Posted 12 October 2012
Q: What’s your role at FS Cables?
I work externally for a few clients including FS Cables and I’m responsible for assessing and managing both the quality and environmental management systems.
I’m delighted that FS Cables have recently achieved their ISO14001 accreditation. It’s been a long time in the making and has taken the best efforts of all members of staff.
Q: Tell us a bit more about ISO14001 and what it covers.
ISO14001 is a framework for an environmental management system which enables an organisation to operate in a more environmentally sustainable manner. As with ISO9001 it is about identifying areas of weakness, implementing strategies for improvement and then continually measuring this improvement over time.
I think all organisations need to recognize that they have a part to play when it comes to protecting the environment. There is a social responsibility attached to commerce and the way waste and energy are managed.
We are all going to have an environmental footprint of some sort but there are lots of ways in which we can reduce it.
Q: What made FS Cables decide to work for ISO14001 accreditation?
An important aspect for any business also is that any reduction in waste is going to make a company leaner and more efficient. There are also cost savings to be made by being ‘green’. These are all benefits to businesses and ultimately customers too.
It also means that customers can say that they are using an ISO14001 accredited supplier which helps with their own compliance. The upcoming Olympic work is a good example of this where we are increasingly seeing contractors being asked to demonstrate sustainability within their supply chain.
Q: We shouldn’t forget that ISO9001:2008 was also attained.
That’s correct – although the company has held ISO9001 status for a number of years now. Regular audits are necessary though to ensure that company is performing as it should be.
Continual improvement is a requirement of ISO9001 and new methods for reducing errors and improving efficiency are being introduced where appropriate. One initiative implemented recently is to get every picking note triple signed prior to dispatch. This enables us to catch any snags before they leave us and has a significant impact on reducing the number of goods returned.
While we can take verbal orders from customers ordering from site or where they really have no way of getting an order over, we prefer to receive written or emailed orders. This avoids situations where the customer thought they asked for 1 x 200m but we thought they asked for 2 x 100m.
Q: How long has FS Cables held ISO9001?
The very first quality audit took place in the mid 90’s. FS Cables have come a long way since then and there has been a strong emphasis on quality ever since.
Q: You seem to have had a good response to the feedback survey?
It was great to get so many positive responses and there were many examples of really constructive criticism which have helped identify areas of improvement to bring greater levels of customer satisfaction.
While monitoring customer feedback is a requirement of ISO9001 this survey was really about getting a better understanding of what is important to customers and how they perceive the company.
Ultimately FS Cables want to be the customer’s first choice and we will have a better chance of achieving that if the customer’s needs are being met.
Q: How else is feedback measured?
Feedback is monitored regularly through the yellow cards which go out with each order. They give customers a chance to tell us how their goods arrived – hopefully on time and in good condition!
Currently around 99% of orders are received on time, correct to the customers order and in good condition. This is obviously no consolation to the remaining 1% but we are never complacent and are always looking to improve. The cards are a great way of catching any issues as they arise. It’s also worth mentioning that all emails to feedback@fscables.com are read by a director.