Approach to
ensuring client satisfaction
AMITA’s success is built on repeat business and a solid reputation for quality and client satisfaction. Contributing to AMITA’s consistent high levels of client satisfaction is our mature quality system and a program for client satisfaction measurement.
amita's mature quality system
In 1996, AMITA became one of the first information technology organizations in North America to achieve the internationally recognized ISO 9001 certification for its software development and customer support processes. In addition to the requirements of ISO 9001, AMITA also complies with the requirements stated in ISO 9000-3 (software development) and ISO 9004-2 (servicing). AMITA has gone beyond the minimum requirements of ISO 9001 by adding these additional standards to its scope of registration; the result is a more advanced quality system that delivers even greater levels of customer confidence that AMITA can deliver on its commitments. And, in May 2000, AMITA became the first organization to be audited to the new ISO 9001:2000 standard by the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB). Recognition of the company’s continued leadership role in quality in the IT is evident as AMITA becomes the first Canadian organization to receive registration to ISO 9001:2000. The company’s dedication to quality enhances the respectful, customer-centric employee attitude that underlies all of AMITA’s software development, support, maintenance, consultation and program management services.
AMITA’s mature quality system and its underlying software project life cycle ensure high-quality solutions are delivered on time and on budget. Elements of the quality system include:
Formal reviews of each contract prior to
acceptance to ensure the company has the
capability and capacity to satisfy all
requirements
Risk assessments
A project life cycle and related procedures addressing all stages of the software development process
Formal design reviews
Document and data control procedures
Quality controls throughout the life cycle
A formal corrective and preventive action process ensuring the underlying causes of all problems and potential problems are satisfactorily resolved
Internal quality audits to assess the effectiveness of the quality system
Surveys of client satisfaction at the end of each consulting engagement
Regular management reviews of corporate quality indicators
iso 9000: a tool for client satisfaction
ISO 9000 is a series
of standards developed by the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Although often referred to as quality
standards, these are actually management
standards that describe the critical ingredients to ensure customers are provided
quality products and services. Following a
successful registration audit by an
independent accredited registrar, the
company is granted certification to one of
the ISO 9000 standards (ISO 9001 applies to
design). The purpose of ISO 9000 is to
provide customers with confidence that the
supplier has a documented, effective and
independently verified management system.
The ISO 9001 standard has 20 elements
describing the minimum requirements of sound
business practice; the validity of any of
the requirements is rarely disputed.
Examples of ISO 9001 requirements include: a
customer complaint resolution process,
formal design reviews, testing of all
deliverables, reviews of requirements before
accepting contracts, and regular audits to
verify compliance and the effectiveness of
procedures.
The success of any tool is directly
dependent on the skill of its users.
Organizations failing to gain value from
their ISO 9000 registration have used the
tool wrong. The ISO 9000 standards simply
state the mandatory elements required to
assure quality in deliverables; they do not
specify how to achieve compliance. When ISO
9000 critics point to massive overhead,
bureaucratic procedures, unnecessary
processes, slow cycle times, etc., they are
describing examples of ineffective
applications of the standard. AMITA has
designed an innovative and robust approach
that ensures high quality while maximizing
efficiency, a factor not attributed to many
ISO 9000 registered organizations; in other
words, AMITA has developed a 'lean' quality
system that delivers value and maximizes
return on investment.
AMITA's dedication to continuously improving
its quality system has enabled it to develop and refine a
corporate asset comprised of knowledge,
lessons learned and best practices: a mature
quality system that ensures the satisfaction
of all AMITA clients.
An effective
measurement program is dependent on
measuring the right variables and using this
information appropriately. AMITA's client
satisfaction measurement program measures
several variables: 1) client satisfaction
surveys, 2) project manager evaluations of
performance, 3) project reviews, and 4)
client retention data.
1) client satisfaction surveys
Quality as perceived by the client is the
most important single long-run determinant
of market share and profitability. AMITA’s Customer Satisfaction Survey is used after each consulting engagement.
The Client Satisfaction Survey starts by
asking the client to list the three factors
that they consider the most important to
their purchase decision. This data can be
used to focus on the specific needs of that
or similar clients. The client then rates on
a five-point Likert scale their level of
satisfaction with the work performed in
terms of schedule, budget, quality and the
price they paid. These variables are
identified as the key variables for
assessing value. Respondents are asked if
their account manager over-promised and/or
under-delivered. A true measure of customer
satisfaction is repeat business; respondents
are asked if they were more likely to do business with AMITA in the future
based on the results of the evaluated work.
Similarly, AMITA's performance is evaluated
relative to its competitors. The mean is
calculated to produce a single rating of
client satisfaction for the project. The
survey concludes with two open ended
questions soliciting additional feedback
such as suggestions on how to better serve
clients.
Completed surveys are distributed to
management and project staff. The results of
all surveys are compiled in a spreadsheet
for analysis and review by management on a
quarterly basis. 2) project manager evaluations of performance
An AMITA Project Manager Evaluation of Performance Form is completed by project managers upon completion of a project or per diem contract. This measurement is closely aligned with the Customer Satisfaction Survey to allow comparison and easy identification of variance. Occasionally, clients do not respond to repeated requests for feedback on
AMITA's performance. Given the high correlation between project manager performance and client satisfaction, the project manager’s evaluation may be indicative of performance.
3) project reviews
Project reviews are conducted upon completion of significant projects at the discretion of the Delivery and/or Quality Manager. The purpose of project reviews is:
to evaluate the project’s performance,
to identify problems and challenges encountered during the project and how they were solved,
to make recommendations on how to avoid the recurrence of problems in future projects, and,
to suggest any improvements to AMITA’s existing quality system.
The Project Review Form contained in Appendix C also contains a rating scale that is completed by each participant in the review. This data is compiled to form an aggregate rating of project performance. The results of Project Reviews are reviewed by management each quarter.
AMITA’s Project Review Form also contains a rating scale that is completed by each participant in the review. This data is compiled to form an aggregate rating of project performance. The results of Project Reviews are reviewed by management each quarter.
4) client retention data
"Quality and customer satisfaction are still very important, but customer retention should be the organization’s ultimate test of success." Customer retention data is tracked and analyzed each quarter to identify trends. This data is reviewed by AMITA management each quarter.
conclusion AMITA has invested heavily in designing, implementing and evolving a management system that enables the company to consistently deliver on time and within budget. Extensive measurement of client satisfaction shows that the system is working and that AMITA clients are very satisfied.
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