TABLE OF CONTENTS By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.
Confucius
Since the dawn of civilization the survival of communities has depended on trade. As communities grow they become more dependent on others providing goods and services they are unable to provide from their own resources. Trade continues to this day on the strength of the customer supplier relationship. The relationship survives through trust and confidence. A reputation for delivering a product or a service to an agreed specification, at an agreed price on an agreed date is hard to win and organizations will protect their reputation against external threat at all costs. But reputations are often damaged not by those outside but by those inside the organization. Broken promises, whatever the cause, harm reputation and promises are broken when an organization does not do what it committed itself to do. This can arise either because the organization accepted a commitment it did not have the capability to meet or it had the capability but failed to manage it effectively.
This is what the ISO 9000 family of standards is all about. It is a set of criteria that, when applied correctly, will help organizations develop the capability to create and retain satisfied customers. It is not a product standard there are no requirements for specific products or services only criteria that apply to the management of an...
