frank faber november 4 2012

Frank Faber

November 4 2012

China Tianjin HR Development Service Center

Citizen charter

China-Europe Public Administration Project II (CEPA II)中欧公共管理二期项目

it’s all about culture



3

why

how

what

The most important question: why?

Citizen charter/service standards: 3 elements

• Customer driven service standards

• Communication

• Control / Compensation


Incentive mechanism citizen charterTransparency \ VulnerabilityService standards should be openly communicated at the place

where services are provided. This makes the organization live up to the promises done. No easy task.

To let the incentive work, it is necessary that:1. Promises are customer-driven: listen to customers and use

knowledge of customer needs 2. The Public Service Organization has a policy in case a service

standard is not met:- enable customer to bring to notice that a promise is not met- even better: be pro-active in providing apologies a

‘compensation’3. Monitoring /accountability

- measuring performance rates of service standards - measuring number of compensations


Requisites for effective service standard

• customer driven: reflection of needs

• good findable: where service delivery occurs

• verifiable: not ‘average’ or ‘in 90% of … ‘

• clear: to the point


Characteristics of effective service standards (1)

Service standards are:

• customer-driven

> address relevant aspects of service provision

> relevant is according to the needs of users of services


Characteristics of effectiveservice standards (2)


• Findable

> preferably at the place of the service the service delivery

- on the counter

- on the website / in the product catalogue

- under the signature of an e-mail

- in a letter etc


Service standards are findable




• verifiable during the actual service providing

- ‘We will reply your letter/e-mail within 5 working days’ and not ’your request will be processed within an average of 5 days’.

- ‘You will be attended within 15 minutes’ (‘hard’) and not: ’ your service will prepared while you are waiting’ (‘not concrete’)

- Avoid the tone of ‘standard operating procedures’. A commitment like ‘We provide fast delivery within 1 day in 90% of visits’ is

of no interest to a customer.



Service standards are concrete:

> Keep the language straightforward, avoiding unnecessary reservations. Avoid words and phrases like:

• not, never (use positive wording)• always (for this is virtually equivalent to a commitment)• average, in most cases (does not relate to a commitment

to an individual customer)• with the exception of, on the condition that, unless (it

ceases to be a commitment)• we attempt, we strive (a commitment is more than a well

intentioned attempt)


Service standards also for the staff


methaphor


What management does when customers don’t get what they are promised?

1) Preventing - with good functioning, citizen driven service standards - is preferable above adjusting afterwards:

• Celebrate successes and confirm in this way the values of the public administration

• Monitoring so you can convince staff with objective figures

• Discuss the results in the staff meetings, with a special focus on the role of middle management

2) If there is a structural problem:

• Look closer to operational processes

• Decline the level of ambition (which is a sign of organisational poverty)


Customer driven service delivery


example

Do service standards help?

The Netherlands:

87% of citizens positive to very positive

UK:

using the Charter Mark tool 5% increase in satisfaction rates


Customer satisfaction measurement


Customer driven citizen charters: gathering knowledge of customerneeds

You are asked because of your experience. For that reason you are an expert. These questions serve to result in information to improve services.

Questions for individual citizens/customers:

1. What service did you get?2. How probably it is you speak very positive about the service to a colleague, a relative or a friend (on the scale 0 – 10 ; 0 not likely – 10 very likely)3. Could you motivate the score? What could be done better? Or: What did you appreciate?4. Thanks for participating


Sercive standards: examples • If you do not have an appointment, the waiting time will be a maximum of

5 minutes. We try to make the waiting time in the public hall as pleasant as possible. Tea is available free of charge while you wait.

• We will answer your letter within 7 working days. The letters you receive from us will be in clear and easy to understand language

• In case of a complaint we will contact you within 2 days and make an appointment about the follow up

Filing a complaint report at the police station (theft, act of violence):• We will safeguard your privacy: you can file your report in a separate

room• The police will telephone you within 30 days to keep you informed of the

results of the investigation arising from your complaint report


Implementation plan

Six Steps to a Citizen Charter with Service Standards

1. Decide to implement a citizen charter

2. Draft a set of customer driven set of service standards

3. Consult staff about service standards

4. Write a citizen charter with all information relevant for customers and do the testing.

5. Publish in style

6. Control: monitoring, registration and accountability


Five Hearts Rule: sincerecareful, patientl, attentive, wholeharted



A) Inventory of needs of citizens and entrepreneurs concerning public service delivery

D) Service delivery:- good quality / effective- procedural justice- empathic attitude and behaviour- transparency of supply (service standards) - cost efficiënt

Management of expectation: transparent communicating of client oriented service standards

E) Higher satisfaction for customers and more confidence in public administrations

Other instruments of conduct of business like- monitoring- optimizing processes e.g. lean - informal approach- channels strategy - digitalisation - implementation of information infrastructure (ICT)

B) Collect qualitative information on needs: - webcare/social media,- Net Promotor Score (NPS)- focus group- measuring of customer satisfaction - (front desk) interviews

Culture in organisations: thinking from living world and needs of customers (mindset)

C) Conduct of business

Service delivery based on needs of customers (citizens and entrepreneurs): mindset

Last but not least: personal effectiveness

The Toltecs with ‘the four agreements’ :

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Don’t take anything personal

3. Don’t make assumptions

4. Always do your best


Questions?


frank faber november 4 2012

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