How Do You Measure Performance in Service Departments Without Fixed Targets?

Performance Measurement Criteria for Service Departments

What should be the criteria for measuring performance for service departments where a target is not possible, as we are doing paperwork like filing E-Returns, creating invoices, etc.? Our work is entirely different from the production department, where targets are fixed to measure performance.

Regards,
Manoj Pandey

Defining Time-Based Targets for Office Staff

Time-based targets for the preparation and submission of invoices, e-Returns, etc., are one way of defining goals for office staff. Basically, if you have well-defined 'job responsibilities' for any job position, you can always add a dimension to ensure the accountability of the person in that job position. This accountability can, in general, be linked with quality and time, and supplemented by the additional work done and some creative contribution.

It does require effort to devise KPIs for the job responsibilities assigned to those providing services, but there are many experts available today to offer consultancy in case you can't proceed on your own.

But be sure that anyone who can define the KPIs for his/her own job is the person who can deliver performance. Therefore, do make an effort, and you will succeed.

Performance Measures for Service Assignments

In a service assignment, the following could be the measures of performance:

- Accuracy of the returns
- Timely submission of returns
- Accuracy of data on invoices
- Avoiding legal issues such as notices, show cause, and demands from the concerned government authority on incorrect/defective returns.
- The number of invoices handled within a fixed timeline.
- Your ability to handle the software used for creating these invoices and returns.

These criteria can be further developed based on your job responsibilities.

Kind regards,
Dayanand

I think Dayanand and Bhatia have beautifully shared their insights and working knowledge on the issue. I may add that you should start by writing down the detailed job description of the whole department, including all the activities of the service department. Then you may find that some activities are primary and some are secondary, and so on. A detailed job description will enable you to study the actual job performed and identify any gaps. This will be further broken down into different job titles and groupings, and the results will arise from them.

As an HR consultant in 2006, I prepared roughly 25 appraisal formats for different roles and job responsibilities for employees in a logistics organization, which is essentially in the service industry. It took nearly six months to make them understand the importance of employee appraisals and bring them to the final stage of actual salary revision. It was certainly interesting and challenging too. Finally, it was a scenario where a WIN-WIN situation emerged for both employers and employees. So, all the very best.

Do well.