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Hub You - ISO 9001 Okay Now You Have It How Do You Market It?
It might be almost blasphemous to talk about letting go of old brand equity and laying an old brand to rest, but there are times when change is needed. Reformulating and re-designing, or even overhauling an old brand can be a wise decision. If sales are flat and show no sign of growth, you’d better stop kidding yourself and hire a branding consultant.Brands are an extremely vital element in your product and corporate value proposition. With communications so pervasive today, corporate branding and product branding are becoming fused as one. Corporate brands are increasingly powering product brands and product sales and that pose some substantial risk, as those sub brands can’t be as easily re-positioned when they falter.Brand CultureAs time passes, culture changes, new technologies and new competing brands appear and they change the perception of value that is available in a marketplace. Old sales propositions won’t fly in the face of 20 or more other competitors offering the same benefits and features. With cultural, economic, technology changes, and corporate chan
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both win
Have you ever met a fairly smart person and then watch their activities in business and just wanted to puke? It certainly gives entrepreneurship a bad name. Indeed, it makes me sick to my stomach. Why do they stoop so low? Well it appears that they do it because it works and that there is a sucker born every minute and rather than having a little integrity and ethics they simply get down to the lowest common denominator and take people’s money.But why do they do it; that is to say; Why Do Intelligent Internet Entrepreneurs Get Involved in Such Sleazy Stuff? I know for a fact that they do not have too, they are smart enough to figure out a better way and yet will not? It is such a shame to see bright people do this and it makes all business people look bad. It puts a tarnished image on the business community and makes an already skeptical public even more weary. And some of the hype marketing out there is utterly ridiculous.My theory is that folks are just lazy, both rich and poor, smart or foolish; humans are just trying to get by with minimal effort. It is amazing anyone
Lately we've been seeing a lot of press releases from wineries and suppliers touting their ISO certifications. "We've obtained ISO 9001: 2000," they trumpet. Great! But what exactly does that mean?
In simple terms, ISO certification verifies a company's compliance to a set of globally accepted s tandards for quality management and operational systems. The name ISO refers to both the Greek word for equal, and the International Organization for Standardization, a worldwide federation established in 1947 with a mission to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services. More than 90 countries use the ISO standard.
According to Anke Varcin, head of public relations for ISO, the organization's function is to develop the standards that auditors use to evaluate companies seeking certification. "ISO ... does not audit organizations and does not issue certificates attesting to the fact that they conform to ISO standards," Varcin explained. "Certification is carried out independently of ISO by some 750 certification bodies around the world. ISO does not control their activities."
How does ISO determine its standards? "What happens is that the need for a standard is felt by an industry or business sector which communicates the requirement to one of ISO's national members," Varcin said. "The latter then proposes the new work item to ISO as a whole. If accepted, the work item is assigned to an existing technical committee. Proposals may also be made to set up technical committees to cover new scopes of technological activity. In order to use resources most efficiently, ISO only launches the development of new standards for which there is clearly a market requirement."
There are many different types of certification, depending on the company's function and the year in which certification was issued. "Previously, 'ISO 9000-certified' organizations were actually certified to one of the three standards in the 1994 version of the ISO 9000 series: ISO 9001, ISO 9002 and ISO 9003," Varcin said. "The scope of these standards differed, but they were of equal rank." (For more information about the various certifications, visit the ISO Web site: iso.org.)
In 2000, the revised and improved ISO 9001:2000 standard was introduced to replace the 1994 versions. Organizations certified to the 1994 versions were given until Dec. 15, 2003, to upgrade to ISO 9001:2000. Both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 concern the way a company goes about its work--but not directly the result of this work. However, the way in which a company manages its processes will obviously affect its final product.
So why seek ISO certification? "Deciding to have an independent audit of a management system ... is a decision to be taken on business grounds," Varcin said. Companies may decide to seek ISO certification for any number of reasons, including market requirements, customer preferences or staff motivation. Companies that adhere to ISO standards may benefit from increased demand for their products, more positive customer feedback and a reduction in costs.
