Earlier this year Electrical Builders, Inc. (EBI™) announced they became the first specialty construction and maintenance service provider in the power utility industry to become ISO 9001 certified. This is a significant achievement for EBI, but many power industry professionals may not understand why an ISO 9001 certified service provider is a step above the rest.
ISO (International Standards Organization) is the world’s largest developer and publisher of international quality standards. ISO 9001 standards are internationally recognized management concepts and practices that have been formalized in to a set of standardized requirements for a quality management system (QMS). One of the major strengths of ISO 9001 is its wide appeal to all types of organizations. Since the ultimate goal of ISO 9001 is to enhance quality and customer satisfaction, it is equally applicable to service providers as well as manufacturers.
EBI Safety Coordinator & Procurement Specialist, Brian Warzecha, said, “ISO 9001 says if we follow what we say we do, we will produce a consistent product or service that meets or exceeds our customers’ needs.”
“As a company we evaluated our processes, selected the best approach, and put into writing how we do things which means we cut down on confusion and increased consistency,” said Warzecha, “There is no guessing when everyone knows the process we have selected to do something—we say what we do and do what we say.”
EBI made the decision to become ISO 9001 certified to enhance their existing quality system which supports low costs, reduced waste, and increased efficiency and risk management. In more detail, the primary reasons included:
- To increased safety: Employee safety is EBI’s number one concern, when every employee understands there is a correct/safe way to perform all tasks, both in the office and out in the field, it has a positive impact on employees and a company’s Experience Modification Rating (EMR). EBI’s EMR is one of the best in the industry.
- To increased efficiency and exceeding customer requirements: Studies have shown ISO 9001 certified companies have given extensive thought to their processes and how to maximize quality and internal operational efficiency. A certified quality management system ensures that the processes are in place for anyone to follow easily which makes training, transitions, and trouble-shooting less complex.
- To document, understand, and communicate EBI’s processes: All processes, from the office to the field, are well defined, outlined, and documented guaranteeing changes are well planned and implemented in the best possible way to maximize efficiency. ISO 9001 standards also require documentation and approval of all process changes, and documentation and corrective action of errors and discrepancies. This ensures consistent and traceable records and process improvement.
- To increased customer satisfaction: Client confidence and customer satisfaction is ensured because ISO 9001 QMS implementation results in efficiency, consistency, and dedication to quality service.
“Becoming ISO 9001 certified involved looking into management systems that have direct implications on customer satisfaction, training and employee morale. If you have a bad system running your business, customer satisfaction will wane,” said Constance Netter, President & CEO. “To EBI, certification means we have made the commitment to continually improve quality and retain experienced employees which will maintain our reputation as the premier high power conductor service provider. This in turn will help us continue to build relationships with our clients to ensure both of our continued success.”
