Evaluating the quality of services

1. Evaluating the quality of services Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

2. Objective • To expose participants to: • the purpose of evaluations • their basic framework and methodology • to enable participants to conduct evaluations of MDAs themselves as well as facilitate SERVICOM evaluations Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

3. Overview • The SERVICOM Index • Scoring the Index • Evaluation process • Scheduling visits • Preparatory work Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

4. The SERVICOM Compliance Evaluation • Assessment of service frontlines for quality of service, by measuring their compliance with SERVICOM standards • The SERVICOM Index is the tool used for conducting evaluations • The Federal Executive Council (FEC) adopted and launched the SERVICOM Index on July 1, 2005 Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

5. The SERVICOM Index • A yardstick for measuring the quality of services by Government through its various Ministries, departments, parastatals and agencies • Based on the facts that: • the ultimate purpose of governance is to serve citizens • Citizens have the right to be served right • service is well delivered only when citizens are satisfied • the Federal Government’s commitment to the provisions of SERVICOM as programme to improve service delivery thought the country • Its score is a weighted average of the scores of the service frontlines of an MDA Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

6. Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Customer satisfaction is the overriding consideration of service delivery and is broadly driven by five “drivers” which are given different weightings in the evaluation: Staff Attitude 12% Service Delivery Professionalism 30% 16% Information Timeliness 18% 24% Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

7. …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Service Delivery Most important to customers Ultimately, customers are prepared to put up with failures in other areas provided that the eventual result is satisfactory. Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

8. …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Timeliness 2nd in importance to customers Indicates the dislike customers have for delayed service Waiting can be grouped into three dimensions: The initial wait The overall wait The number of times the customer has to contact the organization to achieve service Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

9. …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Information Indicates the importance of keeping the customer informed Needs to be a two-way process Basic considerations include: Accuracy of information Comprehensiveness Frequently updating the customer about the progress Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

10. …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Professionalism Emphasizes the importance customers place on well-trained staff and the quality of service The consideration here is getting optimum value for money Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

11. …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Staff Attitude Indicates that customers place great importance on how they are received and treated by staff of the organization Basic considerations include Polite and friendly staff How sympathetic/empathetic staff are to customer needs Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

12. Each Driver is composed of Critical Elements. Each Critical Element has several Criteria. Each Criterion has Aspects . . . which are each assessed …Structure of the SERVICOM Index: Indicators Service Delivery Standards and performance Reception experience Grievance redress Sets standards for main areas of activity Y N Standards are set for all main services provided by the organisation Sets standards for customer care  Monitor performance Standards take account of national or statutory standards  Performs well Explains poor performance Standards reflect local priorities  Acts to remedy poor performance Standards are challenging, precise, measurable and realistic.  Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

13. Scoring the Index Each of the criteria must be given a rating from 0 to 4, based on: 4 – all aspects of these criteria are covered 3 – most aspects are covered but more could be done 2 – some important aspects are not covered and there is a lot more to be done to satisfy the requirement of these criteria 1 – very little has been done to satisfy the requirement 0 – nothing has been done e.g. scoring complaints procedure Y N There is a written procedure Procedure identifies to whom complaints should be sent   Easily accessible, easy to use   Procedure guarantees investigation & resolution Procedure has time limits for response  Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

14. Scoring evidence No element can be scored above 0 without supporting evidence. Supporting evidence may be obtained from: D - Documents – e.g. survey reports, records of meetings, business plans C - Discussions with Customers S - Discussions with Staff P - Discussions with Partners O - Observation – What the evaluator sees R - Research e.g. Websites Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

15. Evaluation process Pre – Evaluation: Desk research Identification of relevant service windows to evaluate (Scoping) Authorization letter Document review Preparation of questionnaire Mystery shopping During Evaluation: Meeting with Management Administration of questionnaire to staff, customers and partners Observation Exit meeting Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

16. …Evaluation process Post-Evaluation Analysis of data Scoring Write report Meeting with Nodal Officer Forwarding of report to management Official presentation of report to MDA Request for Service Improvement Plan (SIP) Quick re-evaluation survey Posting of report on SERVICOM website: www.servenigeria.com Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

17. Document review Interviews with Staff Who will . . . Preparatory tasks …develop tools for - Site visit tasks Observation Interviews with Customers …lead activity on day - Consolidate Index scores Prioritise recommendations Write up report Prepare presentation Post visit tasks Scheduling visits & Preparatory work Working as a team – who does what? • Organise site visit • Authorisation from relevant people • Logistics & time management • Arrange meetings & interviewees • Agree facilities required Desk research Pre-visit tasks Discussions with partners Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

18. Basic methodology for evaluating Document review Many of the Aspects and Criteria in the Index ask whether a service window has: procedures or systems in place records for complaints waiting times if general services are being kept up to date These kinds of questions can only be evaluated by seeing documentary evidence Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

19. …Basic methodology for evaluating Interviews with Customer, Staff & Partners Objective Comprehensive Probing and precise Don’t be tempted to simply hand out questionnaires for people to fill out themselves. Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

20. Questionnaire Sample question 3. Here is a list of reasons why customers might find it difficult to reach this service. Which ones do customers face here? 12B1 Yes No • Are there physical obstacles to getting service? [ ] [ ] 12B2 • Are there bureaucratic obstacles to getting service? [ ] [ ] 12B2 • Are office hours convenient for customers? [ ] [ ] 12C1 Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

21. …Basic methodology for evaluating Observation Items to be observed and assessed at the service window by: the whole team and its general impressions of the visit (e.g. cleanliness of the reception area) a dedicated officer to minimise the risk of the team forgetting to assess certain items and having to rely on guesswork or patchy memories after the visit Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

22. Observation Checklist Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

23. Using the checklist A reference is provided to help understand which Critical Element in the Index each Aspect is related to. For example, the reference 41E2 refers to the second Aspect, under Criterion E, Critical Element 1, Driver 4. Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

24. …Basic methodology for evaluating Analysis of data Writing of report Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

25. Conclusion The SERVICOM Index as a yardstick for measuring the quality of public services is a veritable tool for ensuring and sustaining high quality service delivery, devoid of inefficiency and corruption and which will ensure effective implementation of government policies. Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State

26. Activity • Use the customer questionnaire • Interview 1 customer of the training venue • Using the observation checklist to carry out an assessment of the training venue • Present how you went about conducting the interviews • What were the challenges faced? • How did you overcome them? Capacity Building Workshop for SERVICOM Officers in Delta State