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ARCHIVED - Summary Report on Service Standards


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6. Lessons Learned

From the brief case study write ups prepared, the following lessons learned were identified:

  1. Surveying clients (i.e., appellants) provides useful information to improve service standards, even though they might predisposed to be dissatisfied with a decision.
  2. 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.
  3. Canadians expect to be able to access services through multiple channels
  4. 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.
  5. Having the right skilled staff (knowledgeable, fair, and courteous) can improve client satisfaction
  6. A strategic plan creates expectations, but also consolidates commitment.
  7. Feedback and information on expectations and priorities from clients may increase credibility with its clients.
  8. Providing customized feedback to specific groups of staff, especially from senior management heightens staff accountability and commitment to service improvement.
  9. 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.
  10. Using technology well can help.
  11. A credible management framework (in this case the nqi framework) and working to achieve certification and recognition from an independent body further enhances credibility.
  12. Focus on drivers of client satisfaction.
  13. Client satisfaction is driven by more than just timeliness, and while difficult to measure a commitment to other drivers is important.
  14. A recognized framework can improve management.
  15. Restructuring can help make the organization more client-focused.
  16. Need to earn commitment and credibility of staff.
  17. Client consultations help to bring efficiency to a system.
  18. Examining other jurisdictions may help to measure and improve client satisfaction.
  19. Cohesiveness within a group leads to increases in efficiency and therefore increased Client Satisfaction.
  20. When initiating Service Standards and supporting infrastructure it is important to adopt the client's perspective.
  21. The surveys are an invaluable source for determining resource allocation.
  22. Service standards isa tool to satisfying client expectations.
  23. Surveying clients is a tool to improve client satisfaction.
  24. Need to find a balance between ongoing tracking and refining the listening tool to ensure the tool is asking the right questions.
  25. Important to take an holistic approach to comparing internal performance data against external customer satisfaction data.
  26. Service standards related to customer satisfaction need to be addressed on a continual basis.
  27. Standardized reporting formats across units and among newly acquired or merged companies or organization is necessary for measurement and integrity of data.
  28. Frequent and thorough communication across business units (through management meetings) and deep into each business unit (through staff meetings or intranet) is very valuable.
  29. Sharing with and receiving Best Practices from other companies, not necessarily in the same industry, is useful and creates efficiencies.
  30. Linkages between feedback and planning is essential.
  31. Modify standards in unusual circumstances.
  32. Keep clients informed.
  33. There is a strong correlation between employee and client satisfaction.
  34. Documentation of service standards and procedures for developing and integrating these standards is essential to the initiative.
  35. Dealing with demands that cannot be met.
  36. Need to anchor service standards in broader management processes, including planning, performance agreements, external reporting and accountability.