ISO Letter

CRT President Ken Le Jeune submitted the following letter which was published in the February issue of ASTM Standardization News as a response to several letters in previous issue questioning the value of ISO 9000 registration.

"... It is apparent from reading some of the letters published that most of the comments made are actually misconceptions, perpetuated by misinformed professionals. I am concerned that companies considering ISO 9000 will be discouraged, due to the lack of understanding of the system.

As a testing laboratory acting under ISO 9001, we understand that the system, by itself, will not establish or enhance the quality of a product or service in any way. Its goal is to establish a foundation for quality: identifying the processes that have an effect upon quality; documenting the procedures; ensuring that the operators are properly informed and trained to carry out those procedures; and by auditing, both to verify that the procedures are being followed correctly and to look for possible improvements. It's like building a house: ISO 9000 is the foundation, and what is built upon that foundation is another matter entirely.

In our experience, the assertion that ISO implementation is a burden few companies can manage--due either to the costs or to implementation difficulties--is another example of a lack of awareness of just what is involved in achieving ISO 9000. If ISO 9000 is pursued properly, with full commitment by both the employees and management, it would cost a small business approximately $25,000 to implement, which is based purely on employee compliance to the system. CRT Laboratories has spent minimal funds on ISO 9001, and urges companies to seek multiple quotations from prospective registrars.

I cannot stress enough that it is the company's responsibility to determine the quality of its products or services. I urge companies to create internal quality system measurements to further enhance the products and/or services they provide, whether or not they intend to seek ISO 9000. In addition, companies considering ISO 9000 must be properly informed of the system and its intent. I suggest that a company send representatives to an internal audit course to gain more understanding about ISO 9000 and its concept. I believe that they would realize that many of the published diatribes are really based on a misunderstanding of ISO 9000 and what it can do (more so for smaller companies).

Ken A. Le Jeune
President-CEO / Director
CRT Laboratories Inc.
Tustin, CA