ARCHIVED - Service Standards: a Guide to the Initiative

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Annexes

A. "Service" in the Public Sector

Public Service 2000 (PS2000), an initiative begun in 1989 to ensure Canada's Public Service could serve Canadians effectively into the 21st century, called for a cultural change. It emphasized a service-orientated public sector. A service orientation is at the heart of most of the government reforms currently underway. Yet the concept of "service" in the public sector is not always well understood. A facile comparison with service in the private sector can confuse rather than enlighten. As the PS2000 Service to the Public Task Force Report noted¹.

"Service" is a somewhat more complicated affair in government than in the private sector. An unblinking focus on pleasing the client is not always possible for government departments since they must keep both the individual's interests and those of the general public in mind, and since the purposes of exchanges with clients are more varied. 

Three types of services provided by government to external clients can be usefully distinguished: conventional, regulatory and purchasing services.² The chart on the next page outlines this classification.

1. Conventional Services

This type of service most closely parallels the private-sector model and involves

Also included in this category are services the government provides that do not include direct interaction with the general public, such as research, or that are provided through intermediaries, such as weather forecasts.³ The chart below identifies a number of conventional services.

Grouping Government Services

Conventional Services	Regulatory Services	Purchasing Services	Internal Services
Information and Advice drop-in inquiries telephone inquiries statistical information ministerial correspondence access to information inquiries privacy concerns redress mechanisms weather reports Application Processing grants and contributions industrial assistance Veterans' benefits Unemployment Insurance (UI) Old Age Security (OAS) tax returns licensing Research Military and Emergency Training and Education Care and Rehabilitation medical services occupational health Preservation/Conservation national parks, archives Negotiation trade agreements land claims Adjudication and Mediation tax appeals pensions adjudiction tribunals, hearings Infrastructure Management airports, pipelines, ferries	Inspection food processing airplane safety fisheries customs tax compliance dangerous goods pollution Enforcement inmates parole policing audit and verification	Consulting Contracting acquisitions disposal	Common Services mandatory optional Interdepartmental cheque issuing information exchange Internal Administration financial management personnel policy administrative policy Policy and Program Development advice legislative proposals

All of these conventional services are usually thought of as services and the concept of "client" fits well. There is a clear parallel with the private sector. But the parallel must not be taken too far. In the private sector, the focus can be squarely on providing what the customer wants. In the public sector, however, there are several additional complications.

First, there are always broader public policy objectives that must be considered. That is what puts the service in the public sector. Providing passports is not simply a case of quickly manufacturing them. The public policy objective is to provide passports to eligible Canadians only. To give another example, retraining and relocation of workers should take into account the needs of the Canadian job market, in addition to the interests of the individual.

Secondly, conventional services must be provided keeping equity and fairness in mind. Fairness, for example,

These considerations may appear to the individual as road blocks to good service.

Thirdly, there is a need in many public-sector services to distinguish between the service interaction itself and the outcome achieved. When an individual applies for a grant or contribution, he or she can expect fair treatment in the application submission and selection process. The service interaction may meet the delivery standard. But, of course, the applicant may not get the grant. In dealing with clients in these cases, the department should try to distinguish the service treatment from the results, since clients may disagree with the decision reached but be satisfied with the service interaction itself.

Good service in a conventional service transaction depends on the organization's ability to meet the reasonable expectations of the client. To meet those expectations, you must know what they are, improve service delivery where possible in areas clients consider important and modify clients' service delivery expectations where necessary.

2. Regulatory Services

In the regulatory area, the concept of "service" has no real counterpart in the private sector.

Here the beneficiary typically is not the direct recipient of the "service," unlike the case with conventional services.⁴ The public policy objective is the raison d'être of the service. Nevertheless, the service transaction itself should have most of the characteristics of the conventional service transaction. That is, the regulated party still has rights that need to be taken into account and the service should still be fair. Here the distinction between the service interaction and the outcome of the service (the impact of the regulation) is important to maintain.

