Strategic Use of Client Feedback by Courts

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Strategic Use of Client Feedback by Courts

• Experience of the Family Court of Australia

AIJA Court Administrators Conference
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Some messages from the FCA experience

• Courts need to adopt a business-like approach to
  management

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Some messages from the FCA experience

• Courts need to adopt a business-like approach to
  management
• A business-like organisation needs a strategic
  framework for embracing client/customer views to
  survive

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Some messages from the FCA experience

• Courts need to adopt a business-like approach to
  management
• A business-like organisation needs a strategic
  framework for embracing client/customer views to
  survive
• This means embracing client views across
  strategic, performance measurement, process
  improvement and complaints handling processes.

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The FCA has embraced the Customer-Service
Relationship Model

• In this, the customer (called the client in
  the Family Court of Australia) should be at the
  centre of an organisations concerns

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The FCA has embraced the Customer-Service
Relationship Model

• In this, the customer (called the client in
  the Family Court of Australia) should be at the
  centre of an organisations concerns
• So that all elements within the organisation
  should be aligned to meet the needs and values of
  its customers.

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The Model looks like this
Service Strategy
Clients
Systems Processes
Judges Staff
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A holistic approach is needed

• Dealing with complaints is essential, but not
  enough

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A holistic approach is needed

• Dealing with complaints is essential, but not
  enough
• A comprehensive and strategic focus to client
  feedback

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A holistic approach is needed

• Dealing with complaints is essential, but not
  enough
• A comprehensive and strategic focus to client
  feedback
• demonstrates that Courts value their clients

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A holistic approach is needed

• Dealing with complaints is essential, but not
  enough
• A comprehensive and strategic focus to client
  feedback
• demonstrates that Courts value their clients
• enables a structured approach to process
  improvement and greater likelihood of success
  (client behaviour has a huge impact on
  success/failure of initiatives) and

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A holistic approach is needed

• Dealing with complaints is essential, but not
  enough
• A comprehensive and strategic focus to client
  feedback
• demonstrates that Courts value their clients
• enables a structured approach to process
  improvement and greater likelihood of success
  (client behaviour has a huge impact on
  success/failure of initiatives) and
• provides more objective information, avoiding
  negativity and skewing effects of complaints.

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How the FCA uses client feedback

• Strategic level
• Value Creation Workshops - strategic plan
• Performance measurement - balanced
  scorecard/surveys

Strategic
Process Improvement
Operational Components
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How the FCA uses client feedback

• Strategic level
• Value Creation Workshops - strategic plan
• Performance measurement - balanced
  scorecard/surveys
• Process Improvement
• Strategic process improvement projects - use of
  surveys and focus groups with consultants(eg,
  KPMG)
• Analysis of complaints

Strategic
Process Improvement
Operational Components
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How the FCA uses client feedback

• Strategic level
• Value Creation Workshops - strategic plan
• Performance measurement - balanced
  scorecard/surveys
• Process Improvement
• Strategic process improvement projects - use of
  surveys and focus groups with consultants(eg,
  KPMG)
• Analysis of complaints
• Operational components
• Local client service improvement plans - local
  surveys and consultations
• Analysis of complaints

Strategic
Process Improvement
Operational Components
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National initiatives underway
Trial Management
Resolution Management
Underway 1. Dandenong Unrepresented 2. Newcastle
Special Listings 3. Parramatta combine
DirH/CC 4. Early Involvement/CaseFlow Mgmt 5.
CaseTrack 6. Forms Review 7. Case Checkpoint -
Adelaide
d
e
h
3
6
k
c
File
Assess
Resolve
1
b
f
g
4
4
CheckPoint
Supervise
Manage
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2
j
Planned a. Summary track b. Review of
Counselling/Mediation c. Alternate Family
Reports d. Measuring success of
Interventions e. Information sessions f. Category
of cases g. Independent expert advice h. Judicial
conciliation i Trial Management
options j. Outline of Case document k. Voluntary
counselling options
a
Prepare
Judge
Urgent/Summary
i
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