What does QMS stand for? If you are looking for an answer to this question, you are definitely interested in making quality a focus in your organization.
Perhaps, you are planning to build a culture of quality, mentor ship, smooth communication, and have an overall well-structured organization. Or you are aiming to provide consistent quality services and products to your clients while minimizing costs, waste, and improving employee morale simultaneously.
If you have answered yes, then you can follow in the footsteps of the market giants like HFI, Vishay Dale Inc, and have a well-defined QMS implemented in your organization. But with all the different terms and certifications floating around in the industry, knowing what QMS stands for can be a bit challenging?
So, what does QMS stand for? Let’s get into the details.
What Does QMS Stand For? A Quick Understanding
Quality Management System (QMS) is a structured collection of policies, procedures, process, and their associated responsibilities, necessary for efficient planning and execution of the core business. A QMS works to improve specifically the areas that impact the organization’s ability to meet customer satisfaction.
The easiest way to understand QMS is to break down and take a closer look at the name. “Quality” refers to the degree of fineness of any product or service, whereas “Management” refers to the orchestrated activities to run and control any organization. Lastly, “System” is a network of interacting or interrelated elements essential for smooth operations. When looking for an answer to “what does QMS stand for”, you will usually come across the term ISO 9001:2015. ISO 9001:2015 is the world’s most widely recognized quality management system framework.
15 reasons why you should have ISO 9001:2015
Companies with ISO 9001:2015 quality management system enjoy the following benefits:
- An enhanced positive company image
- A well-defined procedure system
- A simplified organizational structure and chain of authority
- Articulation of responsibilities of every personnel and department
- An engaged, evolved, motivated, and conflict-free workforce
- Clarification of corrections and preventions of defects
- Cutting down of costs, wastes, and saving of valuable resources
- A smooth flow of communication within the company
- Increased accountability and transparency in records and data maintenance
- Boosted continual improvement
- Clear status of existing business performance
- Consistent delivery of quality services and products
- Improved customer satisfaction and business profits
- Better industry competitiveness
- Access to global markets
How Can You Get Quality Management System Certification?
Identify The Gap
If you have decided to get a certified quality management system, then we advise you to check for the proper establishment of the foundations of QMS, i.e., the 3P’s (policies, procedures, and processes) in your organization. You can have your internal executive management do this, or you may hire outside sources that specialize in gap identification. Either way, you need to review your current documentation, policies, and procedures. The areas that do not meet the standard should be highlighted and reported.
Implement Changes
After identifying the gaps, you need to make all the required changes, have them monitored, and evaluated for improvement. To assist in change management, you can use the templates provided by QMS. Align your documents, practices, and systems following the ISO 9001:2015 defined standards, and then apply for certification.
Get Certified
An auditor usually visits your organization to check that the compliance of all documented policies and procedures is in place. This auditor ensures the successful implementation of all the necessary changes. Upon satisfaction, the auditor issues and awards your company the certification you applied for.
After you get the desired certification, the year-round re-certification cycle starts. On the anniversary of your certification, you have to confirm your continued compliance and consistency in the quality management system to validate your certification. At this point, you have the answer to the question, “What does QMS stand for”. But more importantly, you now understand the importance of QMS too.