Quality & Customer Service For Small Organizations

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2 Quality & Customer Service For Small Organizations 10 Point Quality & Customer Service Criteria & Self-Evaluation Tool Written by John Perry December 2008 Version NQI No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of NQI.

3 About the National Quality Institute The National Quality Institute, (NQI), is the national authority in Canada on organizational excellence for both quality and healthy workplace environments. NQI is an independent, not-for-profit organization, established in 1992 by Industry Canada to administer the Canada Awards for Excellence. We sustain our organization through memberships and services such as training, assessments and advisory services. NQI has established a small organizations section of our web site - we offer online tools such as employee satisfaction surveys, customer satisfaction surveys and online education programs. To find out more about the Canada Awards for Excellence for Small Organizations and NQI's services go to or call ext NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

4 Introduction The NQI Quality & Customer Service for Small Organizations is designed for organizations with fewer than 50 employees, and was designed to help identify where your organization is and what it needs to work on with regard to the promotion of strategies for quality improvement. It lets you gauge your organization s strengths and seize opportunities for improvement. An outline of how to evaluate your organization is provided, with tips on how to plan, carry out and rate the self-evaluation. To assist you in thinking about the practices of total quality, some comments are provided on the drivers of excellence that need to be thought about consistently to help build a quality culture across the organization. The foundation for the design of the NQI Quality & Customer Service for Small Organizations 10 Point Quality Criteria is research on and knowledge about (a) success factors for managing quality, and (b) the practical experience and outcomes of successful organizations. NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

5 NQI Quality & Customer Service for Small Organizations Drivers Criteria Process Aim Leadership Customer Focus Planning Process Management People Focus Self- Evaluation and Improvement Plan Continuous improvement and sustained business results Community Focus 10-Point Quality Criteria This self-evaluation tool will greatly assist you in establishing a focus on quality across your organization, helping to give you a comprehensive sense of its current state against well-respected and researched criteria designed for your size of organization. Following the self-evaluation, a plan can be designed to deal with opportunities noted from discussions, which will help in setting improvement objectives for the organization. To help sustain a strategic quality approach, you should complete an annual evaluation as a means to reinforce the quality focus and to track progress of improvement. An organization is like an athlete: it must work to get fit and test itself. It must assess improvement and identify areas of opportunity. The goal of physical training is to strengthen the response to a set of pre-defined criteria. This is precisely what this small organization self-evaluation is geared to do. The object is to learn from the self-evaluation. There is no pass or fail. The work involved will benefit everyone. It enhances team spirit and helps keep the organization fit to compete in delivering quality services and/or products. 4 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

6 Drivers in Managing Quality An ongoing focus on key drivers for quality will help the organization sustain improvement and gain better results. These drivers permeate the 10-Point Quality & Customer Service Criteria. Leadership Community Focus Customer Focus People Focus Positive RESULTS Planning Process Management Leadership Developing an approach to excellence through quality can be achieved only by the active involvement of leadership/ownership in establishing a clear purpose and direction for the organization, and in communicating and supporting the changes necessary for improvement. Customer Focus A focus on meeting the needs of customers is critical for any organization. Information for learning about customer needs includes techniques such as surveys, focus groups, customer visitation programs and interaction with customers. Organizations often use sources of data such as sales force reports, trade publications, government and trade association statistics and shared-cost syndicated market research. It is important to make it easy for customers to deal with the organization, which means ease of process, and also means that people in the organization understand their roles in satisfying customer needs. NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

