RICHFIELD, Ohio — OEConnection LLC, an online parts and service exchange for the automotive industry, has received ISO 9001:2008 With Design Certification, an achievement reached by only a small percentage of companies worldwide.
ISO 9001:2008 certification – the latest version of the most widely-used standard for quality management systems – covers all key processes in a business and addresses what an organization does to fulfill the customer’s quality requirements, enhance customer satisfaction, and achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives. The “With Design” designation pertains to companies that create, design and implement all of their own processes based on a business’ unique requirements.
"This certification affirms that OEConnection has world-class processes in place at all levels of our organization," said Charles Rotuno, president and CEO. "It’s an important milestone that showcases our commitment to quality as well as the hard work of our associates. OEConnection’s track record of success is based on a quality-driven approach to meeting customer needs and ensuring ongoing product and process improvement."
Maintained by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and administered by independent accreditation companies, ISO 9001:2008 certification involves detailed and rigorous requirements that are 100 percent voluntary. To prove conformity with the certification standards, OEConnection performed a full internal audit of all operations. Smithers Quality Assessments Inc. (SQA), an independent accredited registrar based in Akron, Ohio, then assessed and audited the company’s entire quality system, which was approved for certification on April 16.
According to Smithers Quality Assessments, OEConnection provided much evidence of its strong commitment to customers and associates alike. Noting the company’s Microsoft Gold Certification, numerous workplace awards (such as NorthCoast 99 and Best Places to Work in Ohio), and above-average customer referral (98 percent) and satisfaction (91 percent) survey responses, the registrar praised the company for its "positive indicators" and "pro-active approaches."
OEConnection’s ISO 9001:2008 certification process was led by OEConnection’s Chief Information Officer Sandy Rapp, whose team initiated the project in 2009. "The certification is widely recognized across the industry and throughout the world as the standard for excellence," Rapp said. "More importantly, it lets our customers know that we will consistently provide them with products and services that meet their needs and expectations."
