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Building a Competitive Differential:

Gold Star Service Excellence


Endorsed by:

A European Best Practice Approach


There are many different approaches you can use.
Keep it structured and systematic, look at
processes.
Look at what you do and what results you get.
Invest in training & people development.
Use Stretch Targets.
Compare and Benchmark.
Recognise, Reward and Embed.
The CforC approach Gold Star.
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What Gold Star does

1. Helps you improve your customer facing


services in real and tangible ways.
2. Benchmarks your existing customer service
processes against European Better
Practice.
3. Provides a tangible way of telling your (new)
customers and stakeholders of your
commitment and European standard of
Service Excellence.
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What Gold Star does

1. Helps you improve your customer facing


services in real and tangible ways.
2. Validates your existing customer service
processes against a European benchmark.
3. Provides a tangible way of telling your (new)
customers and stakeholders of your
commitment and European standard of
Service Excellence.
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Scheme Summary
Complete an assessment against International Best Practice
This is done through a Service Excellence Gold Star
Approved Advisor
Identify the areas of strength & under performance
Agree Close the Gap action plan to move the under
performing areas to a minimum standard
External evaluation of your progress by an appointed
Validator
If minimum standard achieved then awarded:
Service Excellence Gold Star
Use the scheme to promote your business
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Project Plan Key Steps

PROCESS

Assessment

Close the
Gap

Improve

Accreditation

Half Day

Half Day

2 x Half Days
4 x 1 hr Coaching

Half Day Prep


Half Day Audit

Around 2 weeks

Up to 8 weeks

Around 2 weeks

TIME SCALE 3.5 DAYS TYPICALLY OVER 6 MONTH PERIOD

Process Step #1 Assessment

An Approved Adviser is appointed to work


with you through the programme.
A date is agreed for the initial assessment
which takes around half a day.
Assessment is conducted using the
questionnaire toolkit.
Process involves completing the
questionnaire with key managers/people
within your company.
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Process Step #2 Close the Gap

From the inputs of the questionnaire toolkit a


Close the Gap action plan is produced. This
highlights: Strengths
Gaps in performance when compared to the
standard

A Close the Gap action plan is agreed using


SMART metrics.

Process Step #3 Improve

You work towards completing the action plan.


Action item owners are appointed.
2 x half days of facilitation are available to
draw upon knowledge/experience. These
sessions to concentrate on any missing skills.
4 x 1 hour Coaching sessions are available.
Usually completed by telephone and focus on
assisting through advice issues/problems
which may arise.
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Process Step #4 Accreditation

At some point in time, you will complete the


action plan and feel ready to apply for
accreditation.
You complete the application form which
helps you prepare for the accreditation day
and to gather the evidence required.
A Validator is appointed and a date for the
accreditation site visit is agreed.
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Process Step #4 Accreditation


Typical Site Visit Day

10.00
10.10
10.30
11.00
11.45
12.30
13.00
13.45
14.30
15.00
15.30
15.45

Welcome on site
Site tour and introductions
Presentation by Management Team
Interview #1 with key person
Interview #2 with key person
Lunch
Interview #3 with key person
Document Review
Staff focus group (if appropriate)
Validator completes profile score
Validators presents findings
Planned Finish
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Supporting Information

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Outline of the Assessment


In two parts: Questions
You answer 42 questions about your customer service policy,
processes and measurements
You reflect on your business, giving honest answers
Your Advisor brings insight and understanding

Your Answers
Are collected by shading in the appropriate number of squares on
the self assessment form
You can shade in nil or 1 square (indicating under performance,
or 5 squares indicating you are International Best Practice

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Example Questions

Section 2 - Customer Service Culture


Staff - A Team Approach

Your Answer
2
3
4

We provide and encourage the climate for action for our staff to deliver our
customer services objectives.
We continually encourage all our staff for ideas on improving our product and/or
2a2
service offering to all our customers or service users.
We empower our staff to proactively deal with and resolve customer issues and
2a3
complaints.
2a1

We recognise and reward staff for successfully delivering customer service


excellence.
We have a staff charter that instills in employees the importance of delivering
2a5
customer service excellence.
2a4

2a6 Our staff have, and are continually trained, in the appropriate skills and
confidence to deliver customer service excellence.

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Your Choice of Answers


Answer
1) Not currently
happening

2) Limited progress
made

Answer Guide

5) Advanced in this
area

Measuring things

The organisation does not


currently do this - or may be
thinking about it now.

We really have not even thought about this, or


we may have considered it but have taken no
action as yet.

We do not really measure any customer service activities.

We have started to do this and


have some results.

We have been thinking about this.


We have got a few things up and running and
we are beginning to see signs that we are
doing things right.

