Wellcombe Group, consisting of William Alexander and Stellarmann, employ over 40 staff and achieve a turnover of £30m+ turnover by supporting clients undergoing business and technological transformation, offering consultancy services or recruitment of permanent and contract staff.
Elle Cummings, Operations Administrator, tells us about her involvement in their recent implementation of ISO9001 using the CertiKit ISO9001 toolkit, culminating in a successful certification to the standard.
What were the three main reasons for certifying to ISO 9001?
Having recently implemented ISO 27001 to meet client requirements; we saw ISO 9001 as a natural next step. It complemented our existing management systems and offered clear benefits, such as improving engagement with business processes, enhancing our ability to monitor client satisfaction, and ultimately supporting business growth and increased revenue.
What were the biggest challenges faced when complying with ISO 9001?
Initially, there was some hesitation from staff, particularly around the introduction of controlled operating procedures. Building these processes from scratch took time and embedding them into daily operations to ensure consistency across the business was a significant challenge. However, once established, they became a valuable part of our workflow.
"The templates were exactly what we needed - easy to customise, rebrand, and format to suit our business. They offered a practical and flexible solution that aligned perfectly with our goals."
What features of the toolkit made the process easier?
The simplicity and clarity of the documents and instructions were key. Unlike some toolkits that can be overly complex and require additional services to interpret, CertiKit’s materials were straightforward and user-friendly, making the implementation process much smoother.
How many hours per week were allocated to the project at best guess? And how long did it take to complete?
As the Operations Administrator, I was primarily responsible for tailoring and updating the documents to reflect our business operations, with the Operations Director providing support through review and approval. We dedicated around 2–3 days per week initially, with a significant amount of time later spent developing our operational procedures, which were not included in the kit.
As you were working through the toolkit, did you discover opportunities for improvement in the way you are running your organisation?
Absolutely. The process helped us identify gaps in our existing processes and improve areas such as customer satisfaction surveys and our complaints handling procedures.
"It has opened doors to tender for larger clients and has generally enhanced the efficiency and professionalism of our business operations."
What’s next for your business? Are you considering any other ISO certifications?
Yes, we’re currently working towards ISO 14001 - using another CertiKit toolkit to guide us through the process!
