Putting the Customer First

1
Putting the Customer First

• The National Standard for Customer Service
• Customer First Workshop
• Facilitated by Mike Wildey

2
Objectives

• Workshop aims and objectives
• To develop an understanding of the Standard and
  the assessment journey
• To consider the benefits of being a Customer
  First accredited organisation
• To develop an understanding of the Customer
  Relationship, Market Awareness and People
  sections Statements, including the application to
  organisational context and potential evidence
  sources
• To start action planning that supports Self
  Assessment
• To assist in preparing individuals / teams for
  external assessment

3
Introductions

• Please introduce your teams
• What are your objectives for today?
• Any concerns?

4
What are the benefits of being customer focused?

• For your organisation?
• For your customers?

5

Impact on your organisation
Increased customer satisfaction
Enhanced reputation in your industry
Better understanding of your marketplace
customer groups
Your organisation
Repeat business
Improved communication both internally and
externally
Gain more profitable customers
6

Impact on your customer
You provide what they want and need
Increased customer loyalty
More receptive to other products or services
increased sales
High levels of trust
Your customer
Feel good factor
Consistent approach to delivery of services
7
Why Customer First?

• What the Research is telling us
• The Impact Evaluation (30 Compliant
  organisations)
• Customer First is having some positive impact on
  organisations and or their business customers.
• Increase in performance against a range if
  measures
• 97 reported increases in the number of service
  improvements made in their organisation
• 87 reported increases in new service development
  to meet customer needs
• 80 reported increases in partnership working and
  collaboration
• 77 reported increases in the take up of services
• 77 reported increases in market share

8
Why Customer First?

• What the Research is telling us
• Mystery Shopping Research, Yorkshire and the
  Humber Region
• (Independent research across 60 colleges and
  training organisations)
• Compliant organisations performed better across
  all measures compared to organisations that did
  not meet the Framework standards
• Measures included
• Salutation
• Call hold process
• Effectively transferring calls
• Initial diagnosis

9
Why Customer First?

• What our Customers say
• Wilson Chowdhry , Founder Managing Director
• Putting The Customer First underpins our
  already-strong customer focus, strengthens our
  commitment to sustainable development and our
  aspiration to enhance the image of our industry.

10
Why Customer First?

• What our Customers say
• Chris Tomlins, Economic Development Officer
• The structure of the Customer First Standard
  helped shape changes in the Team, particularly
  e-service delivery

11
Why Customer First?

• What our Customers say
• Chris Worts, Head of Human Resources Learning
  Development
• Achieving Customer First supported the
  differentiation of our brand in the marketplace
  by sending out strong messages to our customers
  that they are at the heart of our business

12
Why Customer First?

• What our customers say
• Chris Taylor, Vice Chancellor, University of
  Bradford
• Improving our work with businesses is a key
  part of our corporate strategy and achieving
  Customer First accreditation for the whole
  institution firmly illustrates our commitment to
  this goal.
• Ian Rowe, Director of Research Knowledge
  Transfer Support
• The University has a strapline of Making
  Knowledge Work and we have made working with
  businesses a key focus of the institution.
  Achieving Customer First accreditation was a
  headline objective of our Corporate Plan

13
What is Customer First?

• The Standard focuses on the customers perspective
  of how
• you deliver services and support.
• The Standard is divided into three sections
• Customer Relationships
• Market Awareness
• People
• Each section has a series of Statements which an
  organisation must comply with in order to meet
  the Standard
• There are 32 Statements in total

14
The Assessment Process

• Commitment
• Scoping
• Self Assessment Questionnaire undertaken by your
  organisation
• External Assessment by an assessor
• Feedback from your Assessor - Assessment outcome
  and report
• Development plan
• Follow-up monitoring visit (if applicable)

15
Scoping your assessment

• Scoping defines the extent of your assessment
• What you want to include
• What you need to include (contractual
  requirements)
• What will be assessed
• Scoping can change over time
• Organisational change
• Changes to support and services delivered
• Your Assessor will check and confirm changes
• The scope of your assessment will involve more
  than frontline staff
• Strategic, operational,
• Extent of support and services you deliver
• Business planning, QA, marketing and HR
• The scope will define what will appear on your
  plaque

