How ISO certification companies can set themselves apart

The Middle East is home to dozens of ISO certification companies, from the large global players to niche industry specialists or local homegrown consultancies and training firms. Reem Mohammed, a consultant at UCS, outlines how ISO certification companies in the region can set themselves apart from the rest. 

Popularity

What makes ISO certification companies popular in the market across different fields is their quality of work, lead time and cost. Being the leading company in all of aspects is not easy, because you need to be SMART in the way you think and manage your work, and in all the constituents of your day to day tasks. 

Two points are of interest in this regard: the project management constraints (quality, time and cost) and the quality objectives known as SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound). These two points are the basic levers for success in any ISO business, as it enables effective management of projects by using the most seeked-after requirements from customers. 

Distinction

What distinguishes an ISO certification company from another is how much they know in their own field, how far their flexibility reaches and their creativity extends. Showcasing expertise that is already out there in the market is considered good, but thinking of and applying new and creative ideas is considered better.

A key advice: be creative, follow your own approach for problem-solving and delivery, and embed continuous innovation in offerings and operations. 

Competition

It is important to know who your competitors are and always try to be one step ahead. Challenge yourself and the firm – make your goals more ambitious if you want to improve further after reaching your initial objectives.

Benchmarking is a well-known way of improving. Gain insights in the strengths (and weaknesses) of competitors, and focus on the key learnings. Emulate the competitive edge of rivals, and beat them in segments of strategic importance.

Learning

Every business needs to continuously advance its skillset and capabilities, with learning possible in different ways: learning by doing (know-how), learning by studying (know-why), and learning by using (know-what). 

The first is learning over time by performing the same task over and over again. The second is experimentation and simulation to understand the principles underlying the functionality of a service/product. The third is interactions between vendors and customers which provide insights for the vendors on new ways of using the same service/product. 

When you use any of these methods, or the three of them, you will be able to attain your goals and provide superior experience to your customers.