We all love finding the perfect product or service — the one that keeps us coming back again and again, knowing it will be the same as the time before. For example, when you order a no foam, triple latte or double-double from your favourite coffee shop, you know exactly what you’re getting. It’s not going to change, and you won’t be disappointed. If it wasn’t consistent, you’d likely become annoyed and find a different place. The same concept can be applied to eDiscovery operations.

When considering who you want to send your sensitive matters to, it’s not only important to consider a service provider’s certifications, but essential to understand what, if any, they hold themselves accountable to.

What is an ISO 9001:2015 certification?

An ISO 9001:2015 certification specifies requirements for an organization’s quality management system and certifies that system for use in demonstrating reliable quality. This includes a framework for companies to document, review and defend their processes on an ongoing basis, the success of which is measured through customer satisfaction. When you work with a service provider that has an  International Organization for Standardization certification, processes and practices are put in place to provide a consistent experience every time. That means you get exactly what you signed up for, just like with your cup of joe.

Here are three reasons you should consider choosing an ISO-certified service provider on your next matter:

1. They take customer satisfaction seriously

How was your experience? If a provider only measures tangible metrics like “on-time delivery” and “services delivered within budgets”, they’re only collecting half of the information. With an ISO quality management systems certification, a service provider must take quality personally. In fact, their customers’ satisfaction is a key performance indicator of their success.

Businesses with this type of certification are required to prove they capture their customers’ feedback to show an accurate reflection of the way they do business. At Ricoh, our customer survey provides us with the big picture of our clients’ experiences from the beginning to the end of each project. This isn’t just something we send out and say thanks for completing – it’s a huge key to our success. We use each response to either investigate how we can improve on our processes (if ever a project were rated below our standards) or recognize our staff for doing terrific work (when a customer is fully satisfied).  

2. They have a zero tolerance policy for errors

ISO requires a method for tracking process breakdowns or gaps. Any non-conformance to process must be logged, evaluated and acted upon. Afterwards, the effectiveness of those actions must also be measured to ensure the right steps were taken to prevent any future process breakdown. This way, the business is kept running like a well-oiled machine for peak performance.

Risks and opportunities are another big part of the ISO Quality Standard. As a service provider, Ricoh works to ensure we protect our valued clients with a plan of action to address risks and utilize opportunities appropriately.

3. They’re audited for performance

Third-party businesses regularly audit each certified organization to ensure they’re compliant with the ISO's strict regulatory guidelines. These arduous audits reflect everything a business does including training staff, meticulously documenting processes, ensuring resources are in place, and reviewing and acting upon the feedback of every client. If an organization does not pass an audit, they can risk losing their certification. 

As a client, you want to know that you’ll receive the products and services you asked for. As a decision maker, you want to ensure you’re spending your time and budget on a vendor that will get the results you need.

When you choose to work with an ISO-certified provider, you’re guaranteed a quality experience you can trust every time.   

We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and continue to be the only specialized eDiscovery provider in Canada to hold this distinction.

We care about our clients' experience and guarantee excellence in all that we do. Simply put, we do what we say we will do and ensure it’s done right every time.

The ISO quality framework assures our Canadian and international clients that certifiably reliable, repeatable and defensible electronic discovery standards as well as high-quality processes are in place at Ricoh eDiscovery and are adhered to on all projects.

Click here to learn more about the ISO certification process and our dedication to it.