Internal audits are done by the organization to assess its own quality management system and although required, there is also great value in the process. BIZPHYX offers internal auditing services for TL 9000 and ISO 9001 based quality management systems, as well as support services during certification and surveillance audits.
Preparation: Understanding Internal Audits
In our audio FAQ, we explain some of the complexities between internal, certification and surveillance audits. For additional explanations you can view our TL 9000 Frequently Asked Questions. (FAQs) >Internal audits are a requirement of quality management systems. It is a cost of maintenance. You must conduct an internal audit of your clauses once a year.
When you first certify to your quality standard, you will go through a certification audit and then during the next 2 years, you will go through surveillance audits, sampling sections of your quality system. A registrar or certifying body, performs your certification, surveillance and full-system, re-certification audits.
Internal audits not only uncover problems in your quality management system, they help you to identify areas where you can be more efficient, by making your processes and methods more cost effective. You can take the results of your internal audits and apply Lean Six Sigma techniques to further eliminate waste and reduce cost. Although required, internal audits can prove to be very beneficial to your business.
Implementation: Who Can Audit What?
A big area for concern, may not be the audit itself, but the players involved. A registrar cannot do internal auditing or consulting and conduct certification and surveillance audits of your QMS. It's a conflict of interest. The same is true of consultants like BIZPHYX. We cannot certify or register you. However, in addition to completing your internal audits and training your staff to do their own internal audits, we can serve as your advocate, during certification and surveillance audits with your registrar. We often assist our clients with what can be an anxiety filled process.
Maintenance: Outsourcing While You Learn
Some companies decide to train their own staff to do internal auditing. Depending on the company, this can be costly. Sometimes it is better to retain experienced auditors like BIZPHYX, to conduct your annual internal audits. However, we can train your staff to assume this role. Additionally, you need to be sure that your auditor is qualified. Any internal auditor should be able to demonstrate through their records, that they are capable of auditing your standard. BIZPHYX will always provide credentials and documentation on anyone sent to evaluate your quality management system.
Getting Started: Why Choose BIZPHYX?
We know you have a choice when it comes to consultants. What sets us apart from our competitors is ethics and expertise. We live what we teach. BIZPHYX is TL 9000 and ISO 9001 certified. Few quality-consulting firms possess their own certification credentials.
We do not "bill by the hour" and ethically complete turnkey projects for a single price, agreed upon with our clients, with no hidden fees. Most importantly, 100% of our clients achieve their quality certification and that's what drives us, customer success.
Read client success stories here> Register for an educational webinar here >
• TL 9000 • ISO 9001 • AS 9100 • ISO 14001 • Lean • Six Sigma • CMMI
BIZPHYX consultants, trainers and project managers are highly skilled in the standards and practices we support. If you have an immediate question regarding internal audits, you can contact one of our experts directly:
