GENERAL
This profile is based on improving customer services in the FSNI Office through a process of collaboration.
This profile provide a platform that can be used to initiate individual assessment and/or group discussions on collaboration and customer services in the workplace.
CUSTOMER SERVICES: (REFLECTION)
“Our service or brand promise can’t fool all of our customers all of the time. If the service messages are out of step with what’s ultimately experienced by customers, marketing dollars are wasted. And customer dissatisfaction rises right along with staff turnover” - Abraham Lincoln
•	What services are provided in the FSNI Office?
o	The FSNI in Cape Town serves as the LES RSO Investigator at Post. Perform background or special investigations as assigned by the Regional Security Officer (RSO). Conduct protective security surveys, and coordinate protective operations during VIP visits. 
o	Develop and maintain effective liaison with senior and working level police, private sector security and mission elements from the Consul General to the cleaning staff.
o	Serves as the principal point of contact and liaison between RSO and high level Host Government officials to obtain information required on investigations and / or threats to ensure maximum efficiency in communication between the Consulate security office and Host Government security offices and officials.
o	Serves as liaison between visiting VIP protective details and government and police officials, enabling the protective details to obtain the resources necessary to successfully complete their mission.
o	Other Customer services in the FSNI Office include collaboration with Coordinators of RSO Cape Town Security programs (LGF, SD, FPD and Fraud Investigation) and the rest of Mission South Africa. 
o	My strengths include versatility, interaction with people at all levels, decision making, working best under pressure, investigative abilities, policy formulation, problem solving, report writing, in-depth political/economics insight and analytical skills.

•	What are the stumbling blocks in the FSNI Office (This is an on-going Self-Reflection process):
o	Customer Service is about consistency and attitude. 
o	How am I “getting along” with my customers?
o	What is keeping the FSNI office from providing outstanding service?
o	What other services could / should the FSNI office provide within the next year or two?
o	Does everyone in the RSO Office Cape Town provide excellent customer services? 
o	Why …… or why not? (Technical and People Skills).

•	What performance standards are maintained in the FSNI Office?
o	Recent ICASS Customer Surveys, Post Security Program Review (PSPR) and RSO Program Management Review (PMR) Inspections showed that the FSNI Cape Town is maintaining high standards of customer services and generally exceeding CMI Standards set for various FSNI Programs ( CMI Cost Center: 5880). 

•	What values and ethics are maintained in the FSNI Office: 
o	Intrinsic Value - The value that I place that come from inside me.
o	The ability to identify obstacles that prevent me from doing my best.
o	The constant process of improving of collaboration in the workplace?
o	General Performances based on Work and Personal Tenets?
	The Diplomatic Security Leadership Tenets establish expectations for all Diplomatic Security Employees, regardless of grade or position, in joint pursuit of services to the Department and Mission South Africa. 
	My Personal Tenets is assisting me in maintaining a healthy and balanced working environment in the Security Office.
CUSTOMERS (The typical customer with specific needs, requirements and concerns)
My customers are people or entities who have a specific need or desire that they believe can be satisfied by the value that is added by the FSNI to the Mission.

•	Who is my typical customer and what services does s/he request? 
o	My typical customer is a person or entity who receives or benefiting, directly or indirectly from the work that I am doing.
o	All ICASS Contributors and various Governmental Departments and Sections.

•	How often does he / she come with a need?
o	On an on-going basis

•	How do I fulfill his needs?
o	I don’t fly by the seat of my pants: Getting it right the first time and I will never have to say I am sorry. 

•	How do I anticipate my customers’ needs?
o	Know my customers …. What are they going through right now? The bigger picture.
o	Through constant interaction, I am able to understand the needs of the customers and based on that knowledge, I can add value to the customer service experience (Human element)?
	Find out how people wanted to be treated and treat them that way. Think of how you want to be treated by a service provider.



WHAT CAN THE FSNI OFFICE DO TO ENCOURAGE A CUSTOMER-FRIENDLY AND COLLABORATIVE WORKING ENVIRONMENT?
It is not about what is wrong with the customer services in the FSNI Office, but about what is right about it and amplified and building on that. Words and advertising will not convince customers that I really care about them – actions and behaviors will.
3 FAM 1332 POLICY
The treatment of our customers is an important aspect of how we are perceived as an agency (section) because people will generally treat each other the way they are treated. Good customer service must begin with the way we interact with each other. It is the policy of the Department that our employees must treat each other, as well as our external customers, with proper respect and courtesy at all times.
CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE
Customers are not looking for perfection. They are, however, looking for sincerity, competence, integrity and professionalism from the service providers (employees) they interact with. You might have a lot of experience in delivering great customer service, but it doesn't mean you are delivering a great customer service experience.
 
