As business owners, we must always think long-term and resist the tendency to be forever caught up in day-to-day demands. “A stitch in time saves nine” goes the old saying. This could not be more true than it is for laboratories offering quality-assured services, and vying for client trust in competitive markets.
There is no better way to ensure you are getting the most out of your lab and not wasting time and money in the long term than to invest in the benefits of NATA accreditation.
Here’s why you should get your systems sorted:
1. Feedback
Knowledge is Power
You need to know what is working and what is not to have confidence in your processes. But often we are too enmeshed in our own organisation and work to be objective, and no matter how professional we think we are, we all need that ‘second pair of eyes’. NATA’s independent peer review provides your lab with detailed feedback according to the most up-to-date checks on the competence and reliability of your testing, calibration, or inspection services.
A nudge in the right direction
By going through the accreditation process, you can be certain of how your lab’s quality assurance systems perform against others. Then, if change is needed, you can direct time, resources and money into necessary improvements. At the same time, you will avoid wasting time on unnecessary reviews in areas that NATA confirms comply with its standards. NATA’s feedback not only ensures you comply with standards but can lead to fundamental improvements in how you run your laboratory and business. Especially, in many cases, when you get support dealing with NATA.
2. Expert Advice
The money and time you spend going through NATA’s accreditation process is a win-win. Whether or not your lab complies with NATA standards, NATA’s technical advisors will advise you as to where to make changes in order to pass the final assessment. Even if you were to fail, which does happen in some cases but is less likely if you get support, you have gained expert guidance on what steps to take next. This is gold for the systems & processes in your organisation. NATA takes a constructive approach and is clear with applicants. But if you need help putting their advice into place and communicating points of disagreement, O’Dwyer Accreditation can help ensure you pass the final assessment.
3. Business boost
As well as giving you and your staff a feeling of pride that your lab is providing services of the highest standard, a successful NATA assessment also gives you a marketing edge. You can enhance your credibility by advertising that you are NATA-accredited and using the logo on your website. Even if accreditation is not a regulatory requirement in your industry, NATA’s stamp of approval may enable you to raise your prices or gain access to international markets (NATA accreditation is recognised and accepted globally).
Public and private sector organisations increasingly require accreditation credentials, with so many benefits to the public across the supply chain, from fishing to forestry, transport to technology, construction to communications. Ensure your business is accredited before the market or industry demands it. NATA offers accreditation in a wide variety of areas – not all of them are traditional testing. If you need help making sure your business is reaping the financial benefits of NATA accreditation, contact us today.
4. Foundation for growth
Setting up the right management system for your business lays the foundations for continued success into the future. It means that when your business grows you have the frameworks in place to manage that growth in a way that maintains the highest quality standards. Recently a client in this situation said to me; “I wouldn’t have a business now if it wasn’t for NATA accreditation. The NATA assessment process taught us the importance of having systems: defined ways of doing our work. This meant that, as our business grew it was easier to train new staff, delegate tasks and to be confident that everything was running efficiently.”
For further information on how to leverage the benefits of accreditation into the future read about the process approach.