Measuring customer satisfaction with new ISO technical specification

A technical specification, ISO/TS 10004:2010, provides guidance to organizations in establishing effective processes for monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction is one of the key elements for the success of an organization, whether in public or private sector.

The information obtained from monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction can help identify opportunities for improvement of the organization's strategies, products, processes and characteristics that are valued by customers, and which serve the organization's objectives. Such improvements can strengthen customer confidence and result in commercial and other benefits.

ISO/TS 10004:2010, Quality management – Customer satisfaction – Guidelines for monitoring and measuring, deals with:

• Concept of customer satisfaction, and guiding principles
• Framework for monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction
• Planning for monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction
• Processes for monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction
• Maintenance and improvement of monitoring and measurement processes.

This technical specification is intended for use by organizations regardless of type, size or product provided. Its focus is on customers external to the organization.

It is not intended for certification or contractual purposes, nor is it intended to alter any rights or obligations under applicable statutory or regulatory requirements.

All organizations – private companies and public sector agencies – have customers, and their satisfaction or dissatisfaction can have far-reaching consequences for the organization. The information gained from monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction as outlined in ISO/TS10004 is vital to quality management. It can guide the organization in taking actions to sustain or enhance customer satisfaction, and help in achieving the larger goals of the organization.

ISO/TS 10004:2010 belongs to the ISO 10000 series of standards on customer satisfaction. ISO 10001:2007, ISO 10002:2004 and ISO 10003:2007 provide guidance on codes of conduct, complaints handling and dispute resolution. ISO/TS10004 complements these standards by providing guidance on monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction. Collectively, their guidance can assist the organization to take actions which can help to sustain or enhance customer satisfaction.

By providing guidance on monitoring and measuring customer satisfaction ISO/TS 10004:2010 supports the objectives, and is compatible with, ISO 9001:2008, Quality management systems – Requirements, and with ISO 9004:2009, Managing for the sustained success of an organization – A quality management approach.

ISO/TS 10004:2010, Quality management – Customer satisfaction – Guidelines for monitoring and measuring was developed by technical committee ISO/TC 176, Quality management and quality assurance, Subcommittee SC 3, Supporting technologies.

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