Internal Quality Audits: What It Takes

Developing resources to conduct internal audits of your quality management system is an investment of time and dollars.  Acquiring and even retaining the necessary and often specialized capabilities internally can pose quite a challenge, especially in these times.  It is important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to understand the expected Return on Investment (ROI) of an internal audit.

Quantifying Internal Quality Audits

If you want to quantify the cost, consider the following factors:

• Cost of resources – 1 person or a team
• Cost of internal auditor training to meet requirements of standard and expectations of the certification body, including all customer-specific and regulatory requirements
• The amount of time for training and the audit itself
• The time spent scheduling, planning and report writing for audits

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Outsource Your Internal Audits

See our Internal Audit Cost Calculator for an example based on average costs that you may incur.

But it’s not just about the bottom line, you should also consider the value received.  Internal audits should be strategically aligned with the organizational goals and assist in improving the organization’s operations through evaluation and improvement of the effectiveness of risk management and the processes of the quality management system.  For the internal audit to achieve these objectives, an auditor needs to be familiar with industry best practices, the latest technology, requirements of the standard and of all stakeholders. They should also follow the ISO 19011 Guidance for Quality and Environmental Auditing.

Be aware that other benefits such as risk mitigation and freeing up in-house personnel to focus on value-added activities are not as easy to measure.  Here are some other benefits to consider when weighing the pros and cons of in-house vs. outsourcing internal audits and your ROI:

• The value of greater staffing flexibility
• Cost savings by removing internal auditor recruiting and training costs
• The value of highly skilled and experienced external professionals
• Independent, unbiased and regularly scheduled audit reporting
• Improved business effectiveness through internal audits and ongoing monitoring of compliance and control planning efforts

Internal Quality Audit Value

In summary, organizations should regularly evaluate their internal audit functions in order to enhance the value that auditors provide, whether they are internal or 2^nd party auditors.  Determine how to receive the best value and return on your investment to ensure the success of your business.  By outsourcing or co-sourcing critical elements of an internal audit, your organization can not only reduce costs but also free up capital and key staff to refocus on core competencies, while tapping into specific skill sets, best practices, industry and corporate audit knowledge.

That is the value that simpleQuE’s auditors bring to internal audits.  Our industry experts have been on all sides of the table as auditors for registrars, former management reps, business owners, and former quality managers. We truly understand the standards and their intent to provide more value from your audits.