7 Planning The process for planning and setting improvement goals can be described as follows: Listing important issues faced by the organization in order to meet customer/client needs Selecting the few most important key issues that are critical for success Self-evaluating the organization against the quality criteria by using this workbook Targeting to close any gaps identified in the self-evaluation, and focusing on work activity that impacts critical success issues This approach is well worth thinking about, because you do not have time to try and improve everything. In fact, not everything will need improvement. An improvement plan does not need to be cumbersome or separate from the organization s plan. The plan includes short-term actions and goals. The term priority or ranking is a good one to consider. The organization should formulate its improvement plan to combine ranked issues with input from customers, employees and suppliers. A primary task in improvement planning is selecting a few vital initiatives that will have the largest positive impact. Process Management Process management covers how work is organized, with a focus on quality assurance, as well as improvement. Processes are actions involving people and other resources such as materials and information. Product-related processes include raw materials and the expertise of various people to manufacture the product. Service processes include data and information, and the expertise to assemble them into something valuable for the customer/client. It is important to focus on work processes that have an impact on the customer/client, and to simplify and keep improving these processes. Control of work processes does not imply that they will always work perfectly, although this is the intent. Rather, when things go wrong (and they will), controls ensure that corrective action is taken quickly, and that any changes to work are documented and discussed. Note: There are NQI Tools for managing/improving processes. For help on how to complete a process map of work procedures (which is very helpful when reviewing the steps in a work process) and to learn more about some techniques for improving a process, call ext.221, or go through the NQI Web site, for a copy of the booklet A Five Step Roadmap for Improving a Process. At the same time, check out NQI training workshops on Process Management. 6 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

8 People Focus Teamwork is nurtured across the organization as a cornerstone for the development of a co-operative and supportive working environment, where people show respect for each other and build win-win working relationships. Community Focus An organization should act in a socially responsible manner toward all stakeholders, including concern for the community where it is located. It demonstrates such responsibility by sustaining a quality focus and behaving in an ethical manner in how it operates. NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

9 The Self-Evaluation Step One Commitment The first step is to decide to complete a self-evaluation to assess how your organization measures up to the 10-Point Criteria. Step Two Communication with employees It is always best to ensure that people understand why a self-evaluation is being set up, so we suggest the use of the following template for developing a few messages that will help de-mystify why an evaluation of quality issues is a good thing. Why are we using the NQI Quality Criteria? It is helpful for us to have a reality check of where we currently sit compared to the NQI Criteria, a national standard for quality improvement. What is the purpose of the self-evaluation? Self-evaluation is an easy-to-use diagnostic tool designed specifically for our size of organization, and provides us with a way to confirm our strengths and opportunities against the NQI Criteria. This will help us learn where we are on our quality journey and, with this knowledge, help us to move forward. What about the outcome of the self-evaluation? This will assist us to identify our current strengths and to set up a plan for improvement. We will be able to set measurable milestones to help improve the organization. 8 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

10 Step Three Complete the self-evaluation To ensure a representative view of how the organization sits against the intent of the Criteria, it is important to involve employees at all levels in the self-evaluation exercise. The exercise (focus group discussion) should last about 90 minutes, with up to 20 people in a session. The number of group discussions depends on the size of the organization. A very small organization could meet all together in one session, whereas a larger organization may need more (as a representative slice of the organization, for example, about 40% of staff involved). a) Set up focus group(s) and appoint a chairperson and a recorder. b) Go through the statement made in each of the 10-Point Criteria with everyone in the meeting(s). c) Have discussion centre on the main point of each Criterion Statement (starting with the first), with discussion and answers focusing on current activity, not on how you wish things should be in the future. d) To keep the focus on meeting the intent of each Criterion Statement, use the following two key questions: How do we do this? and To what extent do we do it? These probes are listed below each Criterion Statement. This method helps keep things on track throughout the discussion. Encourage openness and honesty, and assure everyone this is an exercise that will help improve the organization. e) A recorder should keep track of comments in the space provided noting Strengths (great things your organization is doing that are really working) and Opportunities (things the organization is not doing that it should be doing) for each Criterion Statement. If you want each person to keep notes, then order more copies of this booklet from the NQI. f) Agree on a score for each Criterion Statement (see Scoring Chart), and circle the score as shown on each Criterion- Statement note-page. Scoring gives you an idea of how your organization is doing, and also gives you a base-line for measuring progress when you do the next self-evaluation (sometime in the next months). g) Complete the self-evaluation exercise by listing all the opportunities noted from the focus group discussion(s) on the Improvement Suggestions Listing sheets located at the back of this workbook. List suggestions and ideas on planned actions, the person responsible for moving things forward, a start date and review date for the improvement. NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