The Task Force Report offers this explanation of equity:

The Task Force Report then expands on these concepts:

Clearly, establishing service standards for regulatory services is perhaps even more important than doing so for conventional services. Equal treatment must be clear and visible. And given the "concern for fairness and the [government's] monopoly powers, there is particular need for redress mechanisms."  As the Report states:

In regulatory matters, good service occurs when

3. Purchasing services

The government, in addition to providing conventional and regulatory services, also purchases considerable goods and services from the private sector. Most departments use outside consulting services. Public Works and Government Services Canada does extensive contracting with construction and engineering firms. CIDA purchases goods and services from the private sector for foreign aid purposes.

One might be tempted to think in these cases that the government, not the private sector, is the client. In one sense, it is. However, because of its considerable purchasing power, the need for fairness and the cost to potential suppliers of meeting government requirements, there is no significant public '"service" aspect to the government's purchasing activities. Indeed, the purchasing services contain aspects of both the regulatory and conventional service transaction.

A key aspect of these transactions, which they share with regulatory service transactions, is the requirement that they be, and be seen to be, fair and equitable. Potential suppliers want a "'level playing field" when bidding for contracts. They need to know that they are as aware as the next supplier of opportunities; that their bids are considered on the basis of clear and complete criteria; that the cost of bidding is not prohibitive; and that they will be paid in a timely fashion if they are chosen to supply the goods or services. They expect good information, clear rules and professional consideration, not unlike parties involved in regulatory transactions.

On the other hand, unlike regulated companies, the suppliers of goods and services receive a direct benefit from the government.

Thus, as with any government transaction, there is a service element in purchasing.

4. Internal government services

Conventional, regulatory and purchasing services are all services provided to external clients. All government departments provide services to (i.e., have transactions with) their own staff and management, and many provide services to other government departments. These internal services, while not the primary focus of the service standard initiative, directly affect the ability of front-line staff to meet their service standards. As a result, they must be carefully taken into account in establishing standards. These internal services can also benefit from the development of service standards. Most departments have quality management initiatives that typically entail some form of service standard development or enhancement.

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B. A Declaration of Quality Service

At the time of publication of this document, this was the draft version of the Declaration on Quality Service, so considering the consultation process that the Treasury Board Secretariat is conducting with the federal employees, it is possible that, based on the comments received, some changes might occurs to the Declaration.

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Draft

Declaration of Quality Service

The Government of Canada and its employees are committed to delivering quality services within the resources Canada can afford. When you seek services, you will know what level of service to expect through the specific service standards each department and agency is publishing. We aim to ensure your satisfaction, abiding by the following principles:

accessible, dependable and timely

clear and open

We want you to understand
what services are available and how much they cost you as a taxpayer.
We will clearly explain the rules, regulations and decisions that apply to you.
We will identify who is serving you and who is in charge.

fair and respectful

We will treat you fairly and courteously, recognizing your distinct needs,
even when regulatory services impose conditions or sanctions on you.
We will respect your legal rights, privacy and safety.

good value for your tax dollar

We will tell you how well we are doing in relation to published service standards.
Affordability is one of our primary concerns and we are committed to delivering and demonstrating good value for money -- quality services provided as efficiently
and economically as possible, based on integrity and sound judgement.

responsive and committed to improvement

We will regularly seek your views on what works well and what needs to be improved.
If you wish to complain, it will be effective and easy to do.
Where we have made a mistake, we will work to set things right.
We welcome your suggestions and complaints -- they represent our opportunity to improve.

And, of course, your cooperation in providing full, accurate and timely information
will help us provide you with quality service.

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C. Bibliography

Guide to the Costing of Outputs in the Government of Canada. Office of the Comptroller General (1989). Ottawa.

This guide contains a step-by-step approach to costing. The Guide presents a clear definition of concepts needed for a costing exercise. A case study that applies the costing methods is found in the document.

Guide to Costing Service Delivery for Service Standards. Treasury Board Secretariat (December 1994). Ottawa.

A Guide to Effective Complaint Systems. Consultation draft, April 19, 1994. Treasury Board Secretariat. Ottawa.

Guide to User Fees. Treasury Board Secretariat (1992). Ottawa.

This guide outlines the principles for charging a fee, and provides a road map that starts with reviewing services that have identifiable clients and end with pricing strategies based on full costing. The Guide shows the importance of detailed analysis, and urges departments to tell users their intentions and to consult users at the earliest opportunity.

