Following my previous post, I have some more tales from being audited.
The first example has happened a couple of times. It is where a customer has used an outside consultant to carry out the audit. They have not done their preparation entirely. After introductions, they begin their questions, and you wonder how these relate to your products. The one I remember clearly was data storage in our cloud product; the only thing is that we had no cloud product at the time. The auditor here referred to a different company and product they were to audit the following week. We agreed to take an extended break, and the audit restarted the next day again.
The second example showed the difference between cultures and business expectations. This time, a different consultant auditor started by going through some very common business questions. The next question was, “how frequently are drug tests carried out?”. As the equipment we made can be used to carry out drug tests, I thought the questions were in the wrong place but asked for clarification. He then clarified and asked, “how often were employees tested for drugs and is this random or on a schedule?”. I explained that this was not done in the UK, to which he responded, “then I do not think I can recommend your products to my client.”. I asked the auditor to carry on so he could submit a complete report to his client. Once he had left, I contacted the customer and explained the situation. When the final report was received, I was happy to say there was no reference to any drug testing.
The following example was a standard ISO 9001:2008 certification audit. I was the nominated chaperone for one of the auditors. However, it was nearing the end of a long day, and I desperately needed a rest break. As I could find no other chaperone, I only had two options, leave the auditor in the room, explaining not to go or keep waiting. Ultimately, I had no choice but to make excuses and left a message for one of my colleagues. When I returned, the auditor had gone. Wondering if he had already been collected, I checked my messages, but nothing. I eventually found him with another colleague, but he had wandered out of the room on his own. No matter how much you need a break, you can never trust an auditor to follow a simple request.
The final example Is my worst experience as an auditee but the one I am most proud of today. We were participating in a mock FDA audit, and I was our processes’ primary subject matter expert. I had been answering questions for a few hours, and despite the odd negative comment, all seemed to be going well. Then suddenly, it was as if a storm had entered the room, papers flew off the table, and the auditor screamed, “I have had enough!”. Everyone just looked around and did not know what to say. My bracelet had been making a noise, and the auditor insisted I take it off. I shrugged, removed the bracelet and carried on as if nothing had happened.
Whilst these show the strange, odd, and sometimes wrong sides of being audited, these tales are rare. These are the most extreme examples I have encountered in the twenty years of being audited. Most audits are friendly and mutually beneficial, with both sides gaining insights into alternative work methods.
So my overall audits can be a positive experience: you should embrace the opportunity to meet new people and find new ways to solve problems.