CPD AND OUR COMMITMENT TO PROVIDING THE BEST SERVICE
As part of WINNS ongoing CPD and our commitment to providing the best service possible, WINNS Head Office Managers were presented with the task of identifying which, in their opinion, was the most important of the 5 key strategic operations objectives that lead to customer satisfaction:
Whilst the initial intent of this task was for us all to consider the importance of different performance objectives, as always with these tasks, insights gained from this activity highlighted a need for us to consider redirection of our marketing emphasis. In addition it has made us examine the content of our operations strategy and analyse its effectiveness when considered against today's rapidly changing environment.
By focusing on the five operations performance objectives we are also now better placed to understand how market requirements drive their importance.
This task and resulting discussions highlighted the need for WINNS to convey to its clients and potential clients the efforts it makes to ensure we provide an exemplary service for all our clients all the time as a result of skilled staff with high levels of knowledge about the processes and the products and tools that are used to perform our service and the very high levels of customer service we provide.
QUALITY
Previous tasks had highlighted that it is not our perception of quality that mattered, but rather our customer's perception of the quality achieved that is important and we had therefore updated our client feedback process and included the NPS.
Quality is more than just the high specification of service we supply, it also includes skilled staff who are well presented, have a positive attitude and a good face-to-face relationship with the client. Quality means that things are being done correctly and to the level agreed with the client.
Quality affects marketing. Even if frontline staff do an exemplary job, their appearance or attitude face-to-face with the client can detract from that. Equally, if the Manager is not respectful or presented well, this too will detract from the quality perception of core service provision.
In order to consistently meet our clients' expectations, we recognise that behind the scenes we have to have agreed standards in place (KPIs & SLAs), a fully trained skilled workforce, processes in place to ensure continuity in the level of service, accurate job specifications, proper technologies and effective communication. To address this, WINNS have adopted the blueprinting process to ensure all supporting processes are at an optimum and remain so.
SPEED
WINNS operates mainly on a preventative basis and therefore speed is only really an issue when unforseen instances occur, i.e. an alarm activation, a flood, etc. and it is only in these instances that it becomes a contract winner. During covid speed became the biggest factor on securing new work.
A speedy response to ad-hoc requests necessitates that behind the scenes we have contingency plans, guidelines and processes to:
- Respond to our clients needs quickly and effectively
- Provide services in the minimum possible time so as not to disrupt the client's business
- Minimise delays which can make the client shop around for alternative service providers
DEPENDABILITY
WINNS makes every effort to do things on time and keep the promises we make to our clients to form positive relationships. We believe that we achieve dependability with our clients through effective communication, efficient scheduling systems, a motivated workforce, etc. By being dependable we reduce the likelihood of our clients looking elsewhere for an alternative service provider because whilst we may consider ourselves to be the best cleaning and security service provider, we know there are other really good ones out there as well.
FLEXIBILITY
WINNS prides itself on providing a flexible service that can react quickly to our client's ad-hoc requirements and feels that it is imperative to sustain our ability to serve customers when the need for a service occurs thereby reducing our customers' need to shop around. We believe that our continued success during COVID was due to us providing a one stop shop for our existing clients and their colleagues.
During the recent pandemic, WINNS also demonstrated its ability to adjust their operations processes to facilitate the accelerated introduction of new and modified services as necessitated by the needs of our clients, by extending its services to include, minibuses, COVID testing, social distancing guarding, installing number plate recognition readers.
We recognise that our flexible operations objective is possible due to our multi-skilled staff and the good relations within our organisation and our excellent relationship with clients.
COST
Low cost is a desired objective for all. The profit margins within the cleaning and security industry are very small and there is not much room for variation. This means that in order to provide a high level of service, WINNS has to constantly monitor costs spent by operations on staff, materials, facilities, equipment and technology. In order to improve costs, WINNS maintains good relationships with its suppliers and ensures it gets the right mix of resources and facilities, keeping overheads to a minimum.