16
The Assessment Outcomes

• Compliance
• Evidence is relevant, robust, embedded,managed
  and consistently applied
• Partial Compliance
• Evidence is inconsistent, insufficient or not
  managed. Feedback and monitoring processes may be
  missing
• Non Compliance
• No available evidence - no processes agreed or
  understood or evidence is historical

17
The Assessment Outcomes

• Full Compliance
• organisation is fully compliant with all 32
  statements. Full compliance for two year period
  plaque, use of the logo
• Partial Compliance
• Organisation has a number of partial or non
  compliance outcomes. The organisation would
  require a Monitoring Visit to review areas of
  development / continued compliance within a six
  month period
• Non Compliance
• Partial or non compliance outcome throughout
  assessment. Organisation must undertake a full
  re-assessment within twelve months

18
How to approach Customer First

• Self assessment why?
• You know your organisation
• Provides you with an understanding of where you
  stand with the Standard, where there are gaps and
  what you need to put in place
• To help the Assessor to understand your
  organisation, what you deliver and how you
  deliver it
• To help the Assessor understand how you manage
  the customer journey and experience of your
  organisation

19
How to approach Customer First

• Self assessment process
• Review the statements
• Understand what they mean to your organisation
• Provide examples of evidence across your
  organisation service and support delivery
• What evidence do you have to support the
  Statement
• How can you back up your approaches do you do
  things consistently?
• Are approaches understood by your staff?
• Score yourself for each statement
• Where do you stand?
• Compliance
• Partial Compliance
• Non Compliance

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How to approach Customer First

• Self assessment process
• Evaluate the evidence gaps
• Is there a gap?
• What is missing?
• What actions are needed?
• What do you need to do?
• Can you do it better (continuous improvement)?
• Develop an action plan
• What are you going to do?
• Who is going to do it?
• When?
• How?

21
Customer Relationships
22
1. We build successful long term relationships
with our customers

• Do you have any issues regarding interpretation?
• Identify examples of your approach and
  applicable evidence?
• Are there any areas for development or continuous
  improvement?

23
1. We build successful long term relationships
with our customers

• Evidence examples
• Customer charter or policy / Service Promise
  service delivery and commitment levels customers
  can expect from your organisation.
• Methods of keeping in touch with customers on a
  regular and on-going basis e.g. product
  launches, corporate hospitality, advertising,
  sales and account management
• Repeat Business levels examples of customers
  returning to use your services

24
2. We build successful long-term relationships
with other related service providers and
suppliers for the benefit of customers

• Evidence examples
• Strategic and operational networking how your
  organisation uses networking opportunities to
  influence opportunities for your customers
• Strategic and operational relationships with
  other service deliverers this could include for
  example joint ventures, joint development of
  services
• Professional networks and contacts the
  organisations you build relationships with and
  work with for the benefit of your customers
• Examples of the impact these relationships have
  had on your customers

25
3. We identify our customers needs at the first
point of contact with us

• Evidence examples
• Information collection through initial / detailed
  enquiry form
• Initial enquiry the processes and procedures
  for gathering initial information about the
  customers enquiry e.g. initial enquiry forms,
  initial meetings, negotiations or discussions
• Customers files and records telephone
  conversation notes, customer visit reports,
  letters and correspondence
• Referrals / Introductions to relevant
  complimentary services both internally and
  externally

26
4. We always ascertain customers existing
relationship with other relevant service
providers before providing services to avoid
duplication

• Evidence examples
• Initial diagnosis process for example enquiry
  forms, records of discussions with customers,
  diagnostic processes and records
• Enquiry form / Training Needs Analysis (TNA) for
  example how information is collected from the
  customer about other services they have accessed
• Eligibility checks use of forms to record
  information regarding previous service delivery
• Customer profiling
• Customer files for example details of the
  customers history
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
  records a historic record of customer
  interactions and their relationship with your
  organisation and other service organisations

27
5. Our customers can access other relevant and
related services through their contact with us

