What the customer wants - customer satisfaction survey
The results of the IRCA auditor customer satisfaction survey have been analyzed. Read on to find out what certificated auditors think about IRCA and discover IRCA’s response to help increase customer satisfaction
Why do a survey?
The main objectives of the survey were to:
- gain a clear insight into the issues that customers consider important
- receive feedback regarding service and product satisfaction
- improve understanding of what customers want
New technology
In October 2003 IRCA’s electronic survey was sent to over 5,500 auditors. The electronic method of surveying meant that a large number of auditors, from a broad range of locations, could be reached.
The electronic survey was designed to be easy to complete while providing a mechanism for benchmarking services every year.
The response to the survey was extremely encouraging, with more than 40 per cent of auditors returning the completed survey from 97 countries worldwide.
Significant messages
and actions from IRCA
The main areas highlighted for attention were:
- provision of more news and information
- increased benefits
- more effective administration
- improved communication
These recommendations are an IRCA priority for 2004. So what is happening now?
Increased communication
Sixty-one per cent of respondents wanted more information and news. This is no surprise because customers often ask for advice and information on relevant topics.
IRCA INfom
To meet the demand for information, IRCA INform was launched in December 2003. The electronic-magazine will be published quarterly.
It is free to anyone who registers on the IRCA website. INform will support IRCA’s objective to raise the awareness and value of certification within industry. A wide and varied audience has already signed up to receive INform.
The e-zine is intended to communicate the wide range of interests and the value of the work that IRCA certified auditors contribute to.
INform will automatically be sent to all IRCA auditors who have registered their email address. To register visit the IRCA website at www.irca.org/inform.
Access to the auditor register online
Seventy per cent of respondents want to have the register of auditors available online via the IRCA website. There is now a new online auditor register at https://www.ircasecure.org/irca/directory/
The register has already received positive feedback from certification bodies and other users (many of whom are surprised that there is no charge for this service). The online auditor register will help employers and auditors, by identifying auditors available for work, and supplying their contact details to potential employers. This new register will be promoted to organizations across the world.
Members only
A new website section called ‘IRCA auditors only’, will offer more benefits and support. IRCA certification marks and logos will be available for use on members’ business cards, letterheads and advertising material, to help promote certificated status. It is planned that this service will be available by April 2004.
First class administration
IRCA have implemented an additional feature on the IRCA website to enable self management of your records. The ‘update your details’ section on the website means members can amend, edit and add valuable information to their IRCA profile.
Keeping information up-to-date via the website will help to promote auditors services to potential employers and ensure that members can be contacted about maintaining certification.
The new website at www.irca.org has been designed to make access to forms and documents easier. To improve the process of maintaining certification the introduction of rolling renewals in the second half of 2004 is planned.
The current system uses a fixed certification period based on the calendar year. This means there is a huge demand for services in the first few months of the year.
This annual cycle makes it very difficult to provide the quality of service demanded, so spreading the renewal time across the whole of the year will reduce this load and lead to a better service.
New software on the IRCA website now allows members to pay their fees online, as well as view their account details. This service has had a positive response so far with more than 40 per cent of all payments for 2004 made online.
Communication partnership
Getting closer to the customer is a priority, especially when they live and work in a part of the world where English is not the first language. Part of IRCA’s strategy to achieve this is to develop partnerships with organizations in every part of the world.
These organizations are not only agents for IRCA; they will also liaise with IRCA for members. During 2003 IRCA opened offices in Japan, Thailand and Korea, so look out for information about more office openings in the second half of 2004.
Multi-lingual IRCA
Another part of the strategy involves communicating more frequently and effectively in different languages. This year Japanese and Chinese language versions of the IRCA website will be launched.
Many key documents will be translated into Chinese and Japanese, which will also be available on the new sites. Look out for translated IRCA documents in other languages later in 2004.
This information is a summary of the key messages from the survey and the main improvements IRCA are offering throughout 2004 and beyond. It is intended to be useful and provide reassurance that customer satisfaction is taken seriously.
The director and staff at IRCA would like to thank everyone who gave their time and participated in this valuable exercise.
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