11 10-Point Quality & Customer Service Criteria and Self-Evaluation 1. We review information on customer needs (e.g., from direct discussion and interaction covering review of services, customer perception, loyalty and value). Key points to answer: a. How do we do this? b. To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on both the approach being taken to customer focus and on deployment, what is done to gather and evaluate needs. The organization clearly defines whom its customers are, the individuals and organizations for whom it provides its products and/or services. Information for obtaining and learning about customer needs can include techniques such as customer focus groups and information from interaction with customers. A process is in place to ensure that information on customer requirements is reviewed and discussed with everyone. This helps an organization stay focused on customer satisfaction. Building empathy for the customer s point of view is fostered and encouraged through educating people on customer s needs. Data on markets can be helpful from sources such as sales force reports, trade publications, government and trade association statistics and shared-cost syndicated market research. Customers often will not know exactly what they ll want in the future. An organization must therefore take the initiative to turn ideas into future wants and needs. There should be a productive dialogue with customers to obtain relevant input on what s going on in the market. A clear linkage is in place between potential customers and their requirements and the design/re-design of products and services. Techniques such as process mapping are helpful in making sure everyone in the organization is aware of and meets customer s needs. 10 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

12 Strengths Opportunities Circle score NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

13 2. We evaluate the effectiveness of our services, measure customer satisfaction, and respond to customer feedback (e.g., review of surveys and feedback when customers seek assistance or register concerns). Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on deployment, on what is being done to measure customer satisfaction. The organization is guided by a total commitment to produce products and/or services that fully deliver promised benefits to its customers. A big part of customer confidence comes from supplying consistent satisfactory services and/or products and providing satisfaction guarantees when the customer doesn t receive the benefits promised. Building a successful relationship with customers requires complete support from everyone, and the shared belief that success will come only if the organization satisfies customer needs better than the competition. It s important to make it easy for customers to do business with the organization, which means ease of process. There are methods in the organization to gather customer input, supply it to the right people and follow up on the information. The organization solicits feedback from customers by providing avenues that make it easy for the customer to inquire, seek assistance and express concerns. Effective customer feedback systems collect information from customers directly on recent encounters, and distribute the information to those in the organization that can effectively use it. Methods are used to locate and act on the causes of customer complaints. There is awareness, throughout the organization, that the time it takes to resolve such issues is critical to keeping customers happy. A process is in place that investigates reasons for lost customers, and the information is used to make improvements. Customer confidence means retention and repeat sales. A method is in place to measure customer perception on products and services provided, and to analyze reasons for those perceptions. A process is used to monitor changing customer expectations and perceptions and to get frequent feedback on the customer s assessment of the organization. Customer evaluations are a critical source of information in forming and adapting the improvement strategy. 12 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

14 Strengths Opportunities Circle score NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

15 3. We have established improvement goals to help us meet customer expectations. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) Is everyone involved in goal setting? c) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on deployment, on what specific goals have been established. The improvement plan does not need to be cumbersome or separate from the business or operating plan. The improvement plan includes short-term actions and goals, which can include production changes, sales adjustments to achieve an operating plan objective or a specific growth target, and changes in processes to improve customer service. Seasoned quality organizations realize that a great number of opportunities arise in work-process improvement. They apply a process for the selection of projects and maintain a constant focus on achieving goals, notably key work process goals that have a direct impact on customer satisfaction. The term priority or ranking is a good one to think about. The organization formulates its improvement planning to combine ranked issues with input from customers, employees and suppliers. A key factor is having a method for prioritising improvement opportunities as opposed to a large to-do list of activities. A primary task in improvement planning is selecting the few vital improvement initiatives that will have the largest positive impact on performance of the organization. A process for setting improvement goals can be described as: A listing of important issues faced by the organization in order to maintain customer focus, employee focus and other stakeholders A selection of a few key issues critical to the success of the organization A focus on key work processes that impact critical success issues This approach is well worth thinking about, because you do not have time to try and improve everything, and, in fact, not everything needs improvement. Without a linkage between improvement initiatives and the direction the organization is headed, the efforts to make things better can fail. It s better to focus on those few things that are vital for success. Improvement goals are monitored and, where goals are not achieved, information is available to identify discrepancies. The use of this set of 10-Point Quality Criteria provides a way to rate performance, and these ratings can be graphed over a period of time in order to indicate the rate and levels of overall improvement. 14 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