• Evidence examples
• Details and lists of other service organisations
• Staff knowledge of other service organisations
• Customer files examples of the customer being
  referred or signposted to other service
  organisations
• Centrally held resource or library of information
• Product / service knowledge
• Website could include hyperlinks to other
  service organisations
• Staff communication bulletins, briefings,
  intranet, internal newsletters, team meetings

28
6. We always set aims and objectives that specify
what our customers can expect from the service we
provide to them

• Evidence examples
• Documented agreements setting out the standards
  of delivery and the results the customer can
  expect. This could include service measures,
  milestones, timescales, costs, feedback and
  evaluation measures. The agreement could take
  the form of a proposal, offer letter etc
• Customer Charter / Service Promise the service
  delivery and commitment levels customers can
  expect from your organisation.
• Introductory pack which sets out your standards
  of delivery
• Customer care letters

29
7. We deliver services to our customers within
agreed timeframes. We review to ensure they are
achieving what we have agreed

• Evidence examples
• Live enquiry monitoring
• Work in progress
• Evidence which confirms timescales and standards
  for delivery have been set e.g. correspondence,
  customer records, contracts
• Records that demonstrate that standards are
  reviewed e.g. customer tracking system
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System
• Exception reports for live orders
• Customer feedback on service delivery timescales

30
8. Our customers needs are reviewed on a
regular, on-going basis

• Evidence examples
• Customer files for example changes to customer
  service delivery, notes of review meetings,
  meeting records
• Database examples of agreed changes to service
  delivery
• Documented agreements examples of amended /
  updated agreements which reflect customers
  changing requirements
• Customer tracking system
• Sales / account management records

31
9. All employees follow clear guidelines to
ensure we select the most appropriate
organisation to contract with, or refer to, in
the best interests of the customer

• Evidence examples
• The organisations overall approach of working
  with referral organisations / third parties e.g.
  staff guidelines, referral policy etc
• Third party contracts / letters of agreement
• Approved suppliers details of third party
  suppliers who provide services to your customers
• Selection processes - the processes and
  procedures for approving / quality assuring third
  party suppliers e.g. track record, references
• Research demonstration that third party
  suppliers offer an equivalent level of high
  service to customers
• Customer feedback - for examples satisfaction
  levels about referral organisations / third party
  supplier performance

32
10. Our employees have access to up-to-date
customer information which is updated accurately
at regular agreed intervals

• Evidence examples
• Customer management system containing most up to
  date and recent customer information
• Customer files records of most up to date and
  recent customer information
• Staff guidelines and policies with regards to
  sharing customer data
• Organisational protocols for data input and
  recording
• Approach to cleansing customer data and records
  and keeping the information up to date

33
11. We always follow up with our customers after
we deliver services to them

• Evidence examples
• Policy / rationale for following up customers
  e.g. timescales, responsibilities
• Follow up approach and methodology e.g.
  telephone, questionnaires, surveys, feedback
  sheets, website, post, face to face, focus groups
• Customer files records of follow up
  conversations, visit reports
• Analysis of customer feedback to identify key
  themes and messages
• Review process of feedback data that links into
  the organisational improvement loop
• Examples of service improvements / developments
  as a result of customer feedback
• Records of customer care calls
• Customer care letters
• Customer care programme / service

34
12. Where appropriate we always follow up our key
customers after we refer them to other service
providers and suppliers

• Evidence Examples
• Policy for following up referred customers e.g.
  sample size, rationale
• Follow up approach and methodology e.g.
  telephone, questionnaires, feedback sheets,
  website, post, face to face, focus groups,
  incorporated within planned review approach
• Customer files for example records of follow up
  conversations, visit reports
• Customer tracking systems
• Analysis of follow up to inform third party
  selection processes
• Examples of improvements / developments to the
  referral process as a result of customer feedback
  

35
13. We always follow up and resolve customer
complaints or concerns, swiftly

• Evidence examples
• Customer charter or policy / Service Promise
  service delivery and commitment levels customers
  can expect from your organisation
• Complaints policy / procedure for example the
  standards for responding to a complaint, letting
  customers know how or where to make a complaint
• Procedure / approach which defines staff
  responsibilities and is well communicated
  throughout the organisation
• Customer feedback
• Proposals and contracts with details of how to
  make a complaint
• Evidence of complaints / concerns being resolved
• Evidence of how organisations monitor themselves
  against professional / governing body standards
• Improved service delivery as a result of taking
  on board customer complaints
• Trend analysis of complaints to identify
  particular issues of concern to customers

