INTRODUCTION As a business committed to delivering service excellence, understanding exactly what this means to our customers is critical if we are to realise our vision to become the world’s greatest service organisation. Gaining a broad and in-depth perspective around the subject is critical to inform our customercentric approach and support our drive for continual improvement. To this end, we commissioned Sheffield Hallam University to carry out a research study around the concept, a move that builds on the existing partnership with ISS established through the delivery of a degree in facilities services. When a cross section of senior managers with responsibility for FM in businesses across the UK were asked how they defined service excellence the results revealed a wide spectrum of perspectives. From their feedback a range of models was identified, with at one end the view that excellence was expensive and only justifiable on a pathway that served their own external business customers. At the other end of the range were those who believed that in excellence being affordable and indeed the most obvious route to making the best use of the resources available. Initial assumptions that striving for excellence is a routine objective for most occupier FM organisations were challenged with the discovery that for many, this can run the risk of appearing to overspend to the core business and therefore not offer value. The question of just what drives service excellence also raised a wide variety of different perspectives but with two consistent themes emerging. Firstly, that excellence is underpinned by consistency, and an absolute confidence in delivering to an agreed set of standards. However, this consistency is not enough in itself to guarantee service excellence. For this there needs to be that element of positive surprise, the unexpected experience above and beyond what is normal, that moment which exceeds anticipations. Consistently across many interviews the key to this was seen to be focused around the behaviour and attitude of people, the individuals and teams who are employed to provide the service. “I make sure the property is as finely tuned as the engines in here” make “My job is to ne feels sure everyo ” like someone Reception son, Head of Megan Pear don, UK Army in Lon at Salvation Carlos Morris, Maintenance Professional at McLaren in Woking, UK “I’m not just I’m readin watching scree ns. g people .” James Pas k, Head of Securit y at the Sal vation Arm y in London , UK At ISS we believe that this capacity to surprise, to exceed expectations in the day to day delivery of services, is rooted in the individual empowerment of the people who work for us. We call it the power of the human touch. 2
Download PDF file