focus on customer satisfaction for an efficient and productive business that pays close attention to feedback.
These were key considerations of Superior Recruitment when the company decided to aim for ISO 9001: “We wanted to ensure that we were working to the highest standard possible,” explained Kirsty Hartnett, Office Manager. “The Standard has also served as a good learning tool in terms of procedures and best practice.”
By being able to demonstrate high standards and best practice operations, you can make your recruitment business more attractive – and more likely to make it onto approved supplier lists. This is because you have evidence of what you do and how you do it, which can reassure candidates and clients alike.
Superior Recruitment has certainly found this to be the case: “We have found that many clients require their recruitment partners to be ISO 9001 certified,” said Kirsty Hartnett. “By maintaining this Standard, we have been able to win new contracts, which has ultimately increased our turnover.
“It has also served as a selling tool. Generally speaking, when we are selling to potential new clients, mentioning the ISO tends to make them more open to discussing their requirements with us.”
Implementing ISO 9001
The good news is that it is very likely that your business already employs processes that would meet the requirements of ISO 9001. A consultant will help you to fine-tune these and then a separate auditor will verify that your business maintains high standards.
You can then continue to use the Standard and its requirements to learn more about best practice and identify areas for improvement.
Kirsty Hartnett has found this to be a significant benefit: “I am responsible for maintaining the ISO and this has helped me to develop my practices and procedures in addition to identifying areas we can improve as a business. For example, we have begun using a more up-to-date and better-performing CRM and found ways to monitor staff performance more appropriately.”
The road to certification
Undertaking ISO certification can seem daunting, but we offer support and guidance every step of the way.
Our expert consultants quickly get to grips with your business and can identify areas for improvement, breaking down the process into understandable stages.
Our secure online platform, QMS Connect, also makes it easier to implement and maintain your management system. Available 24/7, the portal provides guides, templates and videos to help you keep track of your management system. It also offers a support ticketing system as well as task management tools. You can find out more on our dedicated web page.
Need to know more about ISOs? Get in touch with us today on 0333 3443646 or email [email protected].
