The Professional Contractors Group (PCG) has announced the ISO9001:2000 certification of member business KIC Computing through its groundbreaking PCG (QS) scheme, which was designed specifically for small consulting and contracting businesses. This is the fourth certification since the scheme was introduced towards the end of 2004 and a further 83 businesses have completed their training and are preparing the documentation for their quality management systems in preparation for the first audit.
Based near Market Rasen in Lincolnshire, KIC Computing was established in 1995 to provide a range of information technology services, including bespoke software development, analysis and design, the configuration of network solutions and custom-built computer systems, and maintenance, upgrade and support services.
Managing director Ian Cumber is very pleased to have ISO9001:2000 certification for his company. “One of our reasons for going through this process was to improve KIC’s standing and the perception of it in the marketplace,” he says. “Although the company specialises in bespoke software development, we find that there is little demand for these services within our current geographical location. We want to expand the consultancy, website and IT support aspects of the business locally and feel that having ISO9001 certification will give us a competitive edge. We believe that our certification demonstrates our commitment; it shows that we are not a 'here today gone tomorrow – fly-by-night' company and that we take our business and our clients seriously. The process has certainly focused our attention on customer support service activities; asking a client to complete a satisfaction survey can prove both rewarding and eye-opening.
“We would like to have the chance of undertaking projects in the public sector, for local authorities, schools and colleges, for example, and ISO9001 certification is of course usually a prerequisite,” Cumber continues. “Also, we have had a long-standing relationship with a large research company that has a major presence in the defence market and whilst there is no obligation right now for us to have IS09001 certification in order to do business with them, we believe that it will be only a matter of time before that becomes a mandatory requirement. We felt that it was important to seize the initiative and achieve the certification before reaching this point.”
Congratulating Ian Cumber on KIC’s certification, PCG chairman Dr Simon Juden said, “We are really pleased to see that our groundbreaking initiative - the first ever cross-sector scheme of its kind - is yielding positive results so quickly for our members. More and more public sector organisations and corporations in the UK and Europe are insisting that their suppliers have UKAS-accredited ISO9001 certification, and our aim with the PCG (QS) scheme is to help freelancers to compete for business they would otherwise get nowhere near, as well as being able to demonstrate credibility and quality.”