36
14. We understand, evaluate and review the long
term impact our services have on our customers

• Evidence Examples
• Long term review mechanism for collecting
  relevant data e.g impact studies, evaluations,
  questionnaires
• Identification of core customer groups
• Initial understanding of customer needs
• Identification of impact baseline measures that
  are linked to customer objectives
• Case studies/ testimonials how services have
  benefited customers
• Third party evaluations
• Examples of how evaluation is used to improve
  service provision
• Debtor listings / defaulters / payments not paid

37
Market Awareness
38
15. Our employees, and all those working on our
behalf, understand the purpose and aims of our
organisation

• Do you have any issues regarding interpretation?
• Identify examples of your approach and
  applicable evidence?
• Are there any areas for development or continuous
  improvement?

39
15. Our employees, and all those working on our
behalf, understand the purpose and aims of our
organisation

• Evidence examples
• Induction processes for new staff
• Effective internal communication for example
  newsletters, staff briefings, team meetings,
  intranet
• Strategy which sets out the organisations
  purpose and aims
• Staff performance reviews / appraisals for
  example setting and reviewing objectives and
  targets in support of the aims of the
  organisation
• Mission Statement the core purpose of the
  organisation why it exists its values etc
• Sub-contract agreements for example the
  organisations core values, brand values etc
  which a sub-contractor would be expected to
  uphold

40
16. We have processes in place to keep our
employees up to date with the changes in our
industry sector and other related service
provision

• Evidence examples
• Networking your approach to keeping in regular
  contact with other key service organisations
  about changes to their services
• The ways in which updates about the changes in
  the services of other key service organisations
  and the wider industry sector are shared with
  staff, for example newsletter, intranet, team
  meetings
• Your approach to keeping reference materials
  about other services up to date and relevant e.g.
  library of resources, knowledge bank

41
17. We develop our services by working in
partnership with other relevant service providers

• Evidence examples
• Strategic / business / operational plans setting
  out approach to partnership working
• Examples of joint development / ventures
• Sponsorship
• Strategic / operational alliances
• Joint branding of services
• Letters of support from other service
  organisations endorsing your service development
• Bids for funding developed in partnership with
  other organisations

42
18. We have overall business objectives that we
measure and regularly review

• Evidence examples
• Strategic / business / operational plans
• Reporting / review structure for example Board
  meetings, Senior Management Team meetings,
  Steering Groups, Team Meetings
• Management Information / Accounts
• External and internal reviews of delivery against
  objectives, contracts etc
• The processes for developing, monitoring and
  managing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and
  objectives
• The processes for communicating and cascading the
  organisations business objectives e.g. away days,
  team meetings, intranet mple

43
19. We set overall objectives for service
delivery which we regularly review to ascertain
how our performance affects our customers

• Evidence examples
• Customer service related key performance
  indicators, for example measurement of
• - customer satisfaction
  
• - professionalism of service
  delivery staff
• - responsiveness
• - repeat business
• - conversion rates
• - timescales
• - overall impact measures as well as
  
• - on going tracking and
  comparisons of key performance measures
  to determine changes and trends
• Customer charter or policy / Service Promise
  The service delivery and commitment levels
  customers can expect from your organisation
• Improvements as a result of service delivery
  evaluation

44
20. We have processes in place to identify our
customer groups and their needs which are
reviewed regularly

• Evidence examples
• Marketing plan for example marketing objectives
  and how they will be achieved
• Marketing materials tailored to customer groups /
  segments
• Business plan identifying key customer groups and
  how their needs will be addressed
• Market Research for example an understanding of
  the needs of potential and existing customers
• Customer analysis number, type, decision process
  / maker
• Focus groups opportunities for customers to
  discuss their needs, develop concepts for new
  services and evaluate new or existing services
• How customer feedback is analysed and used to
  improve service delivery to different customer
  groups
• Segmentation Geographical / sector / number
  of employees

