Understanding and Improving Customer Focus How customer focus can help sustain and grow your organisation Module 2: Customer Focus Self-Assessment Last updated: December 2013

For more information and details on support available visit the clearinghouse website at www.communitydoor.org.au/SectorReadiness

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Understanding and Improving Customer Focus: Program Overview How do we market our services more effectively?

How do we build a sustainable business in a time of significant industry change?

How do we ensure our customers are satisfied?

How do we ensure we’re delivering the services our customers need?

How do we help customers choose the right provider for them?

These are just some of the questions posed by disability service providers as the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), one of the most significant social changes in recent Australian history, is introduced. For people with permanent and significant disability, their families and carers, the NDIS provides greater choice over the care and services they receive, and shifts purchasing power from the government to consumers. For disability providers, the NDIS will result in a move to a competitive open market. Providers will need to market their services and work hard to attract and retain clients. They will need to carefully balance the achievement of missional objectives, whilst ensuring the sustainability of their business. Disability providers are being supported to make this shift via a series of modules on Understanding and Improving Customer Focus as part of the Sector Readiness and Workforce Capacity Initiative. These modules will help providers gain insight into their clients’ needs and ensure that all aspects of the business (e.g. strategy, marketing, customer service, human resources, finance and operations) are aligned to deliver on this. The program includes the following four modules: Module

Description

Delivery

1 - Introduction to Customer Focus

Introduction and overview of the importance of customer focus in a competitive market environment

December 2013

2 - Customer Focus SelfAssessment

Understanding the current extent of customer focus in your organisation

December 2013

3 - Understanding Your Customers

Gathering deep insights into your customers, their needs and drivers

February 2013

4 - Developing Strategies to Build a CustomerFocused Organisation

Practical steps to help your organisation become customer-focused

March 2013

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Module 2: Customer Focus Self-Assessment Module Objective This module is designed to support disability service providers to assess the current level of customer focus in their organisation. By critically evaluating the current situation important gaps in customer focus can be identified, laying the foundation for future action. In addition, areas of strength can be acknowledged and built upon. At the conclusion of this module, providers will have: • • • •

Commenced the customer focus conversation across their organisation Engaged key stakeholders in the need to develop a customer-focused organisation Assessed their current level of customer focus across the four key elements (made up of 12 attributes) of customer focus Identified areas of strength and areas for improvement

Customer Focus Self-Assessment Overview The customer focus self-assessment on the following pages is based on the 3rdView Consulting approach to developing a customer-focused organisation What Makes a Customer-Focused Organisation?

Business Leadership 2. Our Leaders demonstrate their commitment to customers in the way they speak and behave

Strategy, Vision & Brand 1. We place the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition

3. We openly share customer stories in formal and informal communications

Business) Leadership)

4. We design business systems and processes to deliver on customer commitments

Customers

Employees

5. We actively engage customers in the design of products and services

9.

6. We develop a deep understanding of our customers and their unique needs

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

7. We critically evaluate the customer experience and seek to improve in areas that are important to our customers 8. We proactively seek customer feedback and share it with our people

We actively encourage our people to engage with customers and understand their experiences

10. We consciously design our structure, roles and responsibilities to ensure a focus on customers 11. We carefully recruit people who are passionate about customers

Customers)

Employees)

12. We generously reward and recognise our people based on their commitment to customers www.3rdView.com.au

Diagram 1: Approach to developing a customer-focused organisation

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Diagram 1 features four key Elements that must be aligned to create a customer-focused business: • • • •

Strategy, Vision & Brand Business Leadership Employees Customers

Each of these elements is supported by Attributes that demonstrate and define the level of customer focus displayed. The 12 attributes, and the element that they support, are outlined in the table below.

Element

Attributes

Strategy, Vision & Brand

1. We place the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition

Business Leadership

2. Our Leaders demonstrate their commitment to customers in the way they speak and behave 3. We openly share customer stories in formal and informal communications 4. We design business systems and processes to deliver on customer commitments

Customer

5. We actively engage customers in the design of products and services 6. We develop a deep understanding of customers and their unique needs 7. We critically evaluate the customer experience and seek to improve in areas that are important to our customers 8. We proactively seek customer feedback and share it with our people

Employees

9. We actively encourage our people to engage with customers and understand their experiences 10. We consciously design our structure, roles and responsibilities to ensure a focus on customers 11. We carefully recruit people who are passionate about customers 12. We generously reward and recognise people based on their commitment to customers

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Customer Focus Self-Assessment Instructions The following pages contain the self-assessment tool that is the starting point for a conversation about customer focus in your organisation. The conversation should be conducted as an open and collaborative exercise, taking the opportunity to discuss the 12 customer focus attributes with your Board, Senior Management team, Leaders, Employees and Customers. This conversation will provide important perspectives on your organisation, whilst engaging key stakeholders in your customer focus journey. The example below illustrates the types of evidence that you will be looking for.