16 Strengths Opportunities Circle score NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

17 4. A clear purpose and aim for the organization is in place, reflecting our service commitment, and it has been communicated to everyone. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on both the approach taken to establishing a clear aim (e.g., vision/mission statement) and on deployment, what was developed and communicated. The intent is that the organization has developed a statement establishing its fundamental purpose and aim. Some people call this a vision or mission statement. This is a useful exercise, spending some time thinking about what direction you see ahead. This could be called a declaration of what the organization is, what it does, and for whom it provides its products and/or services. 16 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

18 Strengths Opportunities Circle score NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

19 5. We meet and assess our training needs, and measure and evaluate job satisfaction to sustain high levels of employee retention and morale. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on deployment, on how training is assessed and employee satisfaction measured and reviewed. Training and development are provided to the employees who need them, at the appropriate time and consistent with the goals of the organization. Training is most effective when it is provided just prior to the need to use newly acquired skills or knowledge. The organization trains people in quality improvement methods, and there is a solid understanding of the tools for work process improvement (e.g., process mapping and problem solving). Opportunities are available for people to attend selected development courses, (e.g., at local colleges and professional seminars) The number of courses offered, or people taking part, does not measure the success of a training program; success is measured by how effective and timely the training is. A process to measure and review employee job satisfaction in place. The organization identifies employee contribution through a review of all elements that have a direct impact on performance. For example, it is not fair to measure employee performance without also examining the effect of the work system itself on such performance (e.g., the kind of training provided, equipment used and level of support). 18 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

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21 6. We have documented our work procedures and mapped our key work processes. (Note: procedures are job specific, whereas processes are made up of sets of procedures that have to work together across various jobs to get the most effective outcome.) Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on the approach taken to managing processes (e.g., preventative action as against firefighting or corrective action) and on deployment (what processes have been mapped and fully discussed). Processes are value-adding actions (or groups of procedures) involving people and other resources such as materials and information. Processes can be of two basic types: product-related or service-related. Product-related processes include the raw materials and the expertise of various people involved in manufacturing the product. Service-related processes include data and information, and the expertise to assemble them into something valuable for the customer. Other factors include customer requirements, measurement data, levels of individual knowledge and skills, leadership, and training and development. It is important to focus on the key processes that have a major impact on the customer, and to simplify and measure these processes. Work processes used to deliver products and/or services are documented and mapped with a full understanding of the people, materials and information needed to produce the desired outcome. 20 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

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23 7. We measure and monitor steps within our key processes to ensure that we consistently meet customer needs. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on deployment, on how processes (particularly key processes) are measured in some way in order to monitor their performance on an ongoing basis. For a work process to be controlled it must be measured and monitored. Opportunities for measurement and monitoring exist at the start of the process and at different stages through the product or service chain. For each key process there is documentation of what is to be measured at what process stage, how it is to be measured. Also, there is a defined criterion (pass/fail, good/bad, accept/reject) for each measurement point, with clear instructions on actions to be taken on non-conformances. The organization reviews internal and external audit reports to identify any nonconformances, and implements follow-up activity on these issues. The organization tracks, checks, sorts and classifies rejects/errors/customer problems, etc. Control of key work processes does not imply that they will always work perfectly, although this is the intent. Rather, when things go wrong (and they will), controls ensure that corrective action is taken quickly and effectively to prevent unnecessary rework or the delivery of non-conforming services and/or products to the customer. When work process problems resulting in non-conformances are encountered, the people involved in the process are fully involved in solving the problems. Depending on the nature and extent of the problem, resolution is achieved by an individual or a team, with or without assistance from technical experts. An approach is promoted and reinforced that involves problem identification, data gathering and analysis, root cause analysis and validation of corrective actions. 22 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

