Choosing the Right Certification Partner: What Manufacturers Value Most

The best way to improve isn’t to assume. It’s to listen.

Choosing the right Notified or Approved Body, or a testing and inspection partner, is more complicated than ever. Regulations are increasing, product technologies are changing quickly, and delays can have a bigger impact on business. With new rules like the Cyber Resilience Act, EU Battery Regulation, updated IEC standards, and legal metrology requirements, manufacturers now have to meet more technical and legal obligations. Delays or uncertainty during conformity assessment can affect product launches, procurement planning and time to market.

In this situation, picking a certification, testing, or inspection partner is a key risk decision, not just a box to check for compliance. Manufacturers need to trust the technical skills, quick responses, consistency, and independence of the organisations that review their products. These qualities help businesses move forward with confidence.

So we asked them directly. As part of our 2026 customer Net Promoter Score programme, we surveyed organisations across our markets on why they chose NMi Certin, what they value most, and where we can improve. The results, drawn from 334 responses, mark a significant increase on previous years and returned an NPS of 30, a seven-point improvement on 2025. The stronger response reflects more proactive communication with clients throughout the year, which gave more organisations the opportunity to share their feedback.

Figure 1 · 2026 NPS headline result, 334 responses across NMi Certin’s markets.

Expertise remains the foundation

Across the survey, technical knowledge and experience emerged as the single strongest factor influencing customers’ choice of NMi Certin. Reputation followed closely behind, a reminder that consistent visibility and a strong market presence continue to shape manufacturers’ choices of certification partners.

Figure 2 · Reasons cited for choosing NMi Certin, 2026 NPS survey (n=260).

This matches what manufacturers are dealing with today. Products are more connected, more complex, and face stricter regulations than before. Proving compliance now involves meeting more technical and regulatory requirements. Getting through this process takes more than just finishing an assessment. Manufacturers need to trust that the assessment is thorough, fair, and up to date with the latest rules.

The survey supports what we have long believed: strong technical expertise produces better assessments, clearer communication and greater confidence throughout the certification process, giving manufacturers confidence that their assessment is technically robust and aligned with current regulatory requirements.

Quality extends beyond the certificate

Technical expertise might start the relationship, but the customer experience decides if it lasts.

Certification usually involves more than one meeting. It often takes months of planning, paperwork, testing, and teamwork between engineering, quality, and regulatory teams. This means the customer experience depends as much on clear communication, quick responses, and working together as it does on technical skills. Customers told us directly that after expertise, they value our quality, teamwork, and good service the most.

Delivering a certificate is the outcome. Delivering a positive experience throughout the certification process builds long-term relationships and lasting trust.

Trust is earned over time

Recommendations from customers, colleagues and regulators represented one of the largest sources of new business identified in the survey. In fact, 83% of respondents first came into contact with NMi Certin through a recommendation or a government and regulatory referral.

Figure 3 · How respondents first came into contact with NMi Certin (n=260).

In highly regulated industries, trust is built on reputation. It grows project by project, assessment by assessment and relationship by relationship. That so much of our new business comes through recommendations is one of the strongest indicators that customers value not only the outcomes of our work but also the experience of working with our teams.

Feedback also shows where we can improve

Customer feedback is important because it shows what we do well and where customer expectations continue to evolve. While technical expertise remains our strongest differentiator, customers consistently highlighted opportunities to improve turnaround times, responsiveness and the value delivered alongside our technical assurance.

We are using these insights to drive targeted operational improvements. NMi Certin continues to invest in laboratory capacity, digital processes and testing capabilities, while leveraging wider Group expertise to increase available capacity. We are also exploring the secure use of AI to streamline internal processes and enrich service delivery. In parallel, we have introduced stronger project kick-off meetings, regular progress reviews, and closer teamwork between Operations, Sales, and customers to improve communication, reduce lead times, and enhance responsiveness, while keeping the independence and technical rigour that build customer trust.

Looking ahead

Customer feedback helps us see how client needs are changing. It shows us what we are doing right and where we can make the experience even better.

In certification, testing, and inspection, trust is built with every interaction. We are committed not just to issuing certificates, but to providing independent technical expertise, consistent communication and assessments manufacturers can rely on.

Thank you to everyone who shared their experience with us. Your feedback directly shapes how we invest, improve, and support your success.

If you’re evaluating a conformity assessment body for an upcoming project, we’d be happy to discuss your requirements.