45
21. Potential customers are carefully selected
and targeted in any marketing activity

• Evidence examples
• Business / Marketing Plan identifying key
  customer groups and routes to market
• Range of promotional materials fit to customer
  group for example flyers, booklets, newsletters,
  case studies, website
• Range of approaches appropriate to customer
  group for example advertising, direct mail,
  telephone, e-mail, face to face
• Customer information tracking of marketing
  approaches to customers on Customer Relationship
  Management (CRM) system / database
• Improvements made to marketing activity as a
  result of evaluation

46
22. We have processes in place to share good
practice with our customers and other relevant
organisations

• Evidence examples
• Good practice events for example forums,
  networking events, conferences, exhibitions,
  seminars, guest speakers
• Case studies examples of good practice being
  used by customers
• Methods of disseminating good practice e.g.
  newsletters, website
• Benchmarking for example comparing your
  organisations performance against similar
  organisations both to identify good practice and
  areas for development
• Examples of external good practice being adopted
  internally

47
23. We support continuous improvement we are
able to demonstrate that we learn from our
experience and make improvements to our services
as a result

• Business Plan setting out the organisations
  values such as continuous improvement
• New product or service development examples of
  how feedback has been used to inform improvements
• Improvement Loop, for example - Collect
  feedback
• 
  - Analyse
• 
  - Review
• 
  - Action
• Quality Management System e.g. ISO 9001
• Evaluation processes examples of services that
  have been evaluated and changed as a result
• Team meetings for example giving staff
  opportunities to suggest service delivery
  improvements
• Staff idea / suggestion schemes
• Performance review / appraisal for example
  customer feedback used for staff development

48
24. The introduction of every new or changed is
based on a clear rationale

• Evidence examples
• Business Plan
• Examples of where service delivery has been
  improved as a result of customer feedback
• Examples of improvements in approaches and
  methods
• Evaluation examples of services that have been
  evaluated and changed as a result
• Research examples of where the changing needs
  and priorities of your customers have been
  explored and researched
• Introduction of new services for example
  piloting or testing of new services before they
  are fully introduced
• Approval process for new products and services

49
People
50
25. We ensure we recruit the best people for the
job by using effective and appropriate
recruitment methods in line with Equality of
Opportunity principles

• Do you have any issues regarding interpretation?
• Identify examples of your approach and
  applicable evidence?
• Are there any areas for development or continuous
  improvement?

51
25. We ensure we recruit the best people for the
job by using effective and appropriate
recruitment methods in line with Equality of
Opportunity principles

• Evidence examples
• Job advert providing a brief description of the
  roles and responsibilities and skills /
  qualifications required
• Job description detailed explanation of the
  role, responsibilities, objectives etc
• Person specification for example an outline of
  the expected skills set, experience,
  qualifications etc
• Recruitment policy which sets out the
  organisations approach to recruitment for example
  open recruitment to all posts, sifting of
  applicants in line with equal opportunities,
  short listed candidates will be interviewed by x
  number of people, use of testing and exercises,
  assessment centres, feedback mechanisms etc
• Sub-contractor approval process for example
  ensure competence for role, experience,
  references
• Temporary / contract workers for example
  effective reference processes
• Equal opportunity policy which sets out your
  organisations approach to diversity, age, race,
  disability, gender

52
26. All employees understand their role within
our organisation and are clear about what we
expect from them

• Evidence examples
• Induction introduction to organisation values,
  teams, partners, business plan and individual
  role and responsibilities
• Staff appraisal and review records linked to
  individual, team and organisation objectives and
  Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Updated job
  descriptions and objectives in line with changing
  business priorities.
• Team meetings / briefing sessions review of
  organisation objectives, business plan
  performance etc
• Organisation chart visual reference for
  individuals to understand where they fit within
  their team and overall organisation

53
27. Our employees have the necessary skills to
effectively understand and meet customer needs

• Evidence examples
• Staff appraisal and review records
• Staff development and assessment
• Use of relevant diagnostic tools to assist in
  determining and assessing needs
• Staff training / Continuous Professional
  Development (CPD) records
• Referrals / signposting for example evidence
  that staff understand the services of other
  service organisations and have referred /
  signposted customers so that their diagnosed
  needs can be met
• Customer feedback for example customers
  acknowledging that their needs were fully
  understood by staff
• Observation of staff by competent person

