Guidelines on Quality Counter / Customer Services
A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption of our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider to our business. He is a part of it. We are not doing him a favour by serving him. He is doing us a favour by giving us an opportunity to do so. Mahatma Gandhi
C o n t e n t s Page No Importance of Counter / Customer Services 5 In Front of Counter 7 - Easy accessibility - Directional Signs - Waiting Area - Notice Boards / Magazines Racks - Queuing System - Calling System At the Counter 10 - Pre-Counter Activities - Good Habits/Bad Habits Behind the Counter 13 - Management Role - Establishing a Customer Driver Strategy - Setting of Performance Standards - Manpower Management - Systems and Work Procedures - Role of Support Staff Are You Delivering a Quality Service? 18
Customer services 1. I M P O RTANCE OF COUNTER / CUSTOMER SERV I C E S Good public service delivery leads to satisfied customers, job satisfaction for public officers and promotes a positive image of public organizations. Ministries / Departments need to improve their service delivery provided to citizens and businesses in terms of quality, timeliness and courtesy. It is therefore imperative to renew efforts to sustain quality Counter/Customer Services so as to meet the growing expectations of citizens and businesses. These guidelines aim at assisting public sector organizations to constantly improve their Counter/Customer Services. A Counter/Customer Service is a front-line service where customers deal with public officers and are provided with various types of services such as issue of licenses, permits passports, identity cards, and civil status certificates. The impression one gets from a Counter/Customer Service is thus of crucial importance as it reflects the efficiency and effectiveness of the organisation which are perceived through the attitude of front-line officers, the response time and the services delivered. Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 5
To offer quality Counter/Customer Services, an integrated approach needs to be adopted as follows: in front of the Counter - where customers wait for services at the counter - where services are delivered behind the counter - where support services are provided. I don t want to stand in endless queues, filling out incomprehensible forms and coming back after lunch! You see my needs are simple. All I want is RESULTS. Give me results and I am a happy tax-paying citizen. Views of a Citizen 6 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services 2 IN FRONT OF THE COUNTER Members of the public should be provided with appropriate and adequate facilities that lead them to the Counter such as: Easy Accessibility As far as possible, Counter/Customer Services should be centrally located. Directional Signs Clear Directional Signs should be visible and give directions regarding location and type of services offered. Waiting Area The waiting area should be kept clean, we l l - ventilated and equipped with comfortable visitor s chairs. Notice Boards / Magazines Racks Whenever possible light reading materials should be provided. Information regarding the various types of services offered and Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 7
Guideslines on Quality Counter requirements to benefit from the services should be clearly stated in the Citizen s/customer Charters and Notice Boards. Queuing System Queues should be streamlined to avoid discomfort and dissatisfaction of customers. The queuing system adopted should take into account the arrival rate of customers, waiting facilities, area available and crowd management techniques. Depending on the type of services offered, the most a p p ropriate queuing system can be adopted from the following : one queue for one service counter one queue for multiple counters offering a similar service multiple queues for multiple counters imparting similar services multiple queues for multiple counters providing various services Calling System To reduce long queues at the counter and ensure a fair treatment to all customers, one can have recourse to a Calling System whereby customers remain seated after they have been allocated a number. These numbers can be issued through electronic machines or from a counter at the entrance. 8 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services If the Calling System is adopted, it is important that seats be installed as appropriate in waiting areas to enable customers to see clearly the numbers displayed at the Counter or to hear the numbers being called by the counter staff. Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it. It is what the client or customer gets out of it. Peter Drucker Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 9
Guideslines on Quality Counter 3. AT THE COUNTER At the Counter, quality services should be delivered in a professional manner. Enquiry Counters should be easily accessible and be equipped with appropriate forms, guidelines and pamphlets regarding services provided. Officers posted at the Counters should be knowledgeable about the activities of the organization and be in a position to p roperly channel and advise members of the public accordingly. Pre-Counter Activities Prior to the opening of the Counter, it is essential to ensure that the following pre-counter activities be carried out before the start of each day for the smooth delive ry of serv i c e s : The availability at the Counter of documents such as application forms, explanatory notes, information sheets, b ro c h u res, etc. in adequate quantity That all equipment and date stamps are in good work i n g o rd e r The working environment of the Counter is clean and all lights are switched on That the waiting area and queuing area are clean That the Counter is opened at specific times. The officer at the Counter should be present at least ten minutes before the Counter is opened. He / She should be smartly dre s s e d and wear nametags for easy identification by customers. 10 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services GOOD HABITS BAD HABITS Be punctual Ha ve someone re p l a c e oneself at the Counter in case of lateness Maintain a smart and neat appearance Re c e i ve customers pleasantly Smile and make customers feel at ease Arriving late behind the Counter or making people wait before opening the Counter Dress inappropriately when on duty at the Counter Not greeting members of the public Offer a seat when appropriate Be polite and courteous at all times Always be ready to help and assist Maintain the same positive attitude with each and every customer If the service is not d e l i ve red at the Counter, re d i rect customers to the respective schedule officers Listen with empathy and pay attention Being rude to customers (for e.g. an unkind remark or a nasty look) Di scrimina te amongst customers Challenge, argue, scold or ill-treat customers even if they do not fill in forms a p p ropriately or forget important documents G i ve i n c o r r e c t a n d inaccurate information Read, eat, drink, speak and laugh loudly Mi n i s t ry of Civil Se rvice and Ad m i n i s t ra t i ve Re f o rm s 11
