Cheap ISO 9001 Certification

Cheap ISO 9001 certification sounds great, doesn’t it?

Alas, much like anything, cheap ISO certification most likely means poor quality, and “the bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” (Benjamin Franklin).

The mistake I see most often is a business chasing the lowest quote up front, then paying for it twice: once at the audit that fails, and again for the rework to fix a system that was never built around how they actually operate.

There is a range of risks when trying to achieve certification on the cheap:

1. The ISO management system does not fully conform with the clauses of the reference standards (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, or increasingly ISO/IEC 27001:2022 and ISO 42001). This can lead to major nonconformities at audit time, delayed certification and additional resources to close them out.
2. The ISO management system may not be aligned with the organisation’s processes. This often happens with badly designed systems, when a company downloads a template, or when a system is “borrowed” from another company. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. It’s never going to work. In fact it can have the opposite effect and act like a handbrake on the organisation. More likely, the system simply isn’t used, and the benefits of the framework and continual improvement model are never realised.
3. Timeframes to certification can be dragged out. When most companies decide to certify to ISO 9001 or any of the other standards, they usually want or need it done by a certain date. If you are developing the system internally, the resources allocated typically have other responsibilities, and when those take priority the certification schedule slips.
4. Process mapping may be done incorrectly or inefficiently. Documenting organisational processes, including risks, inputs, outputs and process inter-relationships, takes time, and to be done correctly, at a level that supports business growth, it needs an experienced consultant working closely with key personnel to ensure ownership and a high degree of implementation.
5. Cheap ISO consultants often insist that you choose a specific certification body. Always make sure you obtain a number of quotes from different JAS-ANZ accredited certification bodies.

When I audit a borrowed or template-based system, the tell is almost always in the records: procedures that describe a business that isn’t quite this one, forms nobody has filled in, and a document register that stopped being updated the week after certification. A cheap system passes the paperwork test and fails the reality test, and it’s the reality test the surveillance audits keep coming back to.

Whether you are developing the system internally or looking to engage a cheap ISO consultant, make sure whoever develops the system has a solid, demonstrated history of management system design, implementation, internal auditing and certification. At Streamline, you work directly with an experienced ISO auditor and our systems are built to certify first time.

Government funding for ISO certification

Grants may be available to help with the cost of ISO certification. See our guide to Government Grants & Funding for ISO Certification (AU). For a realistic view of pricing, our guide to ISO 9001 certification cost in Australia is also worth a read.

Need your ISO certification fast?

To achieve fast ISO 9001 certification there are a few key requirements. For more on getting quick QMS certification, see here.

Speak with an experienced ISO auditor

If you’d like more information on ISO management system design, or a quote, email hello@streamline.business, get in touch here, or call one of our consultants:

• Brisbane ISO consultants 07 3667 8280
• Sydney ISO consultants 02 8315 7780
• Melbourne ISO consultants 03 9034 3990

For more information on accreditation in Australia and New Zealand, see the JAS-ANZ website.