Line Managers and Assessing Service to the Public. Office of the Comptroller General (1991). Ottawa.

An Overview of Quality and Affordable Service for Canadians: Establishing Service Standards in the Federal Government. Treasury Board Secretariat (1994). Ottawa.

Quality and Affordable Service for Canadians: Establishing Service Standards in the Federal Government. Treasury Board Secretariat (1995). Ottawa.

Your Guide to Measuring Client Satisfaction. Office of the Comptroller General (1992). Ottawa.

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D. Service Standards: An Example

To give you a clearer picture of the kind of service standard that might be developed for a department, program or service, the following example for a fictitious department was prepared. You should assume that it was the result of consultation with the department's various client groups and represents a good initial effort.

This department decided to develop a service standard that covered all of the department's activities (Attachment 1). In published form, it would be a short pamphlet available for distribution to clients. The Service Pledge would also appear as a wall poster in local offices.

In addition, the department developed separate shorter publications for each of its client groups. The one used for its clients in the general public is shown as Attachment 2.

Examples of actual service standards that have been developed by federal departments and agencies can be found in Quality and Affordable Service for Canadians: Establishing Service Standards in the Federal Government (Treasury Board Secretariat, 1995).

 

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THE DEPARTMENT OF URBAN LANDSCAPING
SERVICE STANDARDS

Our Programs

The Department of Urban Landscaping has broad policy and regulatory responsibilities for all lawn care products sold in Canada. To carry out these responsibilities, the department has a number of different programs:

1. the Research Program. To promote the development of new and environmentally friendly lawn care products, the department supports a number of research projects, both in-house projects and jointly funded projects with domestic industry;

2. the Health and Safety Inspection Program. To ensure that industry workers are not put at risk when dealing with hazardous chemicals, the department inspects manufacturing plants;

3. the Consumer Protection Program. The department monitors product performance and packaging to enforce truth in advertising; and

4. the Enquiries Service. To help consumers choose the product that will best meet their needs and that uses the maximum amount of organic material, the department runs an enquiries service.

This brochure tells you what you can expect when you deal with the Department of Urban Landscaping in any of these four areas.

Our Service Pledge

We want to provide clients of the Department of Urban Landscaping with the best possible service. We will provide a service that is

COURTEOUS - we will listen and respond to what you say and treat you with respect;

FAIR - we will provide service fairly and equitably within the law;

CONFIDENTIAL - we will treat the information you provide as confidential;

PRIVATE - we will respect your right to privacy. We will arrange a private interview with you if you want one; and

ACCESSIBLE - we will make it easy for you to contact us, whether you choose to visit one of our offices or to phone. We will provide service in the official language of your choice.

The Research Program

We are vitally concerned with improving the quality of lawn care products offered to Canadians. To that end, we sponsor a number of research projects, both within the department and within the Canadian lawn care industry. In order to get the best value from scarce research resources, we have developed what we think is an appropriate research strategy.

Consultation

We want to hear about the concerns of consumers and producers so that we can spend our research dollars in the most effective way possible. We meet regularly with a network of concerned citizens to find out what problems these people would like us to address. Similarly, we meet with the Lawn Care Industry Association biennially so that members can tell us how well our programs are operating.

Research Strategy

Based on this input and on solicitations from the private sector, we establish an annual research plan that includes jointly funded and in-house projects. Because we have developed a sophisticated laboratory infrastructure in the Department of Urban Landscaping, we concentrate our own research on projects that require this type of equipment. However, when a research project can be completed with less laboratory equipment or primarily through field experimentation, and we think the research will lead to a commercially viable product in the short term, we are prepared to share the costs with individual firms on a 50-50 basis.

Applying for Research Assistance

To minimize the costs of applying for research assistance, we have adopted a two-stage approval process. If your firm wants to undertake research and would like us to share some of the costs, you must prepare a brief outline of your research proposal, telling us what the project will entail, how much you think it is likely to cost and what you expect to achieve. We would be prepared to give you our preliminary assessment within one month of the receipt of this outline. If we indicate our preliminary support, you would then be required to provide a more complete description of the project. We have a brochure entitled Partnerships in Lawn Care Research that outlines the kind of information we would need from you at this stage. Based on the volume and complexity of proposals we have received in the past, we expect that we should be able to give you our final answer within a further two months. If you have any questions about our decisions or about this program of joint research, please contact us using our toll-free number, 1-800-999-9999.