Element that the attribute supports

Attribute

Examples of evidence of the attribute. Look for both the existence and quality of evidence. Guidance on who to engage, where you can observe the attribute and where you might find documented evidence Self-assessment rating – if in doubt be conservative Sample Self-Assessment sheet

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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The self-assessment tool has been designed to scale up and down for different sized organisations from micro to large. As a result, there may be roles, systems and documentation that don’t exist as standalone parts of your organisation. In the majority of cases, there should still be evidence of each of the attributes, even if it is only a small part or subsection of another role, system or document. Consideration should be given to the extent of the evidence available. Intermittent examples demonstrate intent, however to be truly customer-focused there should be consistent evidence of each attribute across a range of data points. After a thorough exploration of the extent to which your organisation demonstrates the attribute, an assessment should be made. Again, this is most effective when completed as part of a conversation, ensuring that key stakeholders are committed to the rating. This self-assessment forms the basis of future strategy development and action planning within the Understanding and Improving Customer Focus Program.

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

Page |7 Business) Leadership)

1. We place the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Vision, Strategy & Brand What evidence am I  Our vision and ‘reason for being’ are articulated in customer terms looking for?  The customer is referenced in our organisation’s strategy  Our strategy / business plan clearly identifies who our customers are, and how we add value to their lives  Our strategy is clearly informed by unique customer insights  There is clear evidence that the customer was deeply engaged in the development of our vision and strategy  Our brand / value proposition reflects the needs of our customers  Our strategy shows how we are uniquely positioned to support our customers needs  We emphasise the customer above internal objectives  The customer is central when we explain our strategy to others in presentations and meetings

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? Leaders Employees Customers

Where will I observe this Board meetings attribute in practice? Senior Management meetings Strategy presentations

Where will I find Organisation strategy / business plan documented evidence of Annual report this attribute? Internet and intranet site

Minutes of Board and Senior Management meetings Internal communications material – newsletters, presentations Induction and training materials

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

Page |8 Business) Leadership)

2. Our Leaders demonstrate our commitment to customers in the way they speak and behave

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Business Leadership What evidence am I  Our Board members, Senior Management and Leaders actively seek to engage with our customers looking for?  Our Board members, Senior Management and Leaders are often seen with customers  Leaders display genuine empathy for our customers  Customers are organisation

discussed

at

every

meeting

throughout

the

 Customer discussions are given priority on meeting agendas  Senior Management and Leaders ask about customers as a priority when speaking with employees  Senior Management and Leaders have a deep understanding of a number of our customers and their unique situations  Customer interactions take priority over internal activities  Customer successes are openly celebrated – their success is our success  Our customers feature strongly in our presentations and marketing material

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? Leaders Employees

Where will I observe this Board, Senior Management and team meetings attribute in practice? One-to-One discussions between Leaders and employees Everyday interactions throughout the workplace

Where will I find Communications from Leaders documented evidence of Internal communications material – newsletters, presentations this attribute? Induction and training material

On posters and information displayed in workstations and common areas Annual report

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

Page |9 Business) Leadership)

3. We openly share customer stories in formal and informal communications

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Business Leadership What evidence am I  Customer stories are shared openly throughout the organisation looking for?  Customer stories are used to celebrate success  Customer stories are used to improve service delivery  All employees can recount a range of customer stories to describe the value that the organisation brings to customers  Customer stories feature in external presentations by the Board and Senior Management  Customer stories are a key component communications material (e.g. newsletters)

of

our

internal

 Customer stories feature in marketing material, and are a core part of the sales process  Our customers can recount stories that demonstrate the value of our organisation  Our referral partners can recount stories that demonstrate the value of our organisation  Our suppliers can recount stories that demonstrate the value of our organisation

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees Where will I observe this Board, Senior Management and team meetings attribute in practice? One-to-One discussions between Leaders and employees Everyday interactions throughout the workplace Interactions with our customers

Where will I find Communications from Leaders documented evidence of Internal communications material – newsletters, presentations this attribute? Induction and training material

On posters and information displayed in workstations and common areas Annual report

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

P a g e | 10 Business) Leadership)

