Understanding how to get ISO certification for software company brings a lot of potential and possibilities for a small business. Certification underlines the company’s dedication to upholding industry standards.
Indeed reinforces this by stating that ISO certification establishes credibility within the industry and increases consumer trust with their service provider.
Many software companies avoid ISO certification because they don’t think the standards apply to their industry.
This opinion isn’t strictly true. Software companies stand to benefit from implementing two essential ISO standards: ISO 9001 and ISO 27001.
In this article, we’ll delve into what these certifications are and what they bring to the table for software companies.
Defining The Standards for How to Get ISO Certification for Software Company
Software companies, like many small businesses, utilize several standard practices. ISO 9001, as we previously explained, deals with establishing a quality management service within the company.
The International Standards Organization itself states that certifications from the ISO 9000 family help businesses to maintain the quality of their products and customer service through an iterative methodology.
In particular, software companies depend upon excellent customer support and high-quality products to help make a name for themselves and stand out from the competition.
Another vital certification that software companies shouldn’t overlook is ISO 27001.
We’ve touched on how this particular certification can be critical to small businesses since it deals primarily with data protection.
The International Standards Organization mentions that the ISO 27001 certification offers peace of mind when it comes to data security by helping a business establish an Information Security Management System (ISMS).
How to Get ISO Certification for Software Company – The Steps Involved
Each of these ISO certification standards has its own requirements, and as such, we will be covering each one separately.
ISO 9001
In a previous post, we mentioned a simplified 5-step process that a company could undertake to achieve ISO 9001 certification. For those who missed that post, the five steps we mentioned are:
- Get Informed:
Source basic and essential information about the ISO certification process. Companies should start by designating a member of staff as the “point person” for this process, making them the go-to person for all ISO-related issue. - Prepare Documentation:
ISO 9001 is heavily based on documentation. At this stage, a company should be getting the documents they currently have and note the materials they lack compared to what the standard requires. - Implement Certification Requirements:
Using the information generated from the previous step, a company can note its weakest areas and its lack of documentation. Taking into account the requirements for certification, the company can see where they comply with the regulations entirely, partially, or not at all. - Internal Audit:
Once the company has arranged its documentation, it can undergo an internal audit. At this stage, the company inspects its documentation and compares it to the requirements. Glaring errors can be picked up and rectified here, and the company may need to go through multiple internal audits before it’s ready for the next step. - External Audit and Certification:
A third-party certification body will visit the company in the final step and perform a thorough audit of the company’s documents and system improvements. If it meets the standards, the company will achieve ISO 9001 certification.
ISO 27001
We also outlined a detailed methodology of how a company can obtain ISO 27001 certification in a past post. The process is a bit more involved, covering eleven steps:
- Identify objectives
- Get management on board with the plan
- Ensure the scope of the project is acceptable
- Develop an ISMS brief covering the policy
- Define the Methodology for Risk Assessment and the Strategy the company intends to pursue
- Develop a risk treatment plan and manage the risks that already exist within the system
- Create policies to take on risks
- Define the resources required for implementing those policies and train the staff to be more aware of the implementation process
- Monitor the ISMS after it goes online
- Prepare for an internal audit
- Have management review the ISMS periodically for improvements or updates
Certification Raises Marketability
A company that learns how to get ISO certification for software company raises its stature on the open market. Businesses know they can trust ISO certified companies. As a result, those companies tend to get more consideration compared to others in tendering processes around the world.
If you’d like to have a more competitive business, contact Sync Resource today, and let’s help you achieve how to get ISO certification for software company.