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ISO Consultants
Selecting an ISO consultant is a daunting task that should not be taken lightly.
Organizations today are typically required to earn ISO certification. Companies oftentimes turn to professional outside ISO consultants to help them optimize their internal processes.
To qualify ISO consulting firms, first determine the ISO standard you want to achieve. Many standards are industry-specific, such as the AS 9100 Aerospace/ Defense standard. Remember that ISO 9001, AS 9100 and ISO 14001 standards are management system standards, not product quality standards.
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How to Choose an ISO Consultant
When selecting which ISO consultant to hire, always consider the following qualification criteria:
Qualification Criteria
Experience: Consider the potential ISO consulting firms’ overall experience as well as their experience in your specific industry.
Availability: Verify that the ISO consultant will be available during the timeframe you designate to the certification process.
Quality of References: Check into the ISO consulting firms’ past projects to see what types of hurdles they have successfully overcome.
Selection Criteria: Beyond technical capabilities, evaluate the consultants’ approach, interpersonal skills and ability to address your organization’s complexities.
Approach: Determine the ISO consultants’ approach and confirm that it will not disrupt your on-going operations.
Interpersonal skills: An ISO consultant’s relationship and communication skills are crucial to facilitating ISO certification for your organization.
Ability: Learn the ISO consultants’ technical capabilities in detail.
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Consulting Fees to Expect
ISO consultants base their fees on the scope of work, number of employees and operational complexity.
Daily rates commonly range from $600 to $1,500. A firm with 15 to 45 employees can expect to pay $25,000 to $50,000 for an ISO consulting project.
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Summary
Selecting an ISO Consulting firm is an important task that will have a long-term effect on the success of your business. MSI has the expertise and experience needed to successfully guide you through your ISO implementation process.
For more detailed information on this subject, download our White Paper “Selecting an ISO Consulting Firm” (in .pdf format).