The customer focus section within ISO9001: 2015 5.1.2 aims to address the needs of the customer of consumer purchasing goods or services.
In the older versions of 9001 this important area was sadly missing, and the Standard was inherently inward looking and procedural.
Most CEO’s would like to think that the organisation they lead is customer focussed. But the author would suggest that this is not always the case. Certainly, in some larger entities it is possible to find that internal politics drive the order of the day and not the needs of the customer.
A good way of establishing the customer focus is identifying the external and internal issues facing the organisation and the relevant interested parties. If this is documented and the senior management team all agree the organisation’s purpose and direction – the customer needs and focus can be articulated throughout the business.
In a truly sales orientated enterprise it is likely that a keen sales focus will always be prevalent, and the management team will be watching this closely via KPI’s and other performance metrics.
This area can be enhanced by the review and learning from customer feedback. If the CEO and the management team really care about this theme, it will be discussed openly at all levels in the business and a culture of customer care and appreciation of their needs and expectations will become paramount.
For further information and to book your ISO9001 survey please contact: Marcus J Allen at Thamer James Ltd. Email: [email protected]
Marcus has twenty years’ experience in delivering Governance, Risk and Compliance solutions to over two hundred organisations within the UK. Including over one hundred ISO9001 programmes.
Marcus holds a BSI ISO9001 lead auditor qualification and is registered on the BSI Associate Consultant Programme.
Marcus holds the respected Diploma in Governance, Risk and Compliance from the International Compliance Association and holds a master’s degree in Management Learning & Change from the University of Bristol. Marcus is a Fellow of the Institute of Consultants and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute.