Audits
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITS TO REVIEW AND OPTIMIZE STANDARDS AND PROCESSES
Audits are open surveys in which a trained auditor evaluates defined test criteria physically on site or remotely. The aim is to check operations or company units to be audited for compliance with standards or agreements.
Synonymously used terms are auditing and open audits. Covert or partially covert audits (mystery audits) are to be distinguished. In the case of these, auditing takes place without prior notification, and part of the auditing is carried out covertly. During the auditing process, the auditor then reveals himself as such and carries out the rest of the audit openly. The audited entities are informed about this procedure.
Audits are audits that can be conducted with or without advance notice. Audited entities are generally aware of the audit program. Auditors are specially trained employees who usually perform many audits. The audits serve to verify measurable standards from the areas of manufacturer specifications, contractual obligations, social standards, hygiene standards, and comparable areas and can be directed at verifying a wide variety of specialist areas, topics, etc., for example:
- Conformity with agreed rules (compliance audit)
- Correctness, accuracy, regularity of business figures (financial audit)
- Compliance with manufacturer specifications (dealer audit)
- Compliance with contractual commitments from suppliers (supplier audit)
- Compliance with performance specifications (performance audit)
- Compliance with product requirements (product audit)
- Compliance with project standards and objectives (project audit)
- Process accuracy and efficiency (process audit)
- Compliance with system requirements (system audit)
- Compliance with certification requirements (certification audit)
- Compliance with specifications according to supply chain laws (supply chain audit)
RAISING AWARENESS OF AND ANCHORING QUALITY STANDARDS WITH INTERNAL AUDITS
Internal audits are used in particular to check self-imposed quality standards and to anchor their compliance sustainably in the company and among its employees.
Internal audits or self-audits should be carried out regularly in all areas of the company. This leads to an increasing and consistent quality of processes, products, and services, and increases customer satisfaction.
In the environment of customer communication in sales and customer service, directly measurable successes can be achieved. In this context, mystery research methods are ideal for anchoring quality standards and developing employees.
ENSURING COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS WITH EXTERNAL AUDITS
External audits are often carried out following internal audits and serve to provide verifiable assurance of compliance with standards, for example, as part of a certification or for compliance purposes.
After the internal audit, compliance is confirmed by an independent auditor. For the purposes of certification, this must be an employee of an accredited certification company.
INDUSTRIES IN WHICH AUDITS ARE USED
SERVICES OF CONCERTARE IN THE FIELD OF AUDIT
Each year, concertare carries out many thousands of audits in a wide range of industries, using special audit software developed in-house that supports highly efficient preparation, recording, and evaluation of audit data.
Contact us if you have any questions!