Providing Excellent Customer Service in the Voluntary Sector

27 November 2006

Gerry O’Neill

Public Service Improvement Unit

Delivery and Innovation Division

Role of PSIU

To lever change to improve public services in Northern Ireland through reform and modernisation

Building capacity for reform

Lea

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Ap

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Sharing of best practice

Programme9.30 Introduction – Gerry O’Neill, PSIU

9.45 Jan Black, Charter Mark Assessor

10.45 Tea/coffee break

11.00 Pauline Canavan, Springfield Charitable Association

11.45 Eileen Thomson, Cedar Foundation

12.45 Lunch

Contact Details

Public Service Improvement Unit

Tel: 028 90 765306

www.psruni.gov.uk

www.bestpracticeni.gov.uk

Charter Mark for the voluntary and community sector

Jan BlackCharter Mark Assessor

What is Charter Mark? National standard of customer

service excellence for the public sector

Quality improvement tool Centred around the needs of the

customer

Why Charter Mark for voluntary and community organisations?

To take an objective view of current achievements

To enable a different perspective To facilitate development and

improvement To aid morale and motivation To achieve recognition

‘Customers’ in the voluntary and community sector A customer is someone to whom

you deliver a service Voluntary

Clients / Other agencies / Supporters Volunteers may also be customers

Community Housing Association tenants /

leaseholders / Other agencies

How Charter Mark works Six criteria cover all aspects of

service Broken down into 63 elements Need to demonstrate a minimum of

70% full compliance within each criterion

Self-assessment Action plan External validation

The Six Criteria 1. Set standards and perform well 2. Actively engage with your customers,

partners and staff 3. Be fair and accessible to everyone and

promote choice 4. Continuously develop and improve 5. Use your resources effectively and

imaginatively 6. Contribute to improving opportunities and

quality of life in the communities you serve

1. Set standards and perform well Precise and measurable standards Standards for core business and

customer service Monitor performance against

standards Achieve good levels of performance Publish standards and performance

2. Actively engage with your customers, partners and staff Planned and regular consultation Analyse and act on outcomes Provide reliable and easily

understood information Effective partnership working to

deliver coordinated services

3. Be fair and accessible to everyone and promote choice Range of means to access services Customer care policies and practice Staff training Choice and flexibility in services and

service delivery Adapt services for those with special

needs

4. Continuously develop and improve Plan developments with costs,

benefits and timescales Assess satisfaction and achieve

high levels Deal effectively with complaints,

compliments and suggestions Act in response to feedback to

improve services

5. Use your resources effectively and imaginatively Effective financial management Measure and monitor efficiency Staff awareness and involvement

in efficiency measures Plan for improving value for money

6. Contribute to improving opportunities and quality of life in the communities you serve

Awareness of social, economic and physical impact of the organisation

Identify potential usefulness of resources to the community

Take positive action for community involvement

Monitor and evaluate effectiveness of action to inform further plans

External assessment Choice of four certification bodies www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/charterm

ark/certificationbodies Centre for Assessment Charter Mark Assessment Services

(CMAS) East Midlands Quality Centre (EMQC) SGS United Kingdom Ltd

Same Standard – Different approaches Pre-assessment Evidence viewed on or off site Electronic submission Type of report Surveillance Corporate approaches Flexibility

YOU choose ALL will

View documentary evidence Speak to customers, staff and

partners Observe service delivery

WHICH one Offers you the service you require Provides you with the best value for

money (not necessarily the cheapest)

Certification Body websites Centre for Assessment

www.carnw.co.uk Charter Mark Assessment

Services(CMAS) www.cmadmin.co.uk

East Midlands Quality Centre (EMQC) www.emqc.co.uk

SGS United Kingdom Ltd www.sgs.co.uk/chartermark

SCASCAwww.scaltd.netwww.scaltd.net

Pauline CanavanPauline CanavanChief ExecutiveChief Executive

SCASCA

SCA’s Mission Statement “We in SCA provide professional Support Care and

Advice enabling social inclusion”.

SCASCA

Values Caring, Charitable (not profit taking), Inclusive and Community Focused  

 

SCASCA

 

Vision

SCA aims to deliver flexible comprehensive, professional services that will continue to

meet the needs of the community

SCASCA

Based in West Belfast – 26 years oldOperate from 3 different sitesStaff Levels:

21 Staff63 Volunteers30 Participants on New Deal Programme

SCASCA

Services:

•Day Care for older dependant people – Level II•Training and Employment Programme•2 Nearly New Retail Outlets

SCASCA

•Free Independent Advice Centre

•Race and Ethnic Community Integration Project

•Volunteer Project

•Into Learning

SCASCA

•2002 – SCA’s Board of Directors and Management reviewed SCA’s objectives •Developed a new Strategic Plan

SCASCA

Included in the Strategic Plan was An objective to attain a quality standard

SCASCA

Management and Staff researcheda Business Improvement tool To achieve a quality standard

SCASCA•SCA - Awareness:

•Investors In People

•Charter Mark

• EFQM (European Foundation for Quality

Management)

SCASCA

Research:Presentation in house by the Public Service Improvement UnitOn each of the Models: IIP, Charter Mark and EFQM

Literature review

SCASCA

SCA staff made an informed decision to

work towards achieving

the Investors in People Quality Standard

And Charter Mark

SCASCA

SCA History and Ethos is about building capacity of staff, volunteers and

people on Intermediate government employment schemes

– investing in people

SCASCA

SCA achieved the Investors in People Quality Standard in October 2003

SCA retained our Investor in People Quality Standard and in some areas met The Profile standards – November 2006

SCASCA

SCA’s management, staff and volunteers have a commitment to provide “professional Support, Care and Advice” – customer focused

SCASCA

SCA’s Mission Statement

 

“We in SCA provide professional Support Care and Advice enabling social inclusion”.