WINNS RESPONSES
QUALITY
- QUALITY is critical to satisfying our customers and retaining contracts or future periodic work. This also aids in building ling lasting client relationships.
- The QUALITY of our staff/training/policies and procedures assists in achieving greater consistency in the service we provide.
- High standards attract customers, builds the brand.
- QUALITY increases efficiency and improves customer satisfaction.
- The driver behind everything Plan, Do, Check, Act.
- Forms the basis for the 4 items below in my opinion one way or another.
QUALITY COST
- We cannot deliver quality without the correct costings as training, monitoring and CPD, innovation all have associated costs.
- Clients not Paying LLW compromises the quality of personnel we can employ.
SPEED QUALITY
- QUALITY and speed are as important to deliver to the customers expectation, an excellent service with as little disruption as possible.
- Site audits should determine how long a job would take without reducing QUALITY.
- As much as sometimes we endeavour a quick turnaround if the QUALITY of the service isn't up to scratch this can lead to a call back complaint.
- Using QUALITY as your driver the speed will be enhanced as no rework will be needed to correct errors.
- Speed is reduced as more time and attention is needed to provide a QUALITY service.
- In spite of the speed (Fast or Slow) the end results should always reflect the QUALITY of the end product.
SPEED COST
- Sufficient multi-skilled staff and transport and resources are required to provide a speedy response to ad-hoc needs which has cost implications.
DEPENDABILITY QUALITY
- Increased customer retention when we deliver the service to our high standards and in the time frame agreed.
- Dependability is the QUALITY that allows our clients to know we will do what we said, when we said, and it will be done the best of our ability every time.
- QUALITY of being reliable.
- Using QUALITY to underpin dependability will include a controlled purchasing process with QUALITY at it's heart, quality driven service delivery is underpinned by the process plan to review.
- People will know they can depend on you to deliver what you say you will deliver.
- The dependability basically relies on the QUALITY of your organisational acumen.
DEPENDABILITY COST
- Providing skilled staff with CPD and monitoring of standards have cost implications.
FLEXIBILITY QUALITY
- Offering a bespoke service to our customers is important as long as every part of the works are at a high standard.
- Flexibility comes down to the QUALITY of our management tools and the processes and policies in place in order to stay flexible for our customers needs.
- Due to the plan to review strategy of a QUALITY system, we can be flexible and reactive within, by amending the original plan to meet the clients requirements using the plan to review process.
- Bespoke services that we can deliver to a high level not too many services.
- QUALITY outweighs flexibility for change. Once quality has been established, this will form the foundations for any change.
FLEXIBILITY COST
- Sufficient number of trained staff are required to provide a flexible service.
COST QUALITY
- Poor QUALITY can affect costs in a number of ways. Lost business, returning to complete work, refunds, wasted materials etc.
- QUALITY of service contributes to long term revenue and profitability.
- QUALITY of the quotes/tenders being generated reflect the transparency/professionalism of the company as well as being competitive to our rival companies.
- Using QUALITY processes, the task need only be done once with no rework or waste allowing us to stay within the agreed budget, with no additional costs or loss of profit.
- Increase in costs as the job is done to a high standard.
- The cost is of paramount importance in anything we endeavour to do; but if the QUALITY is not established from the outset then the costs could be effective in a negative way.
COST
- Price drives everything. Money is needed to employ and train staff to deliver the other operations objectives.
INTERLINKED
Whilst we initially considered the five operations objectives singularly, we quickly appreciated that they are in reality interrelated.
For example, dependability provides stability and makes a contribution to the performance objectives of speed and costs by keeping our promises and is therefore associated with delivering products and services on time and within cost. Equally, if we do not get things right the first time, then our profit disappears, and if the profit margins are tight, this limits the quality and flexibility of service provision.
Flexibility requires a thorough understanding of the organisation's processes and the context in which it operates. Attention to flexibility may create value by reducing the response time (and with that, reduces the cost of delay and missed opportunities, contributing to the cost objective). Flexibility also contributes to achieve the objective of dependability, in that it underscores the organisation's ability to deliver despite unforeseen circumstances.