Our In-House Research

We are conducting approximately 10 in-house research projects at any given time. Our target is to have four of these projects result in either new products or improvements to existing products. By licensing Canadian firms to manufacture and distribute these products, we intend to transfer the in-house technology we develop in our laboratories to the private sector.

Results and Costs

To date, we have licensed 117 Canadian firms to produce and distribute products that we have developed in our laboratories. We have received about $3 million in licensing fees and we estimate that 2,500 new full-time jobs have been created in the Canadian lawn care industry.

The Research Branch spends $25 million annually. Of that amount, $7 million goes directly to private firms in the form of contributions to support research projects. The costs of operating our in-house laboratories, including the salaries of our scientists and technicians, account for $16 million. The balance covers the costs of managing the program, processing applications and conducting the consultation process. Because this financial information represents annual expenditures, it doesn't take into account such costs as those already incurred for laboratory equipment or departmental overhead. We are working to develop this kind of cost information and hope to be able to publish more complete cost estimates in two years.

The Health and Safety Inspection Program

The Department of Urban Landscaping is responsible for protecting the health and safety of employees working in this industry who may be required to handle hazardous chemicals. The department regularly inspects manufacturing plants to ensure that applicable laws and regulations are being followed.

Manufacturing Firms

As a manufacturing firm in this industry, you must fulfil the safety requirements set out in the Canada Labour Code, the Hazardous Materials in the Workplace Act and all accompanying regulations. We have developed a booklet entitled Keeping Your Plants Safe that is available at our local offices, which are listed on the last page of this brochure. If you wish, you can also get a copy by dialing our toll-free Health and Safety Hotline at 1-800-888-8888. You have certain legal rights, as do our officers. If you are unclear about these rights, our officers will explain them to you and provide you with a copy of this brochure.

We aim to visit your manufacturing plant within the first six months after you begin production. After that, our officers will visit from time to time. The frequency of our visits will depend, to a large extent, on the track record that you establish -- both in terms of the number of infractions that we encounter during our visits and the number of complaints that we receive from your employees.

Our officers will normally make an appointment with you at a mutually convenient time. While it is sometimes difficult to predict how long the visit will take, the officers will give you an estimate. When they arrive, they will identify themselves by showing you their identification cards.

If our officers detect any infractions during their inspections, they will inform you of those infractions verbally at the time of this visit. This notice will be followed up with written notification of the infractions, which will cite the relevant sections of the applicable legislation or regulations, give the deadline for compliance and outline the sanctions that are available to us if you fail to comply. Given the importance that Canadians attach to health and safety in the workplace, you can expect us to move quickly if you fail to meet the deadlines that have been set for compliance. If you are dissatisfied with the way our investigation was conducted, you may contact the Director, Health and Safety Branch, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. If you wish to contact the Director by phone, the number is 1-613-777-7777.

Employees of Manufacturers

If you are an employee in a lawn care products manufacturing plant, you do not have to handle hazardous products in an unsafe manner. The brochure Keeping Your Plants Safe clearly defines unsafe practices. If you are concerned about the working conditions in your place of employment, you can call us free of charge on our Health and Safety Hotline at 1-800-888-8888. We will look into your complaint within 10 working days and will advise either you or the plant Health and Safety Coordinator, whichever you prefer, of the results of our investigation. While you must identify yourself to us, we will ensure that your privacy is respected at all times when we deal with your employer. If you are dissatisfied with the way our investigation was conducted, you may contact the Director, Health and Safety Branch, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. If you wish to contact the Director by phone, the number is 1-613-777-7777.

Costs

We normally conduct 250 plant inspections each year at a cost of $750 per inspection. This cost has dropped by 10 per cent over the last 15 years. It includes the costs directly associated with the inspection (the salary of the inspector, travel expenses, costs of writing reports, etc.) as well as an appropriate portion of the total overhead costs of the department. The cost is fully recovered from manufacturers.

