We’re proud to announce that ACS has been awarded with an ISO 9001 certification.
In this piece, we explain what this means for our clients and potential clients, and share some of the criteria that ACS was evaluated against.
What Exactly is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 is the international standard for creating a Quality Management System (QMS). It is awarded by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).
A QMS is a clearly defined set of business processes. Along with the relevant documentation, it defines a company’s commitment to creating products and services in accordance with pre-defined, high-quality standards. For a QMS to be awarded with an ISO accreditation, among other things, ISO say it must:
“a) demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and
b) enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.”
What does this mean for customers and potential customers?
ISO say “using ISO 9001 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good-quality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits.”
This is because the certification looks at a company’s response to customer needs, quality of delivery and continual business improvement.
ISO assessors gain a in-depth and well-rounded view on the business over a period of time and decide whether or not the standard is high enough to be awarded an ISO 9001 certification. ACS have therefore, been evaluated against criteria in areas including:
- Strength of customer focus
- Motivation and implication of top management
- Process approach and continual improvement
- Documentation management, data control and risk management
Without high standards in these areas, ACS would not have been awarded with their ISO 9001 certification. This means that clients and potential clients can be reassured that ACS have a robust business and an on-going commitment to deliver high quality services.
What does this mean for ACS?
Chris Morrall, Co-Founder ACS commented:
“Hopefully this will enable potential future clients to see that we offer real value and care about their business as we do our own. We understand that, now more than ever, budgets are tight and any new software project is likely to be a huge decision. We hope our ISO 9001 certification will help inspire trust in potential clients, that we’re the people for their software development project. After all, we can say ourselves that we’re focused on quality service for our customers, but to have a well-recognised and stringent official body say it on our behalf makes it all the more meaningful.”
Craig Morrall, Co-Founder ACS added:
“We have long-prided ourselves on the relationships we build with our clients. Our clients are genuinely happy and not just with the end result but with the process throughout and our approach to their software development project. For new clients however, who don’t know us yet, we hope this will help them feel they’re in safe hands as you have to go through a rigorous process before you’re awarded the certificate. I founded ACS with my brother, Chris, so it’s extremely important to us both, we’re always pushing forward and looking for new ways to progress, taking full advantage of the fast-paced software development world. Being awarded ISO 9001 has recognised some of this drive and ambition, so it’s a special moment for us.“
