Quality is important to Adelante and our customers. When people or businesses pay for a service like our shredding, scanning, or facilities services they expect the work to be done well. The same holds true for our government contracts. Work must be completed on a promised schedule. It must be correct and accounted for in a way that it is clear to the customer. In short, we must do what we say we are going to do. That is a part of earning and keeping business. Yes, that’s even true for a nonprofit like Adelante. At the end of February, Adelante’s most recent ISO audit was successfully completed. It officially states that Adelante Enterprises Facilities Support Services, Document Destruction Services, and Document Imaging Services are ISO 9001:2015 certified businesses.
The audit determined that Adelante Enterprises continues to show a strong commitment to the quality of the services we provide to our customers. This result is due to the efforts of the team at Adelante Enterprises. They show a commitment to quality day in and day out, and it shows.
What is an ISO Audit?
An ISO audit determines the effectiveness of a quality management system or QMS. Basically, they are assessing whether strong, clear processes are in place. Also, if those processes are followed across different locations and services. For example, consistently gathering the right information when we intake a project. Or, being able to verify the number of documents that were scanned.
ISO 9001 was first published in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an international agency composed of the national standards bodies of more than 160 countries. Organizations use the ISO standards to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
On each visit, they certify Adelante’s adherence to the Quality Management System under ISO 9001. This is a requirement necessary to maintain our ISO certification.
Why is this important?
During the ISO audit, the accreditation body reviews our QMS to determine what we should be doing compared with what we are actually doing. Auditors visit several contract sites and production facilities. This helps determine whether or not QMS procedures are followed across the board at all of Adelante’s worksites.
While at each site, they observe operations and review documentation related to our quality policies. For example, during February’s visit, each step in the service process was examined to determine Adelante’s ability to consistently provide high quality service to our customers. Auditors also identify areas for improvement.
Continually reviewing what’s happening and circling back to address any process issues or problems is a key component of continuous quality improvement. That’s true, no matter your business.
Customers have high expectations of Adelante. First, they expect us to provide quality products and services on a consistent basis. Second, they want to pay a fair price. Adelante’s customers appreciate our attention to detail and quality. That is why we work with ISO and why our document businesses are also certified by i-SIGMA. (International Secure Information Governance & Management Association TM) .