54
28. We use customer feedback to evaluate our
employees performance

• Evidence examples
• Staff appraisal and review procedures for
  example guidelines about how staff appraisals and
  reviews should be undertaken
• Staff appraisal and review records which outline
  how customer feedback is used to inform
  performance / development
• Examples of shared learning through presentations
  / updates to other members of staff
• Observation / shadowing approaches that are in
  place and provide feedback from the customer
  perspective
• Mystery shopping research
• Analysis of customer compliments / complaints
• Discussions with staff for example through 1 to
  1 or team meetings

55
29. We regularly review and appraise our
employees and ensure they are developed to
perform their job effectively

• Evidence examples
• Staff training and CPD records including
  assessment of individual training needs, actions
  taken to meet identified needs and evaluation of
  training undertaken
• Staff appraisal and review records which may
  include individual objectives and Key Performance
  Indicators (KPIs) in support of the
  organisations business plan objectives
• Records of keep in touch / 1-1 meetings

56
30. All employees have appropriate, and recent,
training and development to perform their job
effectively

• Evidence examples
• Staff training and CPD records including
  assessment of individual training needs, actions
  taken to meet identified needs etc
• Staff appraisal and review records for example
  evaluation of training and development on
  individual performance
• Organisational evaluation of staff training and
  development
• Records of achievement e.g. certificates,
  diplomas
• Code of conduct / CPD policy or requirements
  which may for example set out expectations for
  your staff to train and develop in order to keep
  their skills and knowledge relevant

57
31. We evaluate employee training and development
to ensure it has a positive impact on customer
delivery

• Evidence examples
• Staff records for example appraisals, reviews,
  details of training, CPD, peer review
• Evaluation of learning at an individual and
  organisational level
• Customer feedback to identify any improvement
  trends as a result of staff training and
  development
• Examples of shared learning through presentations
  / updates to other members of staff
• Team meetings where for example staff are
  encouraged to give feedback on any learning and
  development activities
• Discussions with staff

58
32. Our employees deliver an impartial and
objective service, acting in the best interests
of the customer at all times

• Evidence examples
• Mission Statement the core purpose of the
  organisation why it exists its core values etc
• Code of conduct which may for example set out
  expectations for your staff to act in the best
  interests of customers
• Induction which may include your approach to
  customer care, putting customers needs first etc
• Contracts with customers and third parties
• Customer feedback which demonstrates that staff
  are acting in their best interest e.g. referral
  to third parties, sales have been appropriate to
  identified need
• Discussions with staff

59
Self assessment exercise

• Group discussion feedback
• Do you have any queries regarding language and
  interpretation?
• Are there any Statements where you require
  further clarification?
• How will you take this forward within your
  organisation / department / team?

60
Planning your Self Assessment

• Self assessment process the donts
• Do not complete the self assessment questionnaire
  on your own, reflecting only your views,
  perspectives and evidence examples
• Do not allow your CEO or MD to do the same
• Be honest with your scoring this will help you
  to identify any gaps / actions required
• Try not to be too brutal with your scoring
• Do not invent or make up approaches or evidence
  examples fairytales are just that!

61
Action planning

• What do you need to do next?
• Short-term quick fix?
• Development work required?
• Long-term aspiration?
• Resources required?
• Responsibilities?
• Realistic timescales?
• Assessment deadlines?
• Next steps?

62
Taking this forward

• Progressing Customer First
• Consider how you can take actions forward within
  your organisation / department / team / area of
  activity
• What do you need to do next?
• Who do you need to involve?
• Who do you need to share and communicate
  information?
• What support do you need?
• Do you need to agree a lead contact / Champion
  for Customer First?

63
More information

• Customer First UK Ltd
• Arabesque House
• Monks Cross Drive
• Huntington
• York YO32 9GZ
• Tel [phone]
• Fax [phone]
• Website www.customerfirst.org

64
Review

• Review objectives and learning
• What have we achieved today?
• Have we met our aims and objectives?
• Questions?