On the subject of cost, there is no set price for certification. According to Varcin, it varies depending on such factors as the company's current quality management system, the size and complexity of the organization and the attitude and commitment of the top management.
Setting An Example
If anyone knows how the ISO certification process works, it's Lisa Farrell, director of communications for New York's Canandaigua Wine Company. Two of Canandaigua's wineries--Mission Bell, in Madera, Calif., and New York's Widmer's Wine Cellars--have obtained ISO 9001:2000, and several more of the company's California, New York and Washington wineries are scheduled to follow.
"Canandaigua Wine is making a concerted effort toward standardizing its processes throughout the production environment to gain discipline and sustainability," Farrell explained. "The ISO certification provides us with standard operating procedures, which include valuable communication and system feedback loops among Canandaigua Wine and its customers, employees and managers. It helps us document and control our manufacturing processes to help exceed customer expectations and ensure quality processes within our production environment."
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both wine
The most common business structures are proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations. A proprietorship is simply a one-owner business. It is the most prevalent form (on the order of 70% of all businesses) because it is the simplest and least expensive to start.A partnership is basically a proprietorship for multiple owners. Most are general partnerships, where each partner is held liable for the acts of the other partners. A limited partnership allows for general and limited partners; limited partners' liability is limited to their contributed capital.If you choose to go into business with a partner, be sure to prepare a formal, written partnership agreement. This should address the contribution each will make to the partnership, financial and personal; how business profits and losses will be apportioned; the salaries, and financial rights of each partner, and; provisions for changes in ownership, such as a sale, succession, or desire to bring in a new partner.The corporation is a legal entity, separate from its owners. It is a more secure and better-define
How does ISO determine its standards? "What happens is that the need for a standard is felt by an industry or business sector which communicates the requirement to one of ISO's national members," Varcin said. "The latter then proposes the new work item to ISO as a whole. If accepted, the work item is assigned to an existing technical committee. Proposals may also be made to set up technical committees to cover new scopes of technological activity. In order to use resources most efficiently, ISO only launches the development of new standards for which there is clearly a market requirement."
There are many different types of certification, depending on the company's function and the year in which certification was issued. "Previously, 'ISO 9000-certified' organizations were actually certified to one of the three standards in the 1994 version of the ISO 9000 series: ISO 9001, ISO 9002 and ISO 9003," Varcin said. "The scope of these standards differed, but they were of equal rank." (For more information about the various certifications, visit the ISO Web site: iso.org.)
In 2000, the revised and improved ISO 9001:2000 standard was introduced to replace the 1994 versions. Organizations certified to the 1994 versions were given until Dec. 15, 2003, to upgrade to ISO 9001:2000. Both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 concern the way a company goes about its work--but not directly the result of this work. However, the way in which a company manages its processes will obviously affect its final product.
So why seek ISO certification? "Deciding to have an independent audit of a management system ... is a decision to be taken on business grounds," Varcin said. Companies may decide to seek ISO certification for any number of reasons, including market requirements, customer preferences or staff motivation. Companies that adhere to ISO standards may benefit from increased demand for their products, more positive customer feedback and a reduction in costs.
On the subject of cost, there is no set price for certification. According to Varcin, it varies depending on such factors as the company's current quality management system, the size and complexity of the organization and the attitude and commitment of the top management.
Setting An Example
If anyone knows how the ISO certification process works, it's Lisa Farrell, director of communications for New York's Canandaigua Wine Company. Two of Canandaigua's wineries--Mission Bell, in Madera, Calif., and New York's Widmer's Wine Cellars--have obtained ISO 9001:2000, and several more of the company's California, New York and Washington wineries are scheduled to follow.
"Canandaigua Wine is making a concerted effort toward standardizing its processes throughout the production environment to gain discipline and sustainability," Farrell explained. "The ISO certification provides us with standard operating procedures, which include valuable communication and system feedback loops among Canandaigua Wine and its customers, employees and managers. It helps us document and control our manufacturing processes to help exceed customer expectations and ensure quality processes within our production environment."