4. We design business systems and processes to deliver on customer commitments

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Business Leadership What evidence am I  Customers are engaged in the development of new systems and processes looking for?  We work with our customers to ensure our interactions are as simple and seamless as possible  We work with our customers to ensure our interactions meet their needs effectively  We have reviewed our finance system to ensure it aligns with our customer objectives  We have worked with customers to understand the effectiveness of our finance system from their perspective  We have reviewed our technology strategy and systems to ensure they align with our customer objectives  We have worked with customers to understand the effectiveness of our technology systems from their perspective  We have reviewed our people strategy and systems (e.g. rostering, service standards) to ensure they align with our customer objectives  We have worked with customers to understand the effectiveness of our people strategy and systems from their perspective  We seek direct feedback on the outputs of systems that affect our customers

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? Leaders

Employees Functional specialists

Where will I observe this Projects to review the effectiveness of business systems attribute in practice? Customer feedback surveys Interactions with our customers

Where will I find Process, policy and procedure manuals documented evidence of Induction materials and training manuals this attribute? Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

P a g e | 11 Business) Leadership)

5. We actively engage customers in the design of products and services

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Customer Connection What evidence am I  We use observations and insight to trigger new product and service ideas looking for?  Our frontline staff are a major source of new product and service ideas  Customers are consulted when we are designing new products and services  Customers are actively involved in designing new products and services  Customers participate in testing new products and services before they are released more broadly  If a new product or service isn’t attractive to our customers, we work with them to improve the design  We are interested in understanding what our customers think of our new product and service ideas  We continue to seek feedback from our customers after a new product or service has been implemented  We use the feedback from customers to ensure continuous improvement

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees Customers

Where will I observe this Meetings to discuss existing and/ or new products or services attribute in practice? Front-line interactions Where will I find Communications about new products and services documented evidence of Customer communications – seeking feedback on new products and this attribute? services Customer surveys and requests for feedback

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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6. We develop a deep understanding of our customers and their unique needs

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Customer Connection What evidence am I  We know which customers we are targeting, and which customers can be better serviced elsewhere looking for?  We have invested time to research our potential customers to understand their key needs and drivers  We have conducted observational research to seek to understand our customers holistically, not just during their interactions with us  We have identified segments within our target market that have different needs  We have tailored our services to meet the needs of our target market / segments, whilst retaining opportunities for personalisation  We share our insights about our customers with our staff  The insights we gain about our customers inform activities within our organisation  We regularly review our understanding of our customers to ensure we remain up-to-date and relevant  We actively seek to separate assumptions from fact, and continually seek the customer’s perspective on our services  We acknowledge the view of individual customers, but seek to understand the needs of other customers before making change

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees

Front-line customer facing staff Customers

Where will I observe this Marketing planning attribute in practice? Customer research

Interactions with our customers

Where will I find Marketing documents documented evidence of Customer segmentation model this attribute? Customer feedback and research data Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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7. We critically evaluate the customer experience and seek to improve in areas that are important to our customers

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Customer Connection What evidence am I  We understand the service experience that our customers are seeking from our organisation looking for?  We understand which aspects of the experience are most important to our customers and seek to ensure excellence in these areas  We are constantly looking for ways to extend or complement our current services to deliver improved customer outcomes  We have a clear process for our employees to follow when engaging with customers  Our customer service standards are clear and visible to our employees and our customers  Our customers are regularly asked to review our performance against our service standards  We have a clear process for gathering feedback on our customer experience  We measure our long-term relationships with our customers

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees

Customers Front-line customer facing staff

Where will I observe this Regular customer interactions attribute in practice? Customer meetings

Introductory meetings between employees and customers

Where will I find Customer service standards (agreed approach for customer interactions) documented evidence of Customer charter (commitment to customers) this attribute? Customer strategy documents

Customer touchpoint maps (diagrams showing the key interactions with our organisation, and the relative importance to customers) Customer experience maps (diagrams showing the physical and emotional dimensions of an interaction with our company) Business process documents

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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8. We proactively seek customer feedback and share it with our people

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Customer Connection What evidence am I  Complaints systems are available, visible and welcoming looking for?  Compliments systems are available, visible and welcoming  Complaints are acknowledged and handled promptly and efficiently  The outcome and resolution of a complaint is shared with the customer and relevant staff  All feedback is acknowledged and celebrated with both customers and employees  A number of different sources are used to actively gather customer feedback  A range of different media are monitored to identify indirect customer feedback  Time is taken to search for consistent themes in customer feedback, providing early warning of systemic issues  There is a clear process for discussion and reflection on feedback at all levels of our organisation  We have a culture of continuous improvement based on feedback