24 Strengths Opportunities Circle score NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

25 8. We play a role in identifying and correcting root causes of any process problems and we implement actions to prevent recurrence or rework. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on deployment, on who raises the alarm when a process is out of line and on the method people use to correct the situation. The aim is to reduce cycle time, eliminate waste and provide customers with better products and services. Careful consideration is given to probable causes of potential non-conformance. In manufacturing, you may have a review of various technical measurement tools; in both service and manufacturing organizations, you will review the steps of a process, which are normally outlined on a process map. In addition to processes where problems exist, improvements are considered for those that are causing few, if any, non-conformances. Motivation for such improvement comes from gains in internal operations and the quest for higher levels of customer satisfaction. The methods and tools for improving work processes are the same as those for process control: measuring, monitoring, data gathering and analysis, validation of solutions, documentation and training. Continuous improvement of key work processes is largely driven by customer needs. There is a strong link of this activity to customer needs and the goals of the organization. There is participation, where appropriate, by customers and suppliers in corrective action or process improvement activity. Including suppliers in planning activities can motivate them to initiate a quality improvement focus in their own organizations. Where products and/or services are provided through agents or third parties, there is a high level of input from the consumers. Efforts to improve processes may be thwarted by limitations imposed by externally supplied materials, process equipment and services. 24 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

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27 9. We evaluate the effectiveness of improvements and changes made to our work procedures to ensure that they made a positive impact on our work environment. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? 26 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

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29 10. We ensure that we manage the working relationships with our suppliers and partners, and the contributions we make to our local community, for the benefit of everyone, and that the effectiveness of these relationships is reviewed and any concerns are addressed. Key points to answer: a) How do we do this? b) To what extent do we do it? Some things to think about: When evaluating this point, focus on both the approach being taken to dealing with suppliers/partners (e.g., does the organization see suppliers as partners on quality issues, or is purchasing only about low bids?), and on deployment (what is done to establish and maintain good working communications between the organization and its suppliers/partners). All organizations depend on the supply of materials, equipment and services, which are integrated into the product and/or service they provide. It is important that the organization has dependable suppliers. To establish a dependable supplier base, the organization has a clear definition of what supplies it requires. For critical items this is defined in procurement specifications that stipulate the features and performance characteristics of the item being purchased. Depending on the complexity of the item, procurement specifications can range from complex technical documents detailing a range of requirements to a simple reference to a catalogue item whose characteristics are defined by the supplier. When the organization is satisfied that the supplier s product and/or service meets specifications, there is some form of assurance that the supplier has the necessary stability and quality control to supply the product and/or service on an ongoing basis. The organization operates a vendor approval process to confirm this capability. Vendor approvals can include periodic reviews, on-site assessment, quality practices, and delivery and price competitiveness. The intent is to have fewer suppliers working in partnership relationships rather than a large and varied supplier base. This gives suppliers greater confidence in ongoing activity with the organization, and both parties will benefit from such proactive and managed relationships. Suppliers are aware of the quality focus of the organization. Methods the organization uses to share information with suppliers to help them improve their products and/or services often include: Providing feedback on the quality of the products and/or services Meetings and discussions with suppliers Involving suppliers in work process improvements. 28 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

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31 Scoring Chart 10 points Just beginning Quality principles and practices (as reflected in NQI 10-Point Quality & Customer Service Criteria) have started to be discussed but, as yet, are not implemented. There is more planning than doing at the moment. 20 points Good start Quality activities have been discussed, and we have implemented a few ideas. Implementation is at a fairly early stage. We are serious about our approach to reviewing ideas on quality principles and practices to meet our needs, and our approach is more systematic than ad-hoc. 30 points Well on our way Quality activities (as outlined in NQI 10-Point Quality & Customer Service Criteria) have been discussed and implemented. Positive results on the impact of our focus on quality have been identified.. Work procedures and key processes impacting our workplace are documented and understood and stable. Our focus is on continuous improvement of what we do. 40 points Fully implemented and integrated A quality focus has been implemented in a systematic way, and has been refined and improved over the last few years. Positive trends from our focus on quality have been documented, and they are linked to improved organizational outcomes. There is a high level of participation in working on improvement. To help sustain our focus, actions impacting quality have been clearly documented so that the methods we use are clear. 30 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

