03 Mar 2008
Charter Mark boosts customer satisfaction
Independent research has shown that levels of customer satisfaction are higher for organisations which have achieved the Charter Mark standard.
Charter Mark is the national standard for customer service excellence across the UK public sector. Its achievers must demonstrate a commitment to improving services to customers by consulting regularly with them and being flexible and innovative in their approach to service delivery.
At tonight’s annual reception in Parliament Buildings, Finance Minister, Rt. Hon Peter Robinson MP MLA, endorsed the UK-wide scheme and congratulated the 11 Northern Ireland Charter Mark achieving organisations. He said:
“You are here tonight because you have made a real difference to people’s lives. You have all worked hard to make the experience of public services a positive one, and you have succeeded in meeting, and in some cases considerably exceeding, customer expectations.
“Each of you comes from a broad range of organisations with widely differing customer bases. But as team members, you have gone the extra mile to make sure that the service delivered was outstanding.”
The Minister also highlighted that the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has achieved Charter Mark for all 35 of its District Offices.
Notes to Editors:
- Charter Mark is the national standard for customer service excellence in the public sector. It is a UK-wide scheme, administered by the Cabinet Office and promoted in Northern Ireland by the Public Service Improvement Unit. In existence as an award scheme for excellent customer service since 1992, the scheme was reviewed in 2002/03 and re-launched in 2004 as the National Standard for Customer Service. Organisations which achieve Charter Mark have yearly surveillance visits from independent assessment bodies to ensure consistency of high standard of service delivery.
- Charter Mark challenges organisations to set and publish standards and be accountable to their customers for those standards. The standard encourages innovation and service improvement. Charter Mark achievers are standard-bearers for customer-focused improvements in public service delivery.
- In 2006 a review of Charter Mark led by Bernard Herdan, former Chief Executive of the UK Passport Agency, concluded that “Charter Mark is something of an unsung success story”. The Review recommended that Charter Mark should be positioned to play an important role in the broader landscape of service transformation and the reform of public services to meet rising and changing public expectations. The Government has welcomed the review report and the Cabinet Office is preparing to launch the revised and re-branded standard on 10 March 2008.
- For more information on the Charter Mark scheme please contact:
Mrs Sharon Griffiths
Public Service Improvement Unit
Tel: 028 9081 6028
E mail: Sharon.griffiths@dfpni.gov.uk - Photos of the Charter Mark award achievers are available from Harrison Photography on: 028 9066 3100 or at: mail@harrisonphotography.co.uk
- Media enquiries only to DFP Communications Office on 028 9052 7644 or 028 9052 7375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
