8.2 Determination of requirements for products and services
8.2.1 Customer communication
This week’s discussion is about customer communication, and the requirement is that first, there must be a defined process for how the organization will communicate with a customer. Once again, I must point out the awkwardness of the structure of ISO9001:2015. This section jumps around separating first having a process, then determining and then reviewing the requirements, using a lot more words than necessary in my opinion. But let’s have a look at the first requirement, 8.2.1 Customer communication.
“8.2.1 Customer communication
The organization shall establish the processes for communicating with customers in relation to:
a) information relating to products and services;
b) enquiries, contracts or order handling, including changes;
c) obtaining customer views and perceptions, including customer complaints;
d) the handling or treatment of customer property, if applicable;
e) specific requirements for contingency actions, when relevant.”
So, the requirement is clear, there must be established processes for these types of customer interactions. Customers play a large role in the determination of these processes, particularly with regard to information and inquiries. And it is important to have internal processes to supplement the customers’ preferred processes when they may be, shall we say, quite entrepreneurial and/or requiring a smidge more discipline. Verbal requests, emails and so forth can work well in many situations, but can also lead to confusion and miscommunication. This is especially true regarding changes.
Requirements a) and b) above address the subject of inquiries becoming orders in an important process that should be carefully defined. That’s not to say an organization must put so many procedures and policies in place as to discourage a customer or negatively impact their experience, but rather to ensure the organization has a process to clearly define what the customer wants and their ability to fulfill those requirements.
Requirement c) is oddly placed in my opinion, because customer satisfaction and nonconformity are addressed elsewhere and in greater detail. But, as there should be processes for determining what the customer “likes”, there should also be a way to determine also what they “don’t like”.
Requirement d) is a contract requirement that should not be overlooked. Should the organization hold inventory or equipment as part of the product or service they provide, the expectations for the care for those items should be clearly defined.
And finally, requirement e) is a simple requirement for an agreement to ensure fulfillment of customer needs in case of emergency. There is an expectation that there be a “contingency plan” of some sort in place, should foreseeable obstacles be encountered. Simple, right? One could also argue that requirement e) is bait for the anticipated “risk” debate that is sure to ensue upon release of the standard. However, the requirement for defining contingency plans has been around a long time. Most organizations have at least a cursory plan (written or unwritten), should an emergency occur.
THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK
Assess your organization’s processes. Are there processes for communicating with your customers and do they ensure all necessary information is captured? (Stay tuned, because as we continue this next week, 8.2.2 adds an additional requirement that the organization “shall review requirements not state by the customer, but necessary for the customer specified or intended use, when known”. That’s a tough one, but we’ll tackle it next week. Meantime, do your current communication processes foster a clear understanding of your customers’ needs and your ability to fulfill them?
Stay involved and engaged – SUBSCRIBE!