•	How to get the highest levels of Customer Service in the FSNI Office:
o	Getting everyone to work together towards the same goals.
o	Having people talking to each other. Clearly defines performance expectations for both individuals and the team.
o	Having clear (smart) well written performance standards. Commit to excellence.
o	Tenacity - A great work ethic and a willingness to do what needs to be done (and not take shortcuts) is a key skill when providing the kind of service that people talk about.
o	Anticipating what the customer will need or want in order to move forward. 
o	Take responsibility when mistakes are made.

•	Know and understand the needs of my customers:
o	Customer Service is in the eye of the beholder.
o	Does my customers know what my performance standards are?
o	When customers have high expectations and the reality fall short, they will be disappointed and will likely rate their experience as less than satisfying.

•	Manage customer expectations:
o	Focus on building trust and transparency – create a belief of reliability, integrity and honesty in my day-to-day dealings with my customers.
o	Watch my body language and how I say things.
o	Do not promise what I have no control over – separate “needs” from “wants.
o	Taking Initiative - Letting people know up front what I can and cannot do.
o	Get to the customers before they’re getting to me.



o	Can I meet the customers’ needs with the resources that I have?
	Tasks versus Processes: Do I have enough to get the work done?
	How can I balance the resources to my disposal against the work that needs to be done?
o	I should explain the services that I provide, what my constraints are and why.
o	If I cannot meet a customer’s request, I will try to provide an explanation and, if possible, an alternative.

•	Know the Collaborative Management Initiative (CMI) Services and Uniform Standards applicable to the work that I am doing (Technical Skills):
o	List the processes and problems that are not in line with the standards based on the smart principal: Specific – Measureable – Agreed Upon – Realistic – Time Specific

•	Train, empower and reinforce customer-friendly working conditions in the FSNI Office:
o	Customer services is a skill everyone can learn (Technical / People Skills).
o	Empower myself to go the extra mile.
o	Quality customer services should be recognized and rewarded on a regular basis.
o	Change of Attitudes (People Skills) - It is not what happens to me that matters, but what happens in me. 
o	By applying CMI tools, service providers can increase customer satisfaction and improve productivity.
  
•	Stay in touch with my customers:
o	Talk to customers to learn what they want – Open Communication.
	When you don’t keep your customers in the loop, their imagination runs wild.
o	Quality Customer Services is a face to face process. Show up when the need arises.

•	Pay constant attention to continuous improvement (Change) in the FSNI Office:
o	Determine best practices - Review what works well and how to do it even better.
	Improvement comes with constant evaluation of the processes.
o	Do not change things that are working well – Don’t take the fence down until you know the reason it was put up. It is important to know what happened in the past before making changes for the future.
 
•	Skills Balancing: Have an understanding of what Technical, People and Conceptual skills means and how to apply these skills in my daily interaction with my clients:
o	TECHNICAL SKILLS = Job knowledge: The ability to use knowledge, skills ability, methods, techniques and equipment necessary for the performance of specific tasks acquired from experience, education and training.
o	PEOPLE SKILLS = The Ability and judgment in working with and through people, including and understanding of human behavior, motivation and application of effective leadership – How do I get people to do what I want them to do.
o	CONCEPTUAL SKILLS = the big picture: The ability to understand the complexities of the overall Mission and where my own operation fits in. This knowledge permits me to act according to the objectives of the Mission Strategic Plan, rather than the goals and needs of my immediate group. 
o	Improving Technical Skills on the level where work is getting done.

•	A complaint about the services that I provide is a gift. I should be thankful for problems – If they weren’t so hard, someone with less ability might have my job.

•	Using collaboration as an organizational change strategy in the FSNI Office:
o	When change is successful, I can look back and call it growth.

•	Encourage feedback – Treat it as a gift
o	Recognize that information about the way my actions have an impact on my customers is data I need – whether or not I choose to act on it.
o	I need to handle the feedback with self-confidence and a positive attitude.

•	Know my Personality Preference Indicators (MBTI) and how to use these preferences to improve interpersonal relationships with my customers.
o	Human behavior is based on personality preferences and how we see the world – I need to understand that we all see things differently. I need to be wary of the “BE LIKE ME” (BLM) trap.
o	My Personality Preferences are not an excuse not to do my work, or neglect my customers.
o	To serve with Integrity, I must make sure that my words and my deeds match up.
	I need to do my best and do what is best for my customers.
o	I need to choose being kind over being right, and I’ll be right every time.
	Self-image is the key to human behavior and sets the boundaries of individual accomplishments.
	My attitude toward, and subsequent treatment of my customer has the power to transform that person and his ideas to accept the service that I am providing.

