I've done some searching on these forums and I can't find much on ISO 9001 or ISO 20000.

Have any established VAs been asked for these skills?

I'm hoping this is a niche market that I can fill as I am a certified ISO 9001 auditor and a ISO 20000 (ITIL) consultant.

I'd be happy to share the knowledge on these forums if anyone thinks there is enough interest?

I once worked for a company that was ISO 9000 certified. I still have nightmares.

Of course, that company was fairly dysfunctional and probably took things a bit too far by having special foam trays made into which you fit each of your office implements (like your stapler, your hole punch, your scissors, etc.).

It also probably didn't help that those of us with less rigid personalities would take the time each night to put the wrong implement in the wrong slot which would just drive the person assigned to monitor the ISO 9000 compliance nuts...

But then again we WERE accountants and we didn't get out much except during the quarterly physical audits

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Leslie

At the risk of sounding ignorant here. I don't even know what ISO means?

__________________

ISO, pronounced EYE-so, is the International Organization for Standardization. Some people think that that is a an acronym invented by dyslexics and it should be IOS but in fact it is from the Greek word isos meaning "equal".

There are many international standards that are governed by ISO but perhaps the most famous, or infamous if you have to put your stapler in the right place every evening, is ISO 9001. This standard covers quality management systems and I must agree with the previous poster that sometimes it can be a nightmare if it isn't implemented in the correct way and many an ISO certified company has "gone Dilbert". However, when done correctly it can add tremendous value to a company and I think at least a basic knowledge of the main standards would be of value to a VA.

The early versions of the standard were pretty much a case of "write down what you do, and then do it". This may sound like a great idea but if you write down "shout rudely at customers when they call your help desk" then that is what you had to do otherwise you would fail the audit.

The latest version, ISO 9001:2008 is far more sensible. It says that not only should you document what you do but you should review the results of what you do and then work to improve it so that the company reaches its objectives. it even has a specific section on how to deal with customers and improve customer service.

ISO 20000 is the Information Technology version which covers implementation and support of technology in the workplace. It is a huge subject but basically it tells the IT propeller heads that contrary to what they think it is the business people that are important not the people that are given cubes in the basement and a vast array of soldering irons and the latest software to play with.

No offense if you are an IT propeller head; I am too. I started programming on a TI99a when I was 14 and have never looked back (or been unemployed) so I feel your pain brother (and sister).

I'm a newbie here but if there is an audience for this sort of thing on this forum how do you want me to share the knowledge? I'm happy to answer ad-hoc questions but if you prefer a more structured approach I could write some posts or links to blog entires on the subject.

I think it would be great if you wrote some blog posts. I think we all want to be more efficient in our offices. Maybe you should consider doing a webinar on this topic and posing it here in the forum. I guess you would talk to Tess about that.

__________________

I'd be happy to. How do I get in touch with Tess to set it up?

http://www.virtualassistantforums.co...assistant/tess That's the link to her profile. You can send her a private message from there. ~Rhonda

__________________

I have experience in co-ordinating an IS09000 Quality Management System. I think the systems are beneficial to any organisation. The main ethos is 'Say what you do, do what you say and prove it'. I would be interested to find out if any VAs have accredition for their home based businesses.

__________________
Ann Murphy
ATM Business Services Ltd