The Consumer Protection Program

To ensure that the interests of consumers of lawn care products are adequately protected, the department has developed a program to monitor product performance. We test the product to ensure that the packaging is accurate (i.e., that a 4 kg bag actually contains 4 kg of the product) and that the performance claims are valid.

Field Inspections

To monitor products, our field inspectors purchase samples of goods offered for retail sale. The inspectors first check the accuracy of the measurement claims and perform a chemical analysis of the contents to ensure that the advertised mineral content is valid. In certain instances we test the actual performance of the product over the equivalent of two growing seasons under laboratory conditions.

When either the accuracy or chemical content checks indicate that the product being tested does not fulfil the labelling claims, we notify the manufacturer in writing within five working days of the completion of the test. The manufacturer then has 20 working days to respond to this notification. An acceptable response would be a plan and timetable for corrective action to be taken. We will deal with non-compliance through a series of increasingly severe penalties. If you are a manufacturer and you have a question or a complaint about one of our inspection reports, you should contact the Director, Consumer Protection Programs, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. You can contact the Director by phone at 1-613-666-6666. We will answer your questions within five working days.

Testing Performance Claims

Because performance testing is expensive and time-consuming, we will only test a limited number of products drawn from a statistically valid sample and products subject to a large number of complaints from consumers. As a consumer, if you have a complaint about a particular product, you should contact the Director, Consumer Protection Programs, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. You can contact the Director by phone at 1-613-666-6666. Your complaint will either be held for future reference or result in an investigation. You will be advised of this decision within 20 working days of the receipt of your complaint.

Costs

The Consumer Protection Branch spends $15 million annually for its direct operations.

The Enquiries Service

We would like to help you, as a lawn care products consumer, make the right choice when it comes to lawn care products. We are available to answer your questions if you visit or phone our local offices. Their locations and hours of operation are listed on the last page of this brochure. While we cannot recommend one particular product over another, we can tell you which chemical compounds, organic or otherwise, can best solve your particular problems. We can also send you helpful pamphlets or brochures written in easy-to-understand language.

If you visit one of our local offices, we expect that you should have to wait no longer than 15 minutes for service. If, however, you come in during our peak business hours (at lunch or from 4:00 p.m. until closing), you might have to wait a little longer. We have a service questionnaire that we will give you when you leave the office and we would appreciate any comments you might have that would help us serve you better.

If you phone one of our offices, we hope to be able to get to your phone call within five minutes of putting you on hold. Our automated telephone system will tell you your position in the telephone queue every minute.

Costs

It generally costs the department about $15 to reply to each written enquiry and $2.50 to answer a question over the telephone or in person.

Questions, Appeals and Complaints

The Department of Urban Landscaping is commited to providing you with the best service we can. Our office locations and hours are listed at the end of this brochure. If you have questions or comments about our services, please contact the office nearest you. If you feel you have received unsatisfactory service or unfair treatment, please contact the Director of the office nearest you.

If you have received an unfavourable inspection report and you wish to appeal the findings as is your legal right, please contact the Director, Appeals Branch, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. You can contact the Director by phone at 1-613-555-5555. He or she will advise you of the Appeals Process that you are entitled to use.

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THE DEPARTMENT OF URBAN LANDSCAPING
SERVICES FOR CONSUMERS

Our Programs

The Department of Urban Landscaping has broad policy and regulatory responsibilities for all lawn care products sold in Canada. As a consumer of lawn care products, you will be primarily interested in the programs we have developed in the following areas:

This brochure tells you what you can expect when you deal with the Department of Urban Landscaping in these areas.

Our Service Pledge

We want to provide clients of the Department of Urban Landscaping with the best possible service. We will provide a service that is

COURTEOUS - we will listen and respond to what you say and treat you with respect;

FAIR - we will provide service fairly and equitably within the law;

CONFIDENTIAL - we will treat the information you provide as confidential;

PRIVATE - we will respect your right to privacy. We will arrange a private interview with you if you want one;

ACCESSIBLE - we will make it easy for you to contact us, whether you choose to visit one of our offices or to phone. We will provide service of either of Canada's two official languages.

