For many clients the first stage in our relationship is a stocktake by Services Ltd. consultants of the current situation in the client’s organisation, ongoing development and aspirations. As part of this process, we generally undertake an initial healthcheck against the EFQM Excellence Model and related criteria. On the basis of this stocktake, we are then able to agree, with the client’s Senior Management, the requirements, timescales, action plan, milestones and responsibilities for implementation.

This concerns the design and ongoing review of the implementation programme, the clarification of issues, objectives and outcomes; the identification and ongoing review of the basis for performance measurement; and ongoing review and mentoring with the Senior Management team.

In some cases, client organisations rush to pilot the application of the EFQM Excellence Model in a particular Department, business unit or regional office. This can be a good approach, which will provide a learning exercise prior to a full-fledged implementation. In other cases, Business Units implement on a Unit-by-Unit basis. It is, however, important in either case that the Department or Business Unit programmes are properly planned and supported.

The EFQM Excellence Model is not prescriptive as to how improvement is to be implemented, but the Self-Assessment process typically leads to some important improvement activities being actioned on a project basis. Services Ltd. can provide full facilitation and training support to these project teams, including, if appropriate, Six Sigma Black and Green Belt training. This support can also be provided, more generally, for team and Quality Circle Programmes.

Many of our clients wish us to take a lead role in designing, undertaking, and analysing the results, from preparing recommendations on, and agreeing action with Senior Management for their initial Self-Assessments.

The Self-Assessment process is experience-based and it does take time for organisations to build up internal competence and confidence in these areas. Without such external support many organisations have floundered due to inadequate planning, unskilled conduct of assessment or inability to implement it’s outcomes.

Typically our role in this respect is to:

- Undertake initial assessments

- Train the Assessors and lead the assessment as Senior Assessor

- Validate the internally conducted assessments and advise on the implementation of outcomes