32 Improvement Suggestions Listing Complete the self-evaluation exercise with a listing of opportunities from your notes and discussions on each of the 10 Criterion Statements. From this listing, select key projects to work on. 1. We review information on customer needs (e.g., from Direct discussion and interaction covering review of services, customer perception, loyalty and service value). To be improved? Person Review Responsible Start Date Date 2. We evaluate the effectiveness of our services, measure customer satisfaction, and respond to customer feedback (e.g., review of surveys and feedback when customers seek assistance or register concerns). To be improved? 3. We have established Improvement goals to help us meet customer expectations. To be improved? 4. A clear purpose and aim for the organization is in in place, reflecting our service commitment, and it has been communicated to everyone. To be improved? NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

33 Person Review Responsible Start Date Date 5. We meet and assess our training needs, and measure and evaluate job satisfaction to sustain high levels of employee retention and morale. To be improved? 6. We have documented our work procedures and mapped our key work process. To be improved? 7. We measure and monitor steps within our key processes to ensure that we consistently meet customer needs. To be improved? 8. We play a role in identifying and correcting root causes of Any process problems, and we implement actions to prevent recurrence or rework. To be improved? 32 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

34 Person Review Responsible Start Date Date 9. We evaluate the effectiveness of improvements and changes made to our work procedures to ensure that they made a positive impact on our work environment. To be improved? 10. We ensure that we manage the working relationships with our suppliers and partners, and the contributions we make to our local community, for the benefit of everyone, and that the effectiveness of these relationships is reviewed and any concerns are addressed. To be improved? NQI. All Rights Reserved. December

35 Canada Awards for Excellence Small Organization Customer Service Award About the Awards Program The Canada Awards for Excellence (CAE) are presented annually to private, public and not-for-profit sector organizations that have displayed outstanding performance in the areas of Quality and Healthy Workplace. Since 1984 the award has honoured over three hundred Canadian organizations for outstanding achievements. This coveted award is tangible evidence of an organization s level of excellence. To receive the Canada Awards for Excellence trophy organizations must have fully met the NQI Criteria with documented overall achievements and results. Selection Process Organizations do not compete against each other, but rather are judged against the individual Criteria. As a result, small organizations compete on an equal footing with multinationals, public sector with private sector organizations. Applications for the award are evaluated by a Pre-Selection Review Team composed of professionals with a background in quality management principles/practices and healthy workplace programs/issues. Organizations that pass an initial screening are visited by teams of examiners to verify information in the application. This is a unique opportunity to display organizational successes to the world, to recognize the efforts of employees, and to demonstrate customers and suppliers you are worldclass. You need to obtain the Entry Guide and Application form in order to apply. 34 NQI. All Rights Reserved. December 2008.

36 CAE Small Organization Customer Service Award A category of the Canada Awards for Excellence program Recognition for a small organization is available from NQI, under cover of the NQI Customer Service Awards, a category of the Canada Awards for Excellence program. Such national recognition applies to small organizations that can demonstrate that their focus on quality has led to sustained high levels of customer satisfaction and retention. To be eligible: 1. The organization must be in operation for 3 or more years, and have up to 50 employees. 2. Provide supportive comments (written testimonials) from 3-5 customers on their confidence and satisfaction in dealing with the organization (note that a follow up phone call will be made with organizations supplying testimonials so please provide contact information). 3. List current organizational affiliations and memberships (e.g., trade associations) 4. Send information to demonstrate financial sustainability and results e.g., trends and data - as appropriate: a. Number of employees b. Number of customers c. Customer satisfaction trends (e.g., survey results) d. Customer loyalty data e. For business applicant: Revenue/sales (percentage changes over time are acceptable, dollars are optional) f. Other data as appropriate NQI. All Rights Reserved. December