In this series (which can be read as one, or as standalone articles), I’ve tackled the subject of the actions organisations can take to actualise the Management Principle Number 1 – Customer Focus (“the primary focus of quality management is to meet customer requirements and to strive to exceed customer expectations”). So far, we’ve examined businesses operating in the travel, tourism and hotelier industries. But today, the organisation I'm focussing on is my own: the Scottish Quality Management Centre (SQMC). And the action I shall focus on is:

In this series of articles, I've been taking a break from my role as SQMC’s own QA Manager, and from Quality Assurance and international management systems consultancy and auditing duties in general. I've been taking some of my positive experiences and using them as real life examples of how certain organisations act to meet the Management Principles which sit behind the systems. 

In this 2nd installment of my series examining how to get it right with customer-related processes, we'll look at 'Fungarian' - a small team of language, history, arts and geography teachers dedicated to sharing the best Hungarian culture with travelers and visitors to Hungary.

Today begins a new series of articles in which I’m going to highlight some of the actions that organisations can take to meet the requirements of the ISO 9001:2015 international standard and its customer-related processes. Then I’ll provide the evidence of these being met from my own personal experiences. Importantly, though, for you as an SQMC Insight Column reader, I’ll be doing so with my “auditor’s hat” on (albeit slightly tipped back, since I was on holiday!).

“Nothing can grow in a self-sustaining way unless there are reinforcing processes underlying its growth.” (Dance of Change, by Society for Organizational Learning founder, Peter Senge).

A fantastic hattrick from a French-Morroccan, combined with an impressive win by Fife neighbours, Cowdenbeath away at Peterhead, granted Dunfermline Athletic the well-earned honour of becoming the first league champions for the domestic football season in Britain.

OK, so ISO 9001:2015 is really here, and becoming well established. As a UKAS Certificating Body Auditor, a Management Systems Consultant and a trainer of auditors to IRCA approved level, I’ve had a fair amount of involvement with it, particularly drawing up transition plans for companies.

Last year, Ian Hannah wrote a blog piece describing how well Enterprise Rent-a-Car performed at one of their Norfolk offices. So here’s my experience of dealing with the Aberdeen-based Communications Technology provider, Coltel Ltd...

This is an an extract from an email I sent to a client...

2016 is set to be a grandstand year for the Scottish Quality Management Centre (SQMC) after announcing a new sponsorship deal with Dunfermline Athletic Football Club.