Averaging just under 2,000 million Euro per quarter in GDP, Construction and the Building Industry has regained its status as one of the most valuable sectors making positive contributions to the greater Irish economy.
- Standardised services and product quality: Applying ISO standards could ensure that build-quality, methodology, and adherence to legislation were consistent, thereby guaranteeing quality product.
- Reduced costs for the builder/consumer: By improving supply chain management, purchasing processes, waste and risk management through ISO standard-approved methods, builder/developers could see a significant reduction in costs. These cost-savings could then in turn be passed on to the consumer.
- Ensure continual improvement: By applying ISO standards, business could ensure continuous process improvement and increasing efficiencies year on year, thereby increasing profits and achieving exponential growth.
Given that these benefits would be desirable for most, if not all businesses, which aspects of ISO standards could help the construction industry achieve them?
A construction company, the same as any other, will have to satisfy all clauses of any ISO standard to become accredited, but are there any particular parts of these standards that would specifically help their performance? Let’s take ISO 9001:2015 as an example.
Planning – This element of ISO 9001 encourages specific strategic planning on more complex builds. This increased focus on both risk and opportunity can help meet agreed objectives thereby securing greater project efficiencies. When one analyses the costs of contractors, plant, materials etc, the financial benefits could potentially be significant particularly when multiplied out over the financial year.
Supply-Chain Management – The critical element of ‘control of external services‘ can be applied to performance management (of contractors) thereby ensuring the supply chain meets much needed price points as well as quality objectives.
Performance Evaluation – This clause enables construction companies to better analyse their performance vis a vis achieving continuous improvement through better planning, process and subsequently performance.
Process Approach – How many times have you heard the words ‘over-budget’ and ‘behind schedule’ when it comes to construction projects? Having the ability to combine all the complex elements of a construction project is invaluable, particularly in terms of time and financial management. Applying the ‘process approach’ to construction projects can mitigate against time and budgetary overruns.
Leadership – One of the most vital changes to the 2015 revision of ISO 9001 is that of leadership. Enhanced and more effective leadership engagement provides for transparent communications and clear guidance on objectives. These in turn lead to improved work culture and employee morale. They also underpin the ‘sense of pride’ and good work ethic that help construction companies to ‘get it right first time’.
ISO = Improved Performance, Quality and Customer Satisfaction
The above illustrates how ISO 9001-compliant processes alone can be used to improve both internal and external performance in your Quality Management System to realise both financial and performance benefits. Construction companies who choose to implement not just ISO 9001, but any ISO standard must surely have the competitive advantage. Acknowledging that ISO principles can drive improved performance and quality, whilst reducing cost and risk, all of which should result in increased levels of customer satisfaction must be motivation enough to get ‘ISO started’?
Why not improve your knowledge of ISO 9001:2015 by visiting us at…? CG Business Consulting will be running an ISO 9001:2015 classroom training on 3rd November, details here. We also offer an eLearning course which you can take in your own time, details here.
Or contact one of our expert team on 01 6204121 or email info@cgbc.ie