The Consumer Protection Program

To ensure that the interests of consumers of lawn care products are adequately protected, the department has developed a program to monitor product performance. We test the product to ensure that the packaging is accurate (i.e., that a 4 kg bag actually contains 4 kg of the product) and that the performance claims are valid.

To monitor products, our field inspectors purchase samples of goods offered for retail sale. The inspectors first check the accuracy of the measurement claims and perform a chemical analysis of the contents to ensure that the advertised mineral content is valid. In certain instances, we test the actual performance of the product over the equivalent of two growing seasons under laboratory conditions.

As a consumer, if you have a complaint about a particular product, you should contact the Director, Consumer Protection Programs, 111 Smith Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 1Z1. You can contact the Director by phone at 1-613-666-6666. Your complaint will either be held for future reference or result in an investigation. You will be advised of this decision within 20 working days of the receipt of your complaint.

Costs

The Consumer Protection Branch spends $15 million annually for its direct operations.

The Enquiries Service

We would like to help you make the right choice when it comes to lawn care products. We are available to answer your questions if you visit or phone our local offices. Their locations and hours of operation are listed on the last page of this pamphlet. While we cannot recommend one particular product over another, we can tell you which chemical compounds, organic or otherwise, can best solve your particular problems. We can also send you helpful pamphlets or brochures written in easy-to-understand language.

If you visit one of our local offices, we expect that you should have to wait no longer than 15 minutes for service. If, however, you come in during our peak business hours (at lunch or from 4:00 p.m. until closing), you might have to wait a little longer. We have a service questionnaire that we will give you when you leave the office and we would appreciate any comments you might have that would help us serve you better.

If you phone one of our offices, we hope to be able to get to your phone call within five minutes of putting you on hold. Our automated telephone system will tell you your position in the telephone queue every minute.

Costs

It generally costs the department about $15 to reply to each written enquiry and $2.50 to answer a question over the telephone or in person.

Questions and Complaints

We are committed to providing all the clients of the Department of Urban Landscaping with the best service we can. If you feel that you have received unsatisfactory service or unfair treatment, please contact the Director of the office nearest you.

The locations and office hours of our local offices are published on the last page of this pamphlet. Please feel free to contact one of these offices if you have any questions about the Department of Urban Landscaping or its programs.

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ORDER FORM for Service Standards Documents

The Treasury Board Secretariat has developed a number of documents related to the service standards initiative. To order the publications, please use the form below, and let us know how many copies you would like. The documents are available in print and also on diskette in both Microsoft Word and WordPerfect versions. Mail or fax your completed form to:

Distribution Centre
Treasury Board Secretariat
300 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0G5

Fax: (613) 996-0518
Telephone: (613) 995-2855

Publication	Diskette version Number of copies (maximum 2 per order)	Print version Number of copies (maximum 10 per order)
An Overview of Quality and Affordable Service (summary of the report below)
Qualify and Affordable Service for Canadians
A Guide to Costing Service Delivery for Service Standards (draft)

Your Name:

Department:

ADDRESS

Street:

City:

Province:

Postal code:

Telephone:

FAX:

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Endnotes

1 Service to the Public Task Force Report (1990). A good discussion on the concept of "service" in the public sector can be found in this report, especially in chapter 2. Several of the ideas and examples from this report are used here to discuss "service" and to present a classification of the different types of services provided by the federal government. All quotes and page number in this annex are from the Task Force Report.

2 This classification is adapted from the Task Force Report, with the following change. Here, the "purchasing" service group has been introduced and the legislation and policy development service of the Task Force Report dropped. The latter provides service to ministers and would fall into our internal service category. Where it involves consultation with the public, we have labelled it as information and advice, part of our conventional service category

3 The Task Force Report included in this group the services provided by one department to another or by administrative support groups. Here, these are included in the internal service group discussed later.

4 "The notion of a 'service' in the regulatory context can be somewhat paradoxical since, for example, criminals who are incarcerated would be unlikely to regard their jailers as 'providing a service' to them. The difference between this situation and the conventional service transaction is that in the latter case, the recipient and the beneficiary of the service are the same individual. In the case of regulatory activities, the beneficiary is society at large." Service to the Public Task Force Report, p. 9.

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