International Service Excellence Awards

 

 

With customer expectations continually rising, the wider community is becoming aware of the value and role that Customer Service plays in achieving business success.

 

This highly demanding area is arguably the critical success factor for many organisations. For this reason it is important that the Customer Service Profession has its own international awards to recognise, promote and reward excellence, professionalism and outstanding achievement.

 

Judging Criteria and Award Submission Guidelines

The following criteria highlights a number of key elements which should be present in each awards submission.  Whilst the judges will expect some information from each subject heading, this criteria is provided as a guide only.  Submissions should be no longer than 2500 words.  Applicants are required to provide four bound copies of their submission and one electronic copy.

 

Background

The company’s history, the past experiences of the proprietor, chief executive, managers and any key staff.

 

Products

Any special products or services developed distributed, manufactured or promoted by the company – and how these products or services, are marketed and sold.  How the effective design of products and services make good customer service possible.

 

Company Philosophy

The aim and vision of the company, particularly with regard to customer service, risk taking, research and Quality.

 

Management and Leadership

What management techniques are used, a look at employee relations and the managerial style of the company.  What is the mission, philosophy or guiding principle that directs your approach to customer service?  What is done at all levels to develop and promote this approach?  Comment on the degree of organisation-wide commitment to Customer Service.

 

What strategies exist to promote communication both internal and external, between staff and customers, up and down and between functional groups, to ensure sharing of common information, new ideas and feedback?  How does the organisation communicate about itself to the general community.

 

How is the vision for Total Quality Service articulated and motivation for continuous improvement maintained.

 

Information and Analysis

What Customer Service research is undertaken by your organisation?  How are the current requirements of customers identified?  What research is undertaken to predict the future needs of customers?

 

How benchmarks were obtained and set.  What reporting systems were required.  How planning was important to your overall success.  What performance indicators have been set and monitored.  How is data collected and disseminated.  How are your management and business practices supported by fact based measurement systems.

 

People

What training and development programs exist to drive development in Customer Service at all levels of the organisation?  How does the organisation recognise and reward staff in relation to Customer Service.

 

How has the workforce been involved in developing strategies for success.  What areas were identified by employees to improve the company’s operations.  Is the workforce committed to excellence.  How have improvement teams been formed and momentum maintained.  How was training used to change workplace culture and build awareness.

 

Problem Solving

 

A look at the problems associated with the introduction of a Total Customer Satisfaction philosophy and how these challenges were overcome.  What have been the costs and benefits of your experience.

 

Innovation and Improvement

 

What systems and processes exist to promote ongoing Customer Service improvement across the organisation? 

What processes exist to optimise employee participation in the development of excellence in Customer Service?  How is quality promoted?  How are standards maintained and improved?  What system improvements have occurred to support people delivering service?

 

It would be great to include examples of actual or planned innovations to improve Customer Service.  The examples could be used to demonstrate some special characteristics of your organisation.

 

Responsiveness

 

How does the organisation encourage, process and use customer and employee feedback?  What recovery mechanisms and authority do staff have to solve customer problems?

 

Customer Satisfaction and Results

 

How does the current performance of your organisation compare with its history and other similar organisations?  Supporting evidence of customer satisfaction with the goods and services provided by your organisation would enhance your chapter.  This could be in the form of anecdotes, examples or even statistical analysis.  Evidence that shows the process of improvement over time would be useful.

 

Philosophy

Your company’s philosophy on success, excellence and world class performance.

 

INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMER SERVICE STANDARD

The criteria for the International Service Excellence Awards is based on the International Customer Service Standard (ICSS), which provides a comprehensive and practical framework to assist organisations deliver consistently high levels of service.

 

ICSS focuses on four key components necessary to maintain the alignment through a cause and effect relationship and balance between 'passion' and 'process':

 

  • Service perspective

  •  

  • Financial perspective

  •  

  • Operational perspective

  •  

  • Learning and growth perspective

 

ICSS applies equally to government, not-for-profit and for-profit organisations of all sizes and across industry. Organisations seeking to maximise the value of their customer relationships should apply the ICSS framework to their business operations.

 

Organisations applying in each of the award categories will be asked to demonstrate to the Award judges:

 

1. Approach to each of the attributes outlined in the

   International Customer

   Service Standard

2. The breadth and depth of the deployment of each approach

3. Results flowing from the approach and deployment

4. The level of involvement of customers in the strategic

    decision making of the

    organisation

5. Evidence of continuous review and improvement against the

    Standard's criteria

 

The International Customer Service Standard (ICSS) can be obtained by emailing  info@iccso.org

 

 The Judging Committee consists of representative senior business and public sector people actively involved in the customer service profession.

 

The key stages that the international  judging committee undertakes in the evaluation process for each category are:

  •  Individual evaluation of submissions by members of the judging committee and finalists are selected;

  • Site visits by a judging panel including at least one ICSS licensed assessor is carried out on each finalist to clarify elements of the submission by auditing it against the ICSS criteria;

  • Judging Committee reviews results and selects winners, high commendations and encouragement awards in each Country. Finalists are invited to make a two hour presentation to the international national judging committee and must also be prepared to answer questions;

  • International Award winners, high commendations and encouragement awards selected.

If you are a customer service organisation and you would like to join the International Council of Customer Service Organisations or if you would like to nominate your organisation or a colleague for an International Service Excellence Award please contact us by emailing info@iccso.org