The J.P. Farley Corporation is only the second third-party administration company in the country and the first in the State of Ohio to obtain ISO 9001 certification.

What does ISO Certification mean?
The goal of the ISO certification process is the development of fundamental quality systems that provide for continuous improvement, emphasizing defect prevention and the reduction of waste and errors in the service process. ISO stands for International Standards Organization. The ISO process was first instituted in the automobile industry to outline the quality system expectations that it has for the production and service of its parts and materials. The ISO standards communicate a commitment to working to ensure customer satisfaction beginning with conformance to quality requirements and continuing with reduction of unwanted variation and waste to benefit the final customer. The familiar way that the idea of the standards is related is “Saying what you do; and doing what you say.”

How did The J.P. Farley Corporation obtain Certification?
The J.P. Farley Corporation decided in August 1999 to move forward in the process of obtaining the externally awarded certification. The first step was to methodically update documentation on all systems and procedures to set the standard for what services The J.P. Farley Corporation provides for its customers. This documentation encompassed over 5,000 pages of Policies, Procedures and Work Instructions. The entire staff of the company was involved in the documentation process either as a certification team member or process consultant. The initial certification audit was performed in August 2000. External ISO auditors from CRS Registrars, Inc. performed the audit from our extensive documentation. The audit process encompassed 2½ days and The J.P. Farley Corporation passed the audit in the first attempt. Subsequent to the initial registration audit are regular audits performed every 6 months by CRS Registrars, Inc. These audits are designed to maintain the momentum of the quality improvement process for the organization and to continually focus the organization on its goal of total quality management.

What does this mean to the Plan Sponsor?
What you should expect of any third-party administration firm is quality. But, can you have quality if it is not first well documented? The advantage of utilizing a TPA with well-documented, executed and externally-verified standards is the assurance that you have your organization and plan services performed in the way that you want them performed all of the time. The quality standards and process define the approach to the implementation of the customer’s services needs, defines responsibility, Who, What, When and answers How. The quality standards equally sustain our organization to be consistent, proficient and timely in responding to your changing needs in the benefit area. It is the establishment of standards that permits the flexibility and customization that The J.P. Farley Corporation is noted for in providing to plan sponsors since 1979.