ISO 9001:2015 requires organisations to meet requirements for post-delivery activities associated with their products and services.

When determining the extent of post-delivery activities that are required, the organisation is required to consider:

1. Any applicable statutory and regulatory requirements,
2. Potential unwanted consequences associated with the products and services,
3. The nature of the product or service, how the product or service will be used and the product or service’s intended lifetime.
4. All customer requirements,
5. Any customer feedback. It is also noted that post-delivery activities can include actions under warranty provisions, contractual obligations such as maintenance services, and supplementary services such as recycling or final disposal.

Comment:

This was a new clause in the 2015 update of ISO 9001 which expands on the requirements of the 2008 release and goes into much greater detail. Organisations need to demonstrate that where applicable they have taken all these listed considerations into account.

Note: If post-delivery activities are deemed to not to be applicable the organisations activities, this must be recorded in the scope and the exclusion stated must also be justified. IE: That the exclusion does not adversely impact the organisation’s ability to supply conforming products and services and enhancement of customer satisfaction. (See article 4.3 Scope for details.)

Examples of potential applicable activities for the considerations cited by the standard:

1. Statutory and regulatory requirements. Recycling or end of life disposal under environmental legislation may be a consideration for some organisations.

2. Potential unwanted consequences associated with the products and services. Risk based thinking should be applied in order to compile appropriate reaction plans for post-delivery activity concerns. EG loss or damage of returnable packaging.

3. The nature of the product or service, how the product or service will be used and the product or service’s intended lifetime. EG: If warranty is, or is not to be a part of the offered products or services. As stated in the business’s terms and conditions / included in agreed customers purchase order requirements for example.

4. All customer requirements. During customer communications (see article 8.2 Requirements for products and services) the requirements for post-delivery activities such as any warranty, servicing or other support agreements, should be clearly and comprehensively identified, reviewed, agreed and recorded. This may be in the form of purchase orders / terms and conditions for example.

5. Any customer feedback. By the use of the Plan, Do, Check Act process, organisations should include appropriate customer feedback in the review and modification as required, of post-delivery provision. IE customers request for post-delivery technical support.

Note: Special care will need to be taken and attention given, where a significant element of risk is associated with the organisations specific products or services. IE: Safety critical areas or those with a significant expected life span.

Audit Check:

Organisations should carefully review the considerations listed in clause 8.5.5 and ensure that it can be demonstrated that the management system takes them into account as appropriate.

Furthermore, If the nature of an organisation’s post-delivery activities could potentially result in significant risk, such as those associated with safety, are controlled by regulatory requirements or having a significant expected lifetime, evidence of an appropriate and proportionate level of planning, implementation and control is also to be expected.