How is ISO 9001 used to measure customer satisfaction?

ISO 9001 sets out the criteria needed for an effective Quality Management System (QMS). This is a system of processes, personnel, and procedures used to ensure that the products and/or services you’re delivering to customers are of acceptable quality, and ensures that products and services meet consistent quality standards.

One of the core principles of ISO 9001 is customer satisfaction – measuring and assessing customer satisfaction is a requirement for the standard. Why? Because this reflects how effectively a company’s QMS is performing. In this blog, we’ll discuss how and why ISO 9001 is used to measure customer satisfaction, as well as what aspects of customer satisfaction are typically measured as part of ISO 9001.

Why customer satisfaction matters in ISO 9001

ISO 9001 places an emphasis on customer satisfaction because this is one of the simplest ways to understand whether or not your QMS is living up to expectations, and whether or not your organisation is delivering high-quality products or services.

Nobody is in a better position to assess this than your customers. Basically, customer satisfaction is a simple barometer of product or service quality that can help you identify areas of improvement within your organisation.

If your customers are happy with your services or products and they meet the necessary quality standards, their opinion of your business and their satisfaction ratings will reflect this.

Conversely, if you are not meeting their quality expectations, their satisfaction will slip. They may reduce their orders or even stop working with your company completely. Again, this can be easily shown through customer satisfaction ratings and reviews.

A key benefit of assessing customer satisfaction is that it allows you to quickly identify problem areas in your business – such as slow shipping, poor product quality, lack of documentation, or other such issues. By identifying the issues that appear the most frequently among customers, you can take appropriate corrective actions.

How ISO 9001 measures customer satisfaction

ISO 9001 requires organisations to monitor, measure, and evaluate customer satisfaction as part of maintaining an effective QMS. This process involves gathering relevant data, analysing results, and taking corrective action to improve performance where necessary.

Collecting customer feedback

The first step involves obtaining feedback directly from customers. This may include surveys, reviews, questionnaires, or informal discussions through customer support channels. The aim is to understand whether the products or services provided meet customer expectations and deliver consistent quality.

Monitoring quality and performance metrics

In addition to direct feedback, ISO 9001 encourages organisations to track other indicators that reflect customer satisfaction. These can include delivery times, defect rates, complaint frequency, return levels, or repeat orders. Monitoring these metrics helps identify trends and areas requiring attention.

Analysing data and taking corrective action

Once data has been collected, it should be reviewed to identify recurring issues or opportunities for improvement. Organisations can then implement corrective or preventive actions to address root causes and enhance QMS performance. This process supports continual improvement and helps maintain high levels of customer satisfaction over time.

What aspects of customer satisfaction should be measured in ISO 9001?

There are an enormous number of metrics you can measure and assess when it comes to customer satisfaction, and the appropriate ones to use vary based on your business.

For example, a fast food restaurant would need to measure different aspects of customer satisfaction than a mining company or an industrial manufacturing plant. Depending on your line of business, these metrics could include:

Technical capability

Did your product meet a customer’s needs when it comes to technical performance? Does it perform as advertised and meet its claims?

Packaging

Was the product safely protected during shipping? Was the packaging easy to open? Did it clearly explain the contents?

Quality of documentation

Are the manuals, instructions, documentation, and other information of high quality, easy to read, and simple to understand?

Shipment and fulfilment times

Was the product shipped on time? Was it delivered in good shape? Was it subjected to any delays?

Customer support and complaints

How is the overall customer support experience? Do representatives resolve complaints quickly? Are they polite and helpful?

Sales experience

Did the customer have a positive sales experience? Was the product or service represented truthfully? Did the salesperson provide them with the necessary information to make a buying decision?

Contract conformity

Did your product or service meet the requirements outlined in the contract signed with the customer?

There are many more, of course. So when considering what metrics to assess, it’s a good idea to consider your own line of business, and develop appropriate customer satisfaction surveys. These can be sent to your customers in order to assess their overall satisfaction and get feedback that can be used to improve your products and/or services.

Whether you are interested in having your organisation certified to ISO 9001 standards, or you have already been certified and need assistance and consulting to maintain your quality management systems, Citation Certification is here to help.

How can Citation Certification help?

Complimentary online training for all clients: we offer complimentary online training courses for our clients that can be accessed by your entire organisation – it’s the best way to gain confidence and knowledge and help you prepare for your audit.

Partner with us to get your business to higher standards: with 30 years of experience, Citation Certification has partnered with thousands of organisations on their certification journey.

Lean on us to access our expertise: feel at ease knowing that our auditing team are supportive, friendly and personable people who are passionate about high standards. They’re locally based and dedicated to delivering high-quality customer care. Have a question or need some guidance on a standard? We’re always available to answer any questions you have. Contact us here.