SCASCA

The confidence gained from the Achievement of attaining the Investors in People standard

The sense of achievement

SCASCA

The independent review of SCA and the recognition of our staff and volunteers

The celebration -

Nurtured the attitude “Charter Mark - we can do it”

SCASCA

Team approach

5 Cost Centre Managers and Chief Executive met - single issue meetings to work Towards Charter Mark

SCASCA

Serious work began November 2003

Researched the Criteria

Organised Benchmarking visits

SCASCA

Benchmarking visits:

•Marie Currie

•Blood Transfusion Service

SCASCA

Criteria provided a excellent framework for self assessment and tool kit for improvement

SCASCA

Charter Mark team meetings focused on assessing our position against standards identifying gaps agreeing action points

SCASCA

6 CriterionEach member of the team (6) took one criteriaand wrote up a description of activity or actions taken to meet the requirements of their designated criterion with support from their staff and volunteers

SCASCA

Each completed criteria description was tabled at a team meetingThe team carried out a critique – great support mechanism

SCASCA

Project Team meetings were organised staff and volunteers Involved in evidence gathering

Customer focused services has to be within the DNA of the organisation

SCASCA

SCA sought quotations from 3 assessmentbodies •information of the method •time frame of the assessment

SCASCA

SGS appointed:

•local office•Available for advice•Local Assessor

SCASCA

Assessment June 2005

Desk Top Review

No pre assessment

SCASCA

Cost

£2,150 for the Assessment June 2005

£421 for the Action Plan Review 2006

SCASCA

Benefits:

Improved Customer focused Service – Satisfied Customers

SCASCA

•Enhanced reputation of SCA

•Improved Staff Morale

SCASCAAdvice:•Team approach

•Bench Marking visits

•Don’t reinvent the wheel

SCASCA

•CELEBRATE

SCASCA

GOOD LUCK

CHARTER MARK SEMINAR – 27 NOVEMBER 2006 –

Eileen ThomsonThe Cedar Foundation

Presentation Overview

• A snapshot of the Cedar Foundation• ALS- the Charter Mark Service• The journey to Charter Mark• The nuts and bolts of getting it• Assessment Evaluation Report• Why go for it?• Celebrate!• The journey after Charter Mark

A snapshot of the Cedar Foundation

• Established in 1941• Registered Charity + Company Ltd by Guarantee• Services for People with Physical Disability / Brain Injury• Living Options, Training, Children& Young People Services• Regional organisation with 19 service locations• 2006 turnover of £5.5 million• Employs 220 staff /Supports 1400 Service Users • User Forum

Vision / Mission

• The Cedar Foundation’s Vision is to play a leading role in the achievement of a communityin which people with disabilities are valued and participate as equal citizens

• Our Mission is to deliver a range of services, which empower and support people with disabilities to be fully included in their communities

ALS - the Charter Mark Service

• New model of service delivery 1994 • Partnership with N&W Belfast• Care and Support• 1998 Charter Mark Award• Reapplication 2001• Reapplication 2004

The Journey to Chartermark

• Improving Organisation during 1990s• 1993 Leadership Commitment to improvement• 1994 Mission Statement/ Corporate Objectives• 1995 User Satisfaction Surveys• 1996 National Training Award• 1997 IiP Recognition; User Involvement Focus• 1998 Charter Mark Award

The Nuts and Bolts of Getting It

• Changing Criteria 1998-2005• Storybook – Evidence-based practice• 9-6 Criteria• Customer Measures• User Forum• Staff Measures• ISO Accreditation• Balanced Scorecard

Customer Measures

• Service User Satisfaction• Purchaser Satisfaction• Sustained Outcomes• Customer Demand• Customer Loyalty• Complaints• Internal Customers

People Measures

• Satisfaction Survey• Stress Audit• IiP Profile• Investment in Training & Development• Absence• Turnover• Involvement in Improvement Activity• Uptake of Employee Benefits

Assessment Evaluation Report

• 2005/Grading across 63 criterion parts• 56 full Compliance• 7 Best Practice• 4 Non Compliance• Surveillance 2006• Challenge beyond core business

Why go for it?

• Benefits to service users,staff and funders • Provides a framework:

to provide an excellent service to users

to meet and exceed funder standards• External recognition a powerful motivator for staff• Competitive edge in highly competitive market• Quality becomes contagious

The Journey after Chartermark

• 1999 ISO registration ALS

• 2000 Balanced Scorecards

• 2002 Mark of Excellence

• 2003 EQRM

• 2005 ISO organisation-wide

• 2006 NIQA

Celebrate!

www.cedar-foundation.org