We have measurements in place and the early results


suggest that we are improving.

We have clear leadership in terms of customer


service.
Staff and other stakeholders are involved and
we can see things really working.
Our customer service activities are really
bringing benefits.

We are seeing the results from our customer service


activities.
We are showing steady improvement and are meeting
many of our targets.
We are comparing ourselves with other organisations and
seem to be doing well.

3) Significant progress We are doing this often and most


made
results prove it.

4) Normal practice

Doing things

Yes we do this all the time - and


other organisations in our sector
compare themselves against us.

What we are doing is effective - and is in line


Our measurements show consistent improvement over
with our strategy.
several years.
We are learning from our experience and this is
We are meeting or exceeding our targets.
shared across our organisation.
We are doing very well compared with other organisations
We can all clearly see the benefits of our
in our industry sector.
customer service activities.

Yes we do this - and do much


more. We are considered to be
world class and we can prove it.

We are working at a much more sophisticated


level than the statements here would suggest.
We are consistently doing the right things and
we have comprehensive evidence and results to
prove it.
We are considered to be an exemplar
organisation within ou

We use a wide range of measurements, showing strong


improvements over many years.
We exceed our targets and can demonstrate that we are
best in class in many areas.
We not only compare ourselves with organisations within
our own industry sector, but comp

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Identifying Your Strengths

Strengths are important to develop because:


They build competitive advantage
They create competitive differential
They support your Value Proposition or Unique
Selling Point
They help you delight your customers
They can mitigate customer service failures
Give staff a sense of pride
Build reputation & brand over time
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Identifying Your Areas of Weaker


Performance
Minimum Good Performance
Is represented by the 95 shaded cells
This is seen as a good minimum performance that will deliver
positive customer experiences
Weaker performance will result in a hit and miss customer
experience

Relative Weaker Performance


Anything above 95 but less than the total available of 210 cells
Performance in between is recognised as relatively weaker
with opportunity to improve
You need to prioritise your areas of weaker
performance

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Constructing Your
Close the Gap Action Plan
With your Advisor: Identify all the shaded cells you have not covered, these are
your minimum
Examine other areas to see if there are improvements that you
decide are required
Design your Close the Gap action plan

Use SMART metrics


Use people to own specific actions
Involve everyone
Accept failure, learn and move on
Recognise & Reward Success

You get 2 x half day support sessions


You receive 4 x 1 hour mentoring
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The Gold Star Standard

Gold Star awarded when: Minimum 95 cells covered


All the grey coloured cells are covered
There is a balance between sections 1 & 2 and 3
&4

Role Model status awarded when: All of the above, and also:
157 cells in total are covered

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Preparing for Your External


Audit/Assessment
Monitor your action plan
Use your assessment to check your performance
Use your Advisor to give his/her opinion
When youre ready contact CforC
A Gold Star Validator is appointed
You agree the site visit day
You prepare for the visit set as set out
in the guidelines

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The Audit What Happens on


the day?
Validator conducts a 1-day audit/assessment
Interviews key staff/managers
Interviews staff focus group(s)
Conducts systems audit
Reviews your records
If you meet the criteria the Gold Star is awarded on the
day
If you have some small non conformance you have 3
months to complete
If you have major non conformance another
full 1-day audit is required
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The Pilot Programme (1)


Case Study companies: -

Clandeboye Lodge hotel (Role Model)


Boomer Industries
NI Chamber of Commerce
Airporter
Baker, Tilly, Mooney, Moore
SLA Mobile

Down case studies load at: http://www.cforc.org/Services/Innovation/serviceexcellence.asp


Watch 6 minute case study short films at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFWBmNVGco8

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Endorsements & Credibility


Public launch on 23 June 2011 by Minister for DETINI Arlene Foster
Supported and Validated by 6 case studies from
across different sectors and company sizes.
Endorsed by NI Chamber of Commerce [NICC]
Endorsed by Government [DETI-NI]
Endorsed by The Consumer Council
AND
Recognised as European Benchmark by EFQM
Adopted by Citizens Information Board (CIB)
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Scheme Summary
Complete an assessment against European Better Practice
Benchmark
This is done through a Gold Star Service Excellence
Approved Advisor
Identify the areas of strength & under performance
Agree Close the Gap action plan to move the under
performing areas to a minimum standard
External evaluation of your progress by an appointed
Validator
If minimum standard achieved then awarded:
Gold Star Service Excellence
Use the scheme to promote your business
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For more information contact:


adrian.gundy@cforc.org
or
Questions
and Answers
Tel: Northern Ireland 028 9073 7950
Tel: Ireland 048 9073 7950
Thank you for your interest.
We hope to have the opportunity of working with
you in the not too distant future.

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