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both win
A while back, while living in New York City, I became acquainted with this guy named Harry Vincent. He was something else. Vince liked to show off a lot, as shown by his daily food regimen of booze and loose city girls. It was pretty tough on the ego hanging around him; I had recently started my so-called writing career and the cash wasn't rolling in like I had planned. When Vince and I would go to the local bistro, he'd usually surround himself with a sensual panorama of mouth-watering full course treatment. I, on the other hand, stuck to the crusty French bread, topping it with cold, unspreadable butter. He'd drink some of the finest grape nectar your palate could ever reach, while I would stick with some tasty tap.Ok, maybe he was a bit of a jerk, I'll admit to that. So why did I stick around him so much? Well, he wouldn't really rub things in, so he wasn't a complete butt head. But the allure of being in his company was that I learned something new EVERY time.See, Vince was successful. Pretty damn successful. And I'd love to say there was a secret to his success, but t
In 2000, the revised and improved ISO 9001:2000 standard was introduced to replace the 1994 versions. Organizations certified to the 1994 versions were given until Dec. 15, 2003, to upgrade to ISO 9001:2000. Both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 concern the way a company goes about its work--but not directly the result of this work. However, the way in which a company manages its processes will obviously affect its final product.
So why seek ISO certification? "Deciding to have an independent audit of a management system ... is a decision to be taken on business grounds," Varcin said. Companies may decide to seek ISO certification for any number of reasons, including market requirements, customer preferences or staff motivation. Companies that adhere to ISO standards may benefit from increased demand for their products, more positive customer feedback and a reduction in costs.
On the subject of cost, there is no set price for certification. According to Varcin, it varies depending on such factors as the company's current quality management system, the size and complexity of the organization and the attitude and commitment of the top management.
Setting An Example
If anyone knows how the ISO certification process works, it's Lisa Farrell, director of communications for New York's Canandaigua Wine Company. Two of Canandaigua's wineries--Mission Bell, in Madera, Calif., and New York's Widmer's Wine Cellars--have obtained ISO 9001:2000, and several more of the company's California, New York and Washington wineries are scheduled to follow.
"Canandaigua Wine is making a concerted effort toward standardizing its processes throughout the production environment to gain discipline and sustainability," Farrell explained. "The ISO certification provides us with standard operating procedures, which include valuable communication and system feedback loops among Canandaigua Wine and its customers, employees and managers. It helps us document and control our manufacturing processes to help exceed customer expectations and ensure quality processes within our production environment."
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both win
Because of the acceleration of change, many traditional standards of job security are not applicable to the current workplace environment. When old structures break up, there is often a time of chaos when more openness is created in teh organization.In the past, security came from being at the center of the organization, not from taking chances or rocking the boat. Now, security comes from being at the edges -- where the organization must relate to other groups. This is where learning and innovation take place.You can create personal security in a changing world of work by taking the following steps: Expand your boundaries.Learn about what other depatrments are doing, how other teams operate. When you listen across different parts of the company and interpet one group's needs to another, you become the "glue" that holds the bricks together. Expand your role.Look for work that needs to be done, whether it falls under "your job description" or not. Do not become constrained by your role, if you can contribute more. Go where the problem
On the subject of cost, there is no set price for certification. According to Varcin, it varies depending on such factors as the company's current quality management system, the size and complexity of the organization and the attitude and commitment of the top management.
Setting An Example
If anyone knows how the ISO certification process works, it's Lisa Farrell, director of communications for New York's Canandaigua Wine Company. Two of Canandaigua's wineries--Mission Bell, in Madera, Calif., and New York's Widmer's Wine Cellars--have obtained ISO 9001:2000, and several more of the company's California, New York and Washington wineries are scheduled to follow.
"Canandaigua Wine is making a concerted effort toward standardizing its processes throughout the production environment to gain discipline and sustainability," Farrell explained. "The ISO certification provides us with standard operating procedures, which include valuable communication and system feedback loops among Canandaigua Wine and its customers, employees and managers. It helps us document and control our manufacturing processes to help exceed customer expectations and ensure quality processes within our production environment."
