ISO9001 in 2021 Week by Week - Week 47 – 9.1.2 Customer satisfaction

This is a 52 week discussion of ISO9001:2015. Each week, we discuss a specific clause of the ISO9001:2015 standard in detail and look for ways to trim the fat. (As a member of TAG/TC176, the committee responsible for review and revision of ISO9001, (possible revision in 2023), I’ll keep you posted on what I learn all year!)

(It is strongly recommended that you purchase a copy of ISO9001:2015  for reference).  And, be sure to do your homework!

9.1.2 Customer satisfaction

Let me start this week’s discussion with the observation that this section is awkwardly constructed (in my opinion).  The section introduces itself as being about performance monitoring, then shifts gears and pulls out one of the specific areas to be monitored, then shifts back to describing types and methods of monitoring performance.  Also, this section inexplicably gives examples for clarification in its “notes” sections.  For what purpose?  These topics are some of the most self explanatory of the bunch, and yet, examples are given as if the reader might need the help to understand.  Anyway, it just seems weird to me.  But let’s read the section.

“The organization shall monitor customers’ perceptions of the degree to which their expectations have been fulfilled.  The organization shall determine the methods for obtaining, monitoring and reviewing this information.

NOTE:  Examples of monitoring customer perceptions can include customer surveys, customer feedback on delivered products and services, meetings with customers, market-share analysis, compliments, warranty claims and dealer reports.”

The text says “the organization shall determine the methods…” and then follows up with a prescriptive note giving examples of what those methods should be.  Bottom line, customer satisfaction is a requirement, and it must be evaluated and monitored.

THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK

Review how your organization obtains, monitors and reviews customer satisfaction.  Customer surveys often yield a poor result, in terms of measuring customer satisfaction.  But, customer surveys are a very common means of obtaining that information.  What other ways can your organization engage your customers and really get a handle on what makes them happy/unhappy?  How can you best capture customer satisfaction and identify when a response from your quality management system is needed?  

Going into 2022, reach higher and try to find a more meaningful way to monitor customer satisfaction.  Have a look at the ideas listed in the "NOTE".  And be sure to consider "compliments".  What a customer will take time to compliment can be a valuable and insightful gateway to enhancing their experience and continually improving their level of satisfaction.  

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Do you need help with your customer satisfaction process to comply with these requirements?  Connect with us today and we'll help you create a robust but simple customer satisfaction system that will be easy to manage, but powerful in revealing what your customers really want.  

But, if you’re ready for more - if you’re ready to TRANSFORM your organization, we can team up LIVE or VIRTUAL for IMPLEMENTATION of ANY or ALL ISO9001 Clauses.  We’ll lead your team and build a fully compliant foundation for your quality system so you and your team can understand the requirements and have the confidence to continue forward on your ISO9001 journey toward BETTER QUALITY.   World Class Quality, ISO9001 certification, lower costs and higher yields are just the beginning of the benefits of a robust quality system.  Connect with us today and LET'S GET STARTED!

Watch this 3-minute video about another great resource to accompany this series.   Get the self-directed, on demand, online learning series  ISO9001 in Plain English, today and you'll get:

• A clear understanding of the requirements of ISO9001:2015
• Proven tips to build a robust quality system that's easy to use
• Ways to reduce documentation and paperwork (yes, really!!)

Each video is about 15 minutes and targets a specific element of ISO9001, (with over 6 hours of total content!).  We translate all the gobbledegoop into Plain English you can understand and leverage the requirements to get maximum VALUE from your quality efforts. 

For a deeper dive into the process side of your quality system, get Tribal Knowledge - The Practical Use of ISO, Lean and Six Sigma Together, a simple guide to UNITE ISO9001, lean and Six Sigma to create a robust quality system with better results.  Read what ASQ American Society for Quality – Quality Progress Magazine  had to say about it. 

Or for targeted, personalized support and coaching, let’s partner together to talk through your issues, learn more about specific tools and applications and enrich your personal development through professional coaching.  Available weekly, monthly or whatever best suits your needs!

We look forward to continuing this YEAR LONG journey with you.  SUBSCRIBE today and the series will come to you weekly to get you off to a great start and your quality system reinvigorated. 

And join me on my journey to always keep improving!