Breadcrumb Trail
Home
> Chief Information Officer Branch
> Service Improvement Initiative
Institutional links
Versions
ARCHIVED - Summary Report on Service Standards
This page has been archived.
Archived Content
Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.
From the brief case study write ups prepared, the following lessons learned were identified:
- Surveying clients (i.e., appellants) provides useful information to improve service
standards, even though they might predisposed to be dissatisfied with a
decision.
- While appellants want and expect a favourable decision, they also expect a well
reasoned and timely decision, are entitled to know when to expect a decision.
- Canadians expect to be able to access services through multiple channels
- Clients appreciate knowing what to expect in their dealings and what the service
provider will do to ensure that service improvements are made when needed.
- Having the right skilled staff (knowledgeable, fair, and courteous) can improve client
satisfaction
- A strategic plan creates expectations, but also consolidates commitment.
- Feedback and information on expectations and priorities from clients may increase
credibility with its clients.
- Providing customized feedback to specific groups of staff, especially from senior
management heightens staff accountability and commitment to service
improvement.
- Having a headquarters unit, headed by a Director, dedicated to planning, promoting and
coordinating service improvement for front-line service delivery organizations
and staff and supporting the staff facilitated the acceptance and
implementation.
- Using technology well can help.
- A credible management framework (in this case the nqi framework) and working to achieve
certification and recognition from an independent body further enhances
credibility.
- Focus on drivers of client satisfaction.
- Client satisfaction is driven by more than just timeliness, and while difficult to
measure a commitment to other drivers is important.
- A recognized framework can improve management.
- Restructuring can help make the organization more client-focused.
- Need to earn commitment and credibility of staff.
- Client consultations help to bring efficiency to a system.
- Examining other jurisdictions may help to measure and improve client satisfaction.
- Cohesiveness within a group leads to increases in efficiency and therefore increased Client
Satisfaction.
- When initiating Service Standards and supporting infrastructure it is important to adopt the
client's perspective.
- The surveys are an invaluable source for determining resource allocation.
- Service standards isa tool to satisfying client expectations.
- Surveying clients is a tool to improve client satisfaction.
- Need to find a balance between ongoing tracking and refining the listening tool to ensure the
tool is asking the right questions.
- Important to take an holistic approach to comparing internal performance data against external
customer satisfaction data.
- Service standards related to customer satisfaction need to be addressed on a continual basis.
- Standardized reporting formats across units and among newly acquired or merged companies or
organization is necessary for measurement and integrity of data.
- Frequent and thorough communication across business units (through management meetings) and
deep into each business unit (through staff meetings or intranet) is very
valuable.
- Sharing with and receiving Best Practices from other companies, not necessarily in the same
industry, is useful and creates efficiencies.
- Linkages between feedback and planning is essential.
- Modify standards in unusual circumstances.
- Keep clients informed.
- There is a strong correlation between employee and client satisfaction.
- Documentation of service standards and procedures for developing and integrating these standards
is essential to the initiative.
- Dealing with demands that cannot be met.
- Need to anchor service standards in broader management processes, including planning,
performance agreements, external reporting and accountability.