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both win
Moving to another state meant finding a new dentist. I tried one a neighbor recommended who seemed friendly, competent and eager to please. But, I never went back. His office was a case study on the importance of little things.The coat hook was missing a screw and falling from the wall; waiting room magazines were outdated; the posted office hours were taped over with an index card and new hours written in marker; the credenza was overflowing with mail and claim forms. There are plenty of dentists to choose from, and while he might be a competent one, why chance it?It's the same at work. Bosses choose which people to give a great assignment to, take a chance on or consider for a project. Customers choose which businesses to frequent. All those little things really aren't so little. They're impressions. And those impressions help others make decisions about you.Does it matter if you don't spell check your email? It's only an email, right? Wrong. It's an impression about the way you work. Does it matter if the address label is crooked on the letter you send a custome
To get the process rolling, Canandaigua worked with Dr. Judy Luchsinger, who consulted with Fetzer during its ISO certification in 1994. With Luchsinger's help, Mission Bell and Widmer's completed the following steps leading to their ISO 9001:2000 certifications.
Applied to approved ISO-certifying bodies and selected Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance for auditing toward certification
Formation of ISO leadership teams at both wineries
Kick-off meetings held with employees at both wineries
Quality manuals created at both wineries
Employee training at both wineries
Audit and certification process, including all areas of production, bottling and distribution, including internal and external audits conducted by an assessor representing Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance.
"After the external audit, the assessor then makes a recommendation for or against certification, which is reviewed by the management team of (the certifying body)," Farrell said. Both Mission Bell and Widmer's were approved after about a year.
"The (certification) standards are challenging to meet," Farrell said. "To pursue them, you must follow standard operating procedures as outlined in your quality manual and have the discipline and focus needed to follow these consistently and in a highly efficient manner. This process demands strong leadership from senior management and a sense of commitment and teamwork among employees at all levels."
Is Getting Certified Worth The Effort?
To get the inside scoop, we asked wine industry suppliers (listed in the W & V Buyer's Guide/Directory) to tell us why their companies took the plunge, and whether or not they're happy with the results. This partial list represents a random sampling.
Supreme Corq, Inc. Kent, Wash.
According to marketing manager Joyce Steers-Greget, Supreme Corq decided to pursue ISO certification "to ensure a consistent, quality product ... to ensure continuing customer satisfaction and effective process controls ... and to receive a globally recognized quality process certification." The company earned ISO 9001:2000 in July of 2002. "Our customers are pleased that we have taken this proactive step ... Some larger wineries or grocers require compliance to quality and food standards to be an approved supplier. As the wine industry becomes more global, ISO certification will likely be necessary to compete in this international arena."
M.A. Silva Corks, USA Santa Rosa, Calif.
"Our supplier in Portugal felt that the market was looking for companies that had that certification, that (it would give them) some sort of competitive advantage. They also felt that it would greatly improve the company's performance and (help it to) operate at a better standard," said company representative Neil Foster. After meeting the requirements for ISO 9001, Foster said, the company's product improved and business increased. "And also new markets opened up for us...and we noticed that we saw increasing business from (existing) customers. It's a positive thing, without a doubt."
Novembal San Francisco, Calif.
Though Novembal itself is not ISO certified, its supplier--TetraPak Plastics in Mexico--obtained ISO 9001:2000 in Nov., 2002. "We (felt) that is was important for our company to adopt a quality system like ISO, because this system permits us to integrate all of the company's processes--human resources, maintenance and management," said TetraPak ISO coordinator Adriana Flores. Since adopting ISO standards, Flores said, her company's clients feel more secure and the company's processes run more smoothly. "The most important improvement is the process standardization."
Scott Laboratories, Inc. Petaluma, Calif.
"In order for our growing company to continually improve we needed a good documented quality management system," said ISO lead auditor Mary Ann Changnon. "Also some of our customers were requiring ISO certification from their vendors." The company's cork and laboratory sectors were awarded ISO 9000:1994 in July of 1999, and all company sectors obtained ISO 9001:2000 in August of 2001. "We use ISO certification as a sales tool. We open our quality system to our customers so they can see our commitment to continually improve both our products and services. We have noticed improvements in many of our products due to improved processes as a result of customer input."
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