You all know that there are many ISO 9001 registrars (a.k.a. certification bodies) from which you can choose. With so many options, how do you decide which registrar best fits your company’s needs?
There are many things to consider when choosing a registrar:
1) Are they accredited?
There are many registrars out there, but not all of them are accredited. Just like your company, accredited registrars will also have to be audited by an accreditation body to ensure that they conform to the international standard requirements for registrars, thus ensuring the credibility of certificates issued to their clients. Examples of these accreditation bodies are ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Body (ANAB – USA), United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS – UK), and Standards Council for Canada (SCC – Canada). It is important that the registrar you choose is accredited by any of these legitimate accreditation bodies.
2) Are there qualified auditors for your industry?
Find out from the registrar representative how they qualify their auditors. A registrar should have a system to qualify their auditors as well as a system to assign auditors for their clients. Ask if there are qualified auditors for your industry. You’ll want to make sure that the registrar you choose assigns a qualified auditor to audit your company.
3) Do they follow the mandated audit man days?
All accredited registrars must follow a set international guideline on man-day requirements for the standard to which they will be registering their clients. Watch out for those registrars whose quote is considerably low or high in terms of audit man days. The guidelines for audit man days are normally available on the Internet. Ask the registrar where you can obtain the information to verify their quotes if you suspect that they are cutting corners on their audit time.
4) Are they responsive?
You will want to choose a registrar who is responsive to you. Keep in mind that you are the customer for the registrar. Therefore, the registrar needs to be responsive to you.
5) Do they listen to your concerns?
You are the customer for the registrar. They need to listen to your concerns. A good registrar listens to their clients’ concerns and will try to resolve the issues as soon as it is brought up.
6) Do they explain their registration process clearly?
A good registrar will make sure that you are clear on the registration process. Beware of registrars who will not willingly answer your questions in terms of the registration process. As a customer, wouldn’t you want to know exactly what services you’re paying for? If you suspect that the registrar has a hidden agenda, then this registrar may not be for you.
7) Cost comparison.
It is always good to compare cost with other registrars. However, you will need to watch out for those registrars who provide you with a very low quote just to obtain your business. Make sure that the registrar is legitimate and accredited. Make sure that there is no hidden cost. Also, make sure that you consider all of these different variables when making your decision. Remember, the lowest cost is not always the best. Make sure that the registrar you choose is the one that fits your company.
To find out more about ISO 9001 registration service, please call toll free 877-4-MY-ISO-1 (inside USA) or +1-909-230-5530 (outside USA).
The IAPMO R&T Registration Services Department provides quality management system auditing and certification services for recognized international standards. IAPMO R&T is part of The IAPMO Group’s family of companies.
Last modified: June 10, 2007