•	Being aware of my personal Leadership Skills will enable me to add value to the service that I provide.
o	Situational Leadership Development: A good leader is someone who has the ability to assess the personality of an individual – what their wants, needs, and unique desires are – and adapt his leadership style in such a way that he appeals to the strengths and individual characteristics of that particular employee.
o	I must have an understanding of the various Levels of Personnel Development (D1 – D4) as well as different Leadership Styles (S1 –S4), and how these styles can be successfully utilized in my interaction with my customers:
	DIRECTIVE behavior = Competence: Skills and Knowledge to empower my customers.
	SUPPORTIVE behavior = Commitment: Motivation and Confidence to support my customers.
o	My Personal development and leadership ability have a high influence over others, and will enable me to look beyond personal interest and see the bigger picture.

•	People Development: A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others. A leader’s main responsibility is developing others through various levels of assistance to do the work. 
o	Principals for People Development - My success of developing others will depend on how well I accomplish each of the following:
	Value of my colleagues / customers. This is an issue of my attitude.
	Commitment to my colleagues / customers. This is an issue of my time.
	Integrity with my colleagues / customers. This is an issue of my vision.
	Influence over my colleagues / customers. This is an issue of my leadership
Am I building people, or am I building my dream and using people to do it?

•	Changes in the workplace - Openness by the leader paves the way for ownership by colleagues / customers.
o	Without ownership, changes will be short-term. 
	Changing people’s habits and ways of thinking is like writing instructions in the snow during a snowstorm. Every twenty minutes the instructions must be rewritten, unless ownership is given along with the instructions.
CUSTOMER FOCUSED MANAGEMENT
I should always make sure that I have a strong customer focus so that I am making it easy for the customer to do business with me.
•	Implementing a strategy in the FSNI Office that is based on the Performance Management Cycle: (What, When, How). 
o	Step 1: Set goals
o	Step 2: Plan Performance
o	Step 3: Discuss Plan
o	Step 4: Monitor Performance
o	Step 5: Provide Feedback

•	This strategy should include actions in accordance with the primary values and ethical standards of the Government.

•	The strategies that are implemented must conform to the following “SMART” values:
o	Specific – Based on existing ICASS and Uniform Service Standards
o	Measureable – Based on existing ICASS and Uniform Service Standards 
o	Agreed Upon – Based on existing ICASS and Uniform Service Standards
o	Realistic – Based on existing ICASS and Uniform Service Standards
o	Time Specific - Based on existing ICASS and Uniform Service Standards
VALUES AND EXPECTATIONS
A good customer experience speaks for itself. To add value to what I do and to give the customer more for his money, I should live up to the following expectations (what and how):
•	GREAT EXPECTATIONS:
“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”
I should always create an expectation when dealing with my customers. The following guidelines will assure a positive response: 
o	Goods – deliver what is promised
o	Responsiveness – do it promptly
o	Empathy – do it with respect and understanding
o	Assurance – know how to do it
o	Tangible – the process is explained, understood and implemented

•	Collaborate – Establish constructive working relationships with all mission elements to further goals.  Share best practices, quality procedures, and innovative ideas to eliminate redundancies and reduce costs.  Create a sense of pride and mutual support through openness.

•	Foster Resilience – Be able to “bounce” back when problems arise. Embrace new challenges and learn from them.  Take calculated risks, manage pressure, be flexible and acknowledge failures.  Show empathy, strength, and encouragement to others in difficult times.

•	"To give real services to my customers, I must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money: it is called sincerity and integrity." 
COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT INITIATIVE (CMI)
This Government provided program is a digital field guide for sections to become familiar with their standard processes, regulations, and service targets, as well as improve service delivery with a proven continuous process improvement methodology and tools. This program can be found here: http://m.state.sbu/sites/cmi/Pages/CMIHome.aspx
The Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) plan, located in the “CMI Playbook” Section, is a five phased process to continuously assess and improve ICASS services using proven management tools and concepts. Regardless of how your management section is performing, by completing the phases within the CPI, you can expect to better understand and improve back-end operations and customer satisfaction). 
ACTION REVIEW
•	Know and understand the needs of my customer
•	Manage their expectations
•	Identify performance standards
•	Train, empower, reinforce customer-friendly colleagues, employees and subordinates
•	Stay in touch with customers
•	Pay attention to continuous customer service improvements
THE SUCCESS OF A COLLABORATIVE CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPERIENCE IS DETERMINED BY ITS OWNERSHIP BY BOTH THE SERVICE PROVIDER AND THE CUSTOMER.