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees

Customers Front-line customer facing staff

Where will I observe this Interactions with our customers attribute in practice? Customer feedback meetings Team meetings

Where will I find Customer correspondence documented evidence of Customer feedback documentation (complaints and compliments) this attribute? Complaints policies and procedures Customer feedback guidelines and approaches Internal communications – magazines, newsletters

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

P a g e | 15 Business) Leadership)

9. We actively encourage our people to engage with customers and understand their experiences

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Engaged Employees What evidence am I  Employees are expected to take regular opportunities to interact with customers that visit our premises looking for?  Regular offsite customer visits are actively encouraged  Learnings from customer visits are discussed at regular team meetings  Customer interaction is considered to be a key indicator of performance  Employees seek to empathise with customers – finding ways to ‘walk in their shoes’  Employees take the time to learn more about our customers in every interaction (face to face, or remotely)  Our employees take the time to listen to our customers and understand their world, rather than seeking to make them understand ours

Who can provide Senior Management information on this Leaders attribute? Employees Customers

Where will I observe this One-to-One discussions between Leaders and employees attribute in practice? Everyday interactions throughout the workplace Interactions with our customers

Where will I find Customer service policies and procedures documented evidence of Customer service training modules this attribute? Customer records Employee performance review records

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

P a g e | 16 Business) Leadership)

10. We consciously design our structure, roles and responsibilities to ensure a focus on customers

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Engaged Employees What evidence am I  Accountability / ownership of customer outcomes is clearly defined and communicated looking for?  Customers are clearly identified as everyone’s responsibility  All employees can articulate how they contribute to delivering customer outcomes  All position descriptions reference internal and external customers  All position descriptions explain how the role contributes to customer outcomes  A customer advocate or independent customer feedback mechanism features in our organisation structure  It is clear to customers who to contact if they have a concern  It is clear to customers and staff how, and when, customer concerns should be escalated

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? Leaders HR Specialists Employees Customers

Where will I observe this Board, Senior Management and team meetings attribute in practice? One-to-one discussions between Leaders and employees Everyday interactions throughout the workplace Annual performance reviews

Where will I find Organisational charts documented evidence of Position descriptions and job titles this attribute? Annual performance review documents

Personal / professional development plans

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

P a g e | 17 Business) Leadership)

11. We carefully recruit people who are passionate about customers

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Engaged Employees What evidence am I  Customer service and customer focus are emphasised in all recruitment advertising looking for?  The value that the organisation provides to customers is included in all recruitment advertising  Customer service and customer focus excellence are key criteria to determine candidate short lists  Interviewers seek examples of customer service and customer focus excellence from candidates  A lack of customer focus from a candidate immediately disqualifies them from joining the organisation  The recruitment and selection process demonstrates to candidates the empathy and care that we show to our customers

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? HR Specialists Leaders Employees

Where will I observe this Development of position descriptions attribute in practice? Recruitment interviews

Throughout the recruitment and selection process

Where will I find Position descriptions documented evidence of Interview guides this attribute? Recruitment policies and procedures Recruitment advertisements

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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12.

We generously reward and recognise our people for their commitment to customers

Strategy,) Vision)&) Brand)

Customers)

Employees)

Element Engaged Employees What evidence am I  Team and individual rewards include recognition for customer service and customer focus looking for?  Customer service excellence is acknowledged quickly and publicly  Positive customer feedback is shared openly and widely  Customer service and customer focus are included in all individual reward and incentive programs  Cross organisation awards recognise outstanding customer service and customer focus  Commitment to customers is rewarded above all other attributes  Customer service excellence is recognised and rewarded in newsletters and marketing material  Customer service excellence is recognised by the Board and Senior Management

Who can provide Board information on this Senior Management attribute? Leaders HR Specialists Employees

Where will I observe this Everyday interactions throughout the workplace attribute in practice? Team meetings Awards programs and ceremonies Annual performance reviews

Where will I find Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) / Key Result Areas (KRAs) documented evidence of Awards programs this attribute? Financial and non-financial reward programs Annual performance review documents

Our organisation displays this Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Self-Assessment Summary Activity Completed During the self-assessment you should have: • • • •

Engaged key stakeholders to discuss each of the 12 customer focus attributes Observed a broad range of activities, meetings and interactions to gather supporting evidence of customer focus behaviours Gathered supporting evidence of customer focus commitment from a range of internal and external documents Agreed the self-assessment rating for each attribute

Once this process is complete, each of the self-assessment ratings can be transferred onto the summary table (next page). This provides a consolidated summary of the self-assessment that should be used as a starting point for discussions on customer focus improvement initiatives.

