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 As
a member of the European Foundation for Quality Management, last
February IMSM undertook the EFQM 'Committed to Excellence' programme
as part of our quest to practise what we preach. The programme,
when completed, would involve an independent EFQM validator visiting
our premises and assessing our deployment initiatives. If successful,
we would then be granted a Certificate for two years and the use
of the EFQM Committed to Excellence logo. Based on the Business
Excellence Model, this self-assessment programme is designed to
highlight areas of operation that can be improved, with the assessments
being carried out by members of staff rather than management. And
so an IMSM Action Team was duly elected including Project Leader
& Co-ordinator Wendy Mewis, Kim Beavis (Client Co-ordinator UK),
Amy Bentley (Marketing Co-ordinator), Lisa Donneky (Client Co-ordinator
USA & Canada), Kimberley Greening (Accounts), and Craig Woolley
(Call Centre Manager).
Once the assessment results had been evaluated, three potential
initiatives were identified - 'Validation of the Certification Process',
'Customer Services', and 'Communication'. The next step was to complete
and submit an Action Plan to the EFQM (under the programme the Action
Plan has to have EFQM approval before the improvements are undertaken).
These were agreed and deployment actions put in place for each initiative.
As the programme is a results-orientated exercise, the main aim
is to demonstrate that you have been able to improve your processes
and that they are subject to continual assessment and review. Following
a great deal of hard work on the part of the Action Team, an EFQM
external validator visited IMSM on 20th January 2005 and, after
a very nerve-wracking day, confirmed that we had successfully passed
the programme.
The benefits of the programme to IMSM are unquestionable. Internal
processes have been updated and reviewed - increasing efficiency,
communication and our service to our customers. Also, because it
is a staff-orientated exercise we have been able to involve personnel
at all levels in both offices. The enthusiasm and morale-boost that
this has achieved has been outstanding and was even commented upon
by the EFQM validator.
The validated initiatives will continue to run and the Action Team
are at present looking at other areas to implement improvements.
The eventual aim will be to go on to the next step of EFQM's quality
ladder 'Recognised for Excellence'.
www.efqm.org
22/03/05
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