Third Party Service Providers: Who to Hire, What to Ask

During the manufacturing process, third-party auditors are often employed to verify conformance to standards.

They do this through the review of objective evidence and confirm the effectiveness of quality management systems in manufacturing factories, compliance with social accountability standards, and verification of a factory’s capabilities and capacity.

They provide a new set of eyes to view the operation, without the natural familiarity that occurs over time with regular staff in their day-to-day routine.

Third-party audits verify compliance to specific regulations or standards; depending on the audit scope these may include environmental, safety and hazard, quality, or social areas of evaluation.

Third-party auditors document any findings during their assessment and may provide companies a Corrective Action Plan that will allow companies the opportunity to address observations and improve their practices in order to perform at the highest levels.

They may also offer companies assistance in achieving continuous improvement in business performance and risk management by registering the management systems as meeting the standards of a management system’s third-party accreditation standards.

The two most important questions when it comes to selecting the right third-party service provider for your business are:

1. Who should you hire?
2. What should you ask?

Let’s start with number one.

Who should you hire?

Well, aside from price points being in line, a crucial component to keep in mind is: hire someone you can easily and freely communicate with. This person should 100% be capable of meeting your company’s needs, as well.

Good communication is truly key, and these two factors combined surely makes for solid communication all around.

Another key skill to look for is the ability for customization, meaning the auditor can adapt to your changing business needs and consistently manage to meet your objectives.

Now, what are the most important questions to ask prospective third-party service providers?

Of course, initial due diligence is necessary.

What Should You Ask?

First, you should confirm their legal status, the lines of business in which they’ve had experience, and definitely be able to verify their company’s existence. Other vital questions include:

• Do they have insurance?
• Are they qualified to meet your company’s standards?
• Do they specialize in a particular product line?
• Can they provide references?
• Will they comply with a social audit?

These are all crucial points to cover in order to find a quality third party source for your company.

So, with this knowledge, you’ll ask the questions that matter.

When it comes to quality, thoroughness and strong communication are necessities.

The expertise of your team should reflect your company’s level of professionalism, so be fully aware of whom you’re employing and be completely confident in their abilities.