We built this model from our knowledge that excellent customer service brings:
- a better company performance overall
- higher profits (getting more out of the resources you put in)
- more trust from your customers – so they keep coming back
- reduced costs per customer
- a better reputation – and so more customer referrals
- happier staff and an improvement in turnover
- a better reputation
We believe that world-class service depends on a customer-focused strategy that leads to:
- a customer-centred culture
- people performing well
- efficient technology and processes
How do I achieve world-class service?
To deliver world-class service, you need to keep three things in mind:
- strategy and culture
- people
- processes
You can see from the model below that we’ve broken these factors into six elements. Achieving high levels of performance in each will mean that your organisation is delivering world-class service.
Strategy & Culture has two elements:
Commitment - Service quality is a key corporate value, with associated goals, action programmes, measurement and top-level accountabilities
Credibility - Promises are kept and superb service recovery systems are in place.
People has two elements:
Capability - People are recruited and developed against competencies that give high priority to customer-focused attitudes
Continuity - Retention, reward and recognition strategies focus on world-class service delivery
Processes has two elements:
Consistency - Processes are designed from a customer’s viewpoint and are consistently delivered
Creativity - Continuous improvement and innovation are nurtured and encouraged to flourish
What type of organisation does the Model apply to?
The ICS Model for World-Class Service is generic in character, its design having been informed by the ICS Breakthrough Research Programme plus evidence and thinking from a global range of authorities embracing both academic research and the ‘secrets’ gleaned from many state-of-the-art enterprises.
Whilst its language may seem to favour larger companies, its principles apply equally to large and small organisations, sole traders or the self-employed; and to the public, private or third sectors whether the delivery channel is traditional or e-service. So, we encourage you to interpret it as being applicable to all sizes and types of organisation.
The word "customer" is used deliberately though organisations sometimes substitute "passengers", "users", “patients”, "clients", "consumers", “citizens”, “members” etc. – that’s their preference but we prefer “customer”.
Whilst designed predominantly for organisations in the United Kingdom and Ireland and their offshored operations, the ICS Model is global in coverage and should need little amendment to fit local conditions.
How do we use the ICS Model for World-Class Service?
The six elements are stated as principles and not as rigid operational practices because we recognise that contingent factors help to determine how any organisation implements the ICS Model and gives it flesh.
In effect, the ICS Model for World-Class Service is an artist’s palette. Within this framework, it is up to you to deploy the resources on your palette to optimal effect.
The ICS Model for World-Class Service is both prescriptive – because its achievement is essential for superior customer service – and permissive – because the manner of its specific application gives opportunity for corporate choice.
To maximise benefit from the ICS Model for World-Class Service, all three dimensions of Strategy & Culture, People and Processes must be tackled holistically because if you:
- emphasise strategy & culture, but ignore people and processes: Cynicism is inevitable as people see the gap between the strategy/culture ‘recipe’ and behaviours that are actually condoned or, even worse, rewarded. Processes are likely to be constructed around what suits the business rather than the needs of the customer.
- concentrate on people, but give low priority to strategy & culture or processes: In the absence of any strategic leadership, people will be left rudderless, perhaps ‘doing their best’ but without any co-ordinated idea of what is meant by ‘best’.
- devote disproportionate resources to processes, but ignore strategy & culture and people: Processes cannot deliver exceptional service on their own because they seldom incorporate any meaningfully emotional ingredient. Also, processes depend on people – to design them, to maintain them, to operate them. More often than not, process designers make incorrect assumptions about the intelligence and motivation of customers.
ICS takes the view that Strategy & Culture, People and Processes are all inter-related. All have to be addressed, integrated, updated and constantly reviewed to continue to meet the needs of the business, its customers, its stakeholders and its competitive environment. If the three elements are aligned to each other, then a multiplier effect comes into operation, with output being greater than the sum of the individual contributions. Where they are not aligned, a divider effect is unavoidable, with investment in any single ingredient yielding a much lower return than could have been expected.
How can we implement the ICS Model for World-Class Service?
Work towards achievement of the standards by using our specially designed diagnostic tool, ICS ServCheck.
You can see each of the individual Model Requirements by completing the online example survey.