Getting extra value out of your testing and certification investment?

04 Nov 2014

Improve the ROI on your testing and certification programme: 3 tips to get more from your compliance investment.

let's be honest, whilst much technical product assessment is mandatory under eu law, the time, money and energy to complete it is significant.  given the opportunity, who wouldn't want to get more from their investment than just a validation of compliance?

here are our top three tips on making your investment go further and deliver more.

1. look for other export opportunities over and above your original plans:  check the regional acceptance of the standards that you are planning to test to.  your target geographical market may have the same requirements as other countries you had not considered.  these represent potential additional markets and new sales. in particular consider using the iecee cb scheme, which will help your test work be recognised in over 50 countries.
2. to boost your time to market and get more selling time (and more sales), never underestimate the importance of your paperwork in getting compliance completed quickly.  paperwork is a common cause of delays in certification projects;  some engineers don't consider it a priority as the focus is on physically getting the product tested, and some organisations simply haven't drafted the paperwork  yet, but the right documentation is fundamental to the certification process. instruction manuals, set up and maintenance guides, a bill of materials, certification details of critical components and a completed application form are needed by any certification body you'll approach.  submission of complete paperwork at the beginning of an assessment really can mean a faster project, getting you quicker to market and increasing your sales opportunities. how much are 3, 4, 5 or more, extra weeks on the market worth to you in additional sales?  
3. you've earned a full product approval, so use that information on your product, on swing tags, packaging, point of sale literature and on your website, to complement the mandatory ce marking you already carry. certification is difficult to achieve, so display your achievement with pride, show the investment you have made.  a product certification mark is a compelling show of your due diligence to supply safe and compliant goods.  in these days of common news stories around product safety, why not use the tools you've already paid for to give consumers a little extra reassurance and reinforce trust you've already earned.