THE RELEVANCE of ISO accreditation in today’s business environment cannot be sufficiently underscored, says Cargocare Freight Service’s Sue Wood. “One has only to look at the volume of trade shrinkage in the last six to 12 months to conclude that the trade pie is getting smaller.” So the crushing question uppermost in every businessperson’s mind must be ‘How can I protect and grow my slice?’ and ‘What has this got to do with ISO?’ “The answer is everything,” says Wood. “Businesses that keep abreast of the constant changes in their operating environment are most often the ones that survive and thrive.” Another relevant issue relates to the country’s skills development efforts. “Surely this is the only viable path that will help us reach our joint goals of increased business success.” Wood believes these are the principles supporting quality management, commonly called ISO. “And each one is inextricably linked to international standards.” “If I am truly focusing on my management responsibilities I will know exactly what my client wants to buy from me and ensure that he gets it time and time again. “In the event that he doesn’t I’ll find out why, fix it and thereby keep a client. As a responsible manager I’ll ensure that my operation has all the necessary resources to produce an excellent product, which includes the human resource.” Wood also draws attention to the SAQA forum created by government to improve skills levels in every major market sector. “By embracing this concept and raising the competence level of my workforce I will be in a stronger position to provide the human resource geared towards the production of an excellent product or service. “These principles are the main criteria required by any company aspiring towards ISO accreditation or which is already accredited. “I firmly believe that they are up-to-the-minute issues affecting every South African company, not only the freight industry.”
