When many businesses think about ISO, they are typically looking for an accredited body to provide them with ISO 9001 certification. 

They want to be certified either as a condition for a particular client, as part of a reorganisation or simply to add value to the business by celebrating a system that they have either already implemented or are in the process of implementing.

There are a lot of motivations to receive certification, but it can sometimes be easy to miss what that standardisation represents and ultimately why it matters within a business and to other businesses.

An answer to both of these questions comes, somewhat unusually, from another critical part of many businesses: a cup of tea.

How Can You Standardise Tea?

There is perhaps no singular beverage that has so many variations and preferences as tea, as whilst the basic process of steeping tea leaves in water is universal, every other element from the blend to the use of teabags and the addition of milk and sugar is a matter of fierce and intense debate.

However, ISO 3103:2019 (formerly BS 6008:1980) describes a standard method of brewing and serving tea that will produce consistent results every time.

It describes two testing pots (310 ml or 150 ml) with loosely fitting lids as well as two testing bowls (380 ml and 200 ml). Both the pots and bowls are made of white porcelain (or white glazed earthenware), with a partly serrated edge.

For every 100 ml of water that will be added to the pot, 2g of tea is also placed within the pot, before that measured amount of freshly boiled water (described as similar to nearby drinking water) is added.

The tea is then brewed for six minutes before being poured into the bowl, with 5ml (or 2.5ml for a smaller bowl) milk added beforehand (although alternative suggestions are made for adding milk after).

Why Standardise Tea?

The resulting standard won an Ig Nobel Prize and serves as a perfect example of how standards can often be misinterpreted as a prescriptive method towards a platonic ideal for the object, method or system being standardised.

However, this somewhat misses the point, as ISO 3103:2019 is not intended to make the best cup of tea or a “perfect” cup of tea by the standards of a tea drinker, but is instead intended to create a standard cup of tea that is relatively easily reproducible.

The reason for this is the same reason why no specific type or blend of tea is described in the standard. It is designed for tea tasting and for making sensory comparisons.

Many criticisms of the process, such as no prewarming of the pot, a brewing time that is relatively lengthy compared to the typical three-minute brewing times used when brewing a tea bag, and pouring milk in before tea largely misses the point.

These are not cups that are made to be enjoyed, but ones that create a benchmark for meaningful analysis and studies, such as taste testing or quality control.

On that same token, ISO certification means adopting a universal set of standards and protocols so that other businesses and customers understand how an order is managed by your company.

Companies of all shapes, sizes and scales have expressed an interest in receiving ISO certification, even though it is not a strict business need per se to do so.

There are a lot of benefits to organising your business and running under ISO 9001:2015 quality management standards and practices, but whilst being certified by an accredited company brings with it a wide range of benefits, there is no regulatory or legal requirement to do so.

However, there might be some occasions where an ISO 9001 certificate becomes an effective necessity due to business requirements, rather than a system that allows a company to opt-in to more long-term benefits.

A Prerequisite To Close A Deal

One of the main reasons why companies are interested in ISO 9001, particularly if they want to get certified quickly, is because they need it to meet the prerequisite of a company or government tender.

Many larger businesses who work with a network of smaller suppliers have prerequisites before they allow a business to work with them, and whilst this will naturally vary by market sector and particular need, one of the most common requirements is ISO 9001 certification.

Many government agencies have replaced bespoke standards with one based on ISO 9001 because it allows for a more streamlined approach to tenders and enables these companies to focus on the more specific aspects of a tender application.

Getting certified, therefore, becomes a requirement for many businesses that work closely with government agencies.

This may be the catalyst for getting certified, but it is also an opportunity to make sustained, effective and long-term changes to the business that provides far more than an immediate gain.

Open For International Business

When working with international clients, there is a need for a universal language mutually understood by both parties, which in many cases involves the use of mutually understood and referenced standards.

One of the biggest benefits of ISO standards in general, but particularly ISO 9001, is that they are universal; to date, 167 countries have national ISO members, which means that the standard is understood and recognised practically anywhere you might do business.

This makes an ISO 9001 certificate an effective requirement when doing business overseas, as it means that a company knows that your business is focused on quality management in a way that is universally understood and can therefore focus on what your company brings to the table.

Get The Best Employees

Typically, when businesses talk about ISO 9001 as a requirement, they are generally referring to the needs of customers. However, it can also be an important tool for improving recruitment, with the right candidates knowing how the quality management standard can help them personally and professionally.

One of the key requirements of ISO 9001 concerns employee management and job expectations.

Having a clear set of quality objectives, procedures, instructions and process metrics allows for a culture of constant feedback and improvement, with an emphasis on constantly learning and developing.

Many employees who would be perfect for your corporate culture will see the standard as one that prioritises them and how they can contribute to the goals of the organisation.

When businesses are interested in ISO certification, the fastest way to achieve this is through a dedicated online service that will help them meet the necessary quality management standards.

When businesses are looking for certification, they are typically thinking about the ISO 9000 family, which is a set of five quality management systems (QMS) that ensure that businesses are meeting their regulatory responsibilities, whilst also ensuring they are keeping up with the demands of customers and stakeholders alike.

Of the five ISO 9000 QMS standards, the one that most companies are looking for is ISO 9001:2015, often known simply as “ISO 9001”, “ISO 9000” or even simply “ISO”.

The standard itself is based around a 30-page set of requirements but its fundamental focus is based on seven quality management principles (QMP) which form or at least should form a foundation for how a business is managed and operated.

Here are the seven and why they matter.

Customer Focus

The first QMP standard is perhaps the most obvious one. As the late entrepreneur and businessman Jack Tramiel put it, businesses are there to serve the customer.

Without customers, businesses simply cannot exist, and with that in mind, companies focused on ISO 9001 should be mindful not only of customer needs right now but the future of their needs in the future.

The priority should be to meet the standards of the customer and serve them, ensuring that the customer’s expectations are understood so they can be delivered upon effectively and efficiently.

Leadership

One of the most critical and misunderstood aspects of many businesses is structure, hierarchy and leadership, as well as the role of leaders in organisations of varying scales.

Leaders need to be the ones to form and shape a united direction and purpose of any organisation and be able to lead a wide range of disparate teams in the same direction to achieve the overarching mission of the company.

Engagement Of People

Companies are ultimately collectives of diverse, skilled individuals, and ultimately no company succeeds without people who are able to do the job they are employed to, are empowered and recognised for their abilities, and buy into the overall goals of the organisation.

Without people on board, you do not have a company.

Process Approach

Business activities are typically a series of interrelated processes that work together to create an overall system, and once a business fully understands this, it can manage and continually improve these processes to achieve consistent output results.

Improvement

Perfection is an overall goal, but not one that is achievable. There is always room for improvement, and an eternal goal for any organisation is to keep getting better, streamline processes and get the greatest return out of every part of the business.

Evidence-Based Decision Making

Data dominates the business world, and whilst one should avoid discounting anything that cannot be quantified, decisions should be made based on effective, objective analysis to as much pertinent information as possible.

Relationship Management

No business exists in a vacuum. Virtually every company has contractors, suppliers, service providers and other stakeholders that are part of symbiotic, interdependent business relationships. It is important to see the value in these relationships and foster them to ensure everyone thrives.