Identifying Areas For Improvement Organisations should seek to improve in all areas of customer focus, however immediate priority should be given to the following attributes: • •

Attribute 6 - We develop a deep understanding of customers and their unique needs Attribute 1 - We place the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition

Additional focus on these two attributes will support the business to improve in all other areas of customer focus. The rating for these attributes needs to be at least ‘sometimes’ to support broader improvement.

Prioritisation After attention has been given to ‘understanding customers’, and ‘placing the customer at the core of the vision, strategy and brand’ prioritisation may occur as follows: 1. Set a target rating for each attribute to be achieved within a 6 month period. Be realistic about what is possible in the timeframe, acknowledging that further self-assessments can be conducted in the future. 2. Focus on the attributes that were rated as ‘never’ in the initial self-assessment and seek to lift them to ‘rarely’. While the organisation is still a long way from customer focus excellence at this point, it is an acknowledgement that there is some awareness and interest in every aspect of customer focus. 3. If there are a number of attributes that achieve the same minimum rating, seek to improve in the following order: o Vision, Strategy & Brand o Business Leadership o Employees o Customers

Further information about improving customer focus will be provided in future modules of the Understanding and Improving Customer Focus Program.

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Attribute

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

1. We place the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

2. Our Leaders demonstrate our commitment to customers in the way they speak and behave

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

3. We openly share customer stories in formal and informal communications

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

4. We design business systems and processes to deliver on customer commitments

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

5. We actively engage customers in the design of products and services

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

6. We develop a deep understanding of customers and their unique needs

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

7. We critically evaluate the customer experience and seek to improve in areas that are important to our customers

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

8. We proactively seek customer feedback and share it with our people

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

9. We actively encourage our people to engage with customers and understand their experiences

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

10. We consciously design our structure, roles and responsibilities to ensure a focus on customers

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

11. We carefully recruit people who are passionate about customers

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

12. We generously reward and recognise our people for their commitment to customers

☐

☐

☐

☐

☐

Employees

Customers

Business Leadership

Element Vision, Strategy & Brand

3RDVIEW CUSTOMER FOCUS SELF-ASSESSMENT SUMMARY

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

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Next Steps Whilst it is important to seek to improve in all aspects of customer focus, Modules 3 and 4 of the Understanding and Improving Customer Focus Program focus on providing further information and guidance on two critical attributes of customer focus.

•

Module 3: Understanding Your Customers (Attribute 6 - Developing a deep understanding of customers and their unique needs) Every part of the organisation’s activity should be designed in response to customer needs. Many organisations assume they understand customer needs based on a single survey, or based on a the perceived need of customers of similar organisations. Remember that your customers are unique, and so is your organisation. Bringing the two together is the secret to sustainable success.

•

Module 4: Developing Strategies to Build a Customer-Focused Organisation (Attribute 1 – Placing the customer at the core of our vision, strategy and brand proposition) This attribute lays the foundation for all other attributes. Without a clear customer-focused strategy, it is nearly impossible to align your people, systems and processes. This attribute is also a significant demonstration of Board and Senior Management commitment to the customer focus program – a commitment in the strategy sends a clear message to all staff and stakeholders.

Once these two attributes are strongly in place, you will have the insights and strategic direction required to support the improvement of all aspects of your organisation. Modules 3 and 4 are due for release in early 2014.

This information is confidential and was prepared by 3rdView Consulting solely for the use of NDS and Disability Service Providers.

User Feedback A module on improving customer focus would not be complete without a request for feedback from users! We are keen to hear from disability service providers on: • • • •

How you have used this information The outcomes that you have achieved during the process of self-assessment Any additional indicators of success that you have identified based on the unique needs of the disability sector Any suggestions for improvement on this, or subsequent modules

3rdView are also happy to discuss options to guide you and your organisation through the selfassessment module. Feedback, or requests to discuss the information contained, can be sent to 3rdView Consulting at [email protected].

For   more   information   and   resources, visit the Sector Readiness and Workforce Capacity Initiative Clearinghouse: http://Communitydoor.org.au/SectorReadiness The Sector Readiness and Workforce Capacity Initiative is a collaboration between the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services, Health and Community Services Workforce Council, National Disability Services Queensland and the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE. This resource has been developed by 3rdView Consulting Pty Ltd in consultation with National Disability Services Queensland.