This law firm saved precious time and money with ISO Certification – here’s how.

Established in 2012, Stanton and Stanton has evolved from a small practice into a respected firm of 21 employees. With a focus on the food and beverage sector, the team provides expert legal guidance to some of Australia’s largest family-run businesses. Being in the legal industry, they understand how important good customer service is. That’s why they set out to get ISO 9001 Certified.

Alfie Roy-Webb, Accountant and Business Analyst at Stanton and Stanton, was tasked with preparing for their ISO 9001 audit. We sat down with him to ask about the impact certification has had on the business, how he found the implementation process, and how it’s improved the customer experience.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001:2015 Certification is a Quality Management System (QMS) that provides a framework for organisations to streamline their operations, drive continuous improvement and enhance customer satisfaction.

Why did they land on ISO 9001?

With a strong focus on customer experience, Stanton and Stanton were already making improvements to their processes with their goal of getting certified in the future. Alfie shared that while their existing customers were complimentary of the level of care in their work, they wanted a global certification to prove it.

“It’s been something that Laura and Kenneth (the principals) have had on the back burner for a while; it was just finding the right time to do it. We’ve recently completed improvements to our policies and procedures; however we felt it was time to take it to that next level by making it a global standard.

“Our clients already knew we delivered a high standard of work for a firm of our size in the legal industry. The certification was about validating those professional standards through a globally recognised credential.”

Alfie said it best; anyone can claim they have high standards; certification proves it.

“Anyone can say they’re the best, but we wanted proof. The global certification shows that the standard we’ve been talking about all along is real – and now it’s in writing.”

What impact did certification have on the business?

While they had made changes before getting certified, the ISO 9001 framework allowed them to identify and fill gaps they hadn’t thought of. Certification gave them peace of mind that there wasn’t anything missing.

“It gave us the structure we needed to fill any gaps for the many processes currently in place, but that needed to be formalised, to ensure we had the right policies, procedures and registers in place to cover all areas of our business.”

But it’s not just policies and procedures that Certification had an impact on – the team saw decreases in the amount of time wasted on administrative tasks, which meant getting on with their meaningful work, and more time spent helping those who matter the most: the clients.

“Regarding employee experience – it’s reducing the wastage of time and double handling, which is key in the legal industry as it’s a service we offer, not a product. It’s reduced the amount of wasted time our lawyers spent on non-client-related tasks, allowing them to focus more on servicing clients.”

How has Certification impacted the customer experience?

When staff have robust internal processes they can rely on, they aren’t plagued by administrative distractions, and they have more time to focus on their client work. All that time saved has enabled the lawyers at the firm to put their best foot forward and provide a higher level of responsive care to their clients. Alfie explains further why this is so important in the legal industry:

“Clients often approach us in a distressed state of mind, and it’s important to meet them where they are. The most valuable service we can offer is a seamless process, ensuring that our lawyers are supported by efficient procedures, which is essential to the overall client experience.”

Through certification, they’ve also been able to ensure that knowledge stays within the firm and isn’t lost when a staff member leaves, resulting in an even smoother customer experience.

“Keeping ideas and knowledge within the firm is key. We now have templates set up to make sure that if a staff member were to leave, we won’t lose all that knowledge along with them. It’s all about keeping our expertise within the firm for many years to come.”

What was the implementation process like?

Having no experience with ISO, Alfie wasn’t sure where to start when he was tasked with achieving certification.

“The idea had been in the pipeline for some time before being passed to me at the start of the financial year. With a background in accounting, I had no prior experience or knowledge of ISO certification.”

Unsure how to get started, Alfie did a simple Google search, which put him in touch with Business Development Manager, Sarah from ISO Certification Experts.*

“After a simple Google search, I spoke with Sarah, which provided some reassurance. At the time, I had a limited understanding of what the certification involved or how the process worked, and it felt like an entirely different language from what I was accustomed to.”

After all their ducks were in a row, it was time for the audit. That’s when they decided to go with Citation Certification. Their Auditors, Gemson and Peter, made it a smooth and stress-free process, Alfie explains:

“Our auditors were everything you’d expect – professional, clear, and supportive throughout the process. For the first audit, we had a two-way discussion with our auditor, Gemson, where we worked through everything together. The same applied with our second auditor, Peter, who was thorough and very communicative. Although the audit takes a full day and covers a lot, it never felt like a rigid interview. The process was made as smooth as possible.”

Why did they choose to go with Citation Certification?

Our 30+ years of experience and our background in the legal industry with Citation Legal meant it was a no-brainer when it came to choosing a certification body. Alfie explains why the team at Stanton and Stanton decided to partner with us to get certified.

“The longevity in the field, your size and you were a law firm previously with a legal background, which is obviously key for our business.”

He also cited the complimentary HR Advice Line as a reason for choosing to partner with us.

“That was part of the reason; thankfully, we haven’t needed it yet, but we will definitely use it if needed.”

What’s next for the firm?

The team’s sights are set for even more growth and even more certifications. According to Alfie, they’ve got the certification bug.

“We’re in a phase of strong growth, and that momentum will continue. We’re also considering further certifications, with ISO 14001 and ISO 27001 in the pipeline. Our principals and team are very forward-thinking, constantly looking for what’s next and how we can add even more value for our clients.”

Why ISO 27001?

Handling such sensitive cases and information means the team needs to be on high alert for cyber criminals – with ISO 27001, the team can ensure that all client data and information is secured. Of course, they already have cyber infrastructure in place, however the additional stamp of ISO certification will go far in making customers feel secure when handing over sensitive data. Alfie explains further:

“It’s the security for our clients, we deal with highly confidential information. With corporate mergers and various litigation matters, we cannot have any information being released…

We’ve taken steps in the last year or two to improve our security framework, it is that extra global standard that gives our clients and any prospective clients the safety and assurance knowing that if they do provide us with confidential information, there’s no risk of it being made public.”

What advice would they give to businesses considering ISO certification?

When asked this question, Alfie emphasised the importance of getting an expert on board straight away when looking to get certified.

“Get an expert quickly, I would say the earlier the better. Getting a genuine expert in the field makes a huge difference.”

The proof is in the pudding. Through ISO certification, Stanton and Stanton were able to prove that they take customer experience seriously. They’ve not only implemented ISO but also intentionally used it as a tool to improve their business. Time is no longer wasted, client confidence is high, and staff are less distracted by administrative tasks. Stanton and Stanton are a great example of the transformation certification can bring if you use it as a tool instead of seeing it as just another box to tick.

Considering Certification?

With Citation Certification by your side, the process is easy and stress-free. Contact us today to discuss your certification journey.

About our author

Georgia Theocharous is a Copywriter and Content Specialist for Citation Group. She is responsible for crafting content across multiple channels such as blogs, social media, landing pages and email campaigns. In her spare time, you can find her jamming to her favourite music.

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Stanton and Stanton

Stanton and Stanton is a law firm that specialises in growing top-tier businesses in the Food & Beverage, Wine, Agribusiness, Real Estate & Projects, and Water Sectors. They navigate the law on behalf of their clients and achieve the best commercial and legal outcomes for them.

* Disclaimer: As an accredited certification body, we remain impartial and don’t endorse or show preference to any specific consultant. Our commitment is to fairness, objectivity, and integrity in all certification processes. There’s no obligation or expectation to choose consultants listed in this case study.