Guideslines on Quality Counter Good habits - cont d Refrain from interrupting customers Gi ve customers re l e va n t, sufficient and re l i a b l e information Look at customers when speaking Always say please and thank you Be patient as well as open to suggestions and comments Guide customers in filling forms Inform customers politely if they fill forms incorrectly or fail to bring the necessary documents Open additional Counters or extend Counter Service time, if required Keep a professional and high standard work i n g atmosphere Always say goodbye and ensure that customers are satisfied when they leave. Bad habits - cont d Make customers wait at the Counter by conversing or talking for a long time over the telephone while dealing with customers A l l ow customers t o wait too long without acceptable reasons Mi s d i recting customers to other sections or misunderstanding people s specific requirements. It takes only one negative attitude on the team to alienate a customer, and we cannot afford that. 12 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services 4. BEHIND THE COUNTER Management Role Management should ensure the development of human resources so as to enable front-line officers to deliver an excellent Counter Service. The adoption of the following four principles help to achieve a quality Counter/ Customer Service: Establishing a Customer Driven Strategy Setting of Performance Standards Manpower Management Improving Systems and Work Procedures. Establishing a Customer - Driven Strategy This principle takes into account the specific needs of customers in designing an efficient and effective service. Some examples of customer-driven strategies are: One Stop Counters One Stop Counters centralize all Counter/Customer Services provided by several Ministries/Departments at one place. This enables members of the public and businesses to obtain various services provided by Ministries/Departments at these Counters and saves them from going from place to place. Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 13
Guideslines on Quality Counter Decentralisation of Services As far as possible, Counter/Customer Services should be decentralized and located at branch or mobile offices so as to be close to customers, easily accessible and more convenient. Extending of service time at counters Efforts should be made for Counters to be open when a large number of customers are expected to be free, that is before the actual opening time of most offices and after office hours, during lunch time and on Saturdays. One Stop Bill Payment Centre T h rough these One Stop Bill Payment Centre s, customers are able to pay various types of bills at one place and do not need to go to several places to settle their bills. They thus save on time, cost and effort. Enquiry Services through telephone/internet Phone enquiries and queries through e-mails should be treated with due diligence and answered efficiently in a timely manner. Queries can be efficiently handled through computer databases where updated records can be easily accessed to provide accurate information whenever required. Setting of Performance Standards Performance standards should be set by management and monitored to ensure that services delivered are according to expected standards. 14 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services The publication of organization s Citizen s/customer Charter will keep customers informed of services provided, standards expected and what is expected from the organization from them. The use of an effective Feedback and Complaints Mechanism will enable citizens to evaluate the performance of the services provided and express their complaints, suggestions and expectation. Feedback can be obtained through: Suggestion Box/emails Customer Feedback Form Customer Surveys Manpower Management In order to achieve a quality Counter/Customer Service, it is important that counter staff be properly selected, trained and retrained. They should have a pleasant personality and be emotionally stable when dealing with all types of customers. An adequate number of staff should be provided in relation to the workload. Their knowledge and skills should be enhanced through focussed training in Customer Care and they should be provided with adequate guidelines to assist them in dealing with problems or make use of their better judgement when required. Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 15
Guideslines on Quality Counter Human Resource Development should be carried out through: training programs aimed at producing quality personnel prior to their placement in-house training conducting of motivational programs for staff, for example by establishing communication betwe e n counter staff and management to discuss problems faced and devise ways to resolve these immediately establishing of a job rotation system so as to expose staff to various areas to improve their skills and knowledge. Systems and Work Procedures Im p rovements in systems and work pro c e d u re s contribute tow a rds the upgrading of the quality of Counter/Customer Services. Short procedures, easy directives, updated and simple forms that do not confuse customers are called for logical work processes and a conducive work environment assist in the smooth delivery of customer-friendly and timely services. Improvements related to systems and procedures may include: forms which are well designed, easy to fill, and accompanied by clear guidelines Collection, storage, analysis and distribution of information through an efficient Ma n a g e m e n t Information Systems 16 Administrative Reforms Division
Customer services guidelines on procedures, work directives and check list of duties to be readily available Optimal use of office equipment and f u r n i t u re to maintain the quality of daily work. Role of Support Staff Support from staff is very important to ensure the success of the provision of Quality Counter / Customer Services. In order to upgrade and maintain the quality of such services, support staff behind the counter should: Strive to improve their skills and knowledge in carrying out their daily responsibilities Live up to the performance standards expected to ensure that service provided is always up to the standard abide to the directives and guidelines which have been prepared by the management practise an excellent work culture submit views and proposals to improve work environment especially where they are directly involved. Every process in the organization has a customer, and without a customer, a process has no purpose. Ministry of Civil Service and Administrative Reforms 17
Guideslines on Quality Counter 5. Are you delivering a Quality Service? Surveys have shown that customers determine service quality based on the following five major elements: Elements Timeliness Knowledge, competence Courtesy, comfort Fair treatment Outcome Survey measure Were you satisfied with the time it took to get the service? Staff were knowledgeable and competent. Staff were courteous and made me feel comfortable. I was treated fairly. In the end, did you get what you needed? End note to Remember: For a citizen, the public officer behind a counter is the organisation. The way the citizen is treated when applying for a service is the way he/she perceives public service delivery. Many improvements that the public would like to see often require no additional resources and can sometimes even reduce costs. For instance, a courteous and respectful greeting requires no financial investment. Improving Public Service Delivery is not a one-off exercise. It is an ongoing and dynamic process, because as standards are met, they must be progressively raised. 18 Administrative Reforms Division