And that’s just about where our similarity with other ISO consultants ends.
You might say, at AEM Consulting, we are rebelling against the ISO 9001 / AS9100 / ISO 13485 establishment and the notion that the path to certification is pages and pages of “ISO speak,” which may not make good business sense.
Our consulting approach is completely different for three reasons:
- As a successful company, you already have over 80% of the ISO requirements in place. Why not take credit for them?
- We help you tailor the ISO 9001 standard or related standard (like AS9100, ISO 13485, IATF 16949, and ISO 14001) to fit your company, not force you to fit the standard.
- Our focus is on good system design and operation with minimal paperwork.
For more on our philosophy & suggestions for making ISO work for your company, please see:
Remember, the purpose of the standards is simply to understand, appropriately document, and improve your system and processes. Too often, an ISO or AS9100 system is installed separately rather than being properly integrated with the way a company conducts its business. This always results in extra, non-value-added effort that competes for scarce resources.
We believe a company has only one system made up of numerous processes that meet the company’s needs first and, only secondarily, the requirements of ISO or AS9100.
AEM Consulting Group Beginnings
Our firm, AEM Consulting Group, has been working with organizations on ISO 9001 and related standards since the early 1990’s. We specialize in assisting small and midsized companies improve operational performance with proven strategies like ISO, Lean and MRP/ERP.
My experience with ISO goes back even further as I began using the standard in 1988, a year after it was first released. Working at Black & Decker, I needed an outline for a strong quality system and could only find two: The Malcolm Baldrige Award Criteria and ISO 9000.
Since then, AEM Consulting has evolved the ISO process into a rapid and straightforward project that has never required additional resources after registration. With over eighty successful ISO 9001, AS9100, ISO 13485, QS-9000/TS16949 registrations under our belt, we can help you through the process without the usual “big honking binder.”
Help for ISO Doing It Yourselfers
If you are a “do-it-yourselfer,” check out these affordable alternatives to get started on an ISO system that makes sense and really adds value (seriously!) All our products carry the guarantee of a full refund if you’re not completely satisfied!
- ISO 9001 Survival Guide
This best selling little book is a mainstay on Amazon.com and gives you clear instructions in a short and concise format. - ISO 9001 Survival Software Templates featuring our Scripted Flowchart Process™.
We’ve learned three things about procedures:
- People don’t like to write them
- People don’t like to use and read them, and
- They don’t like to change them!
Templates are a useful aid (especially ours!), but don’t fall in the trap of thinking all that is needed is to search and replace the company name. The ISO templates we offer are not the usual find-and-replace model common in the marketplace today. Our provide a strong starting point for designing and documenting your system. (View a 740 Purchasing Procedure [PDF]
Based on the concept of “a picture is worth a thousand words,”AEM Consulting ISO 9001 Survival Software Templates are built on the venerable flowchart and minimal text. This simple format allows you to simply and clearly document your processes and includes an index of all forms and records.
Lastly, if an employee or consultant keeps pushing for more and more paperwork, run for the hills. Good system design, like good product design results in a valuable and straightforward system that people can easily understand and use.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
If you need an experienced resource to actually help you do the work, AEM Consulting offers a wide range of assistance. Our consulting work also carries the guarantee that if the objectives are not met, we will continue to support the project provided mutually assigned tasks are completed as planned.
To learn more about how AEM Consulting Group help guide you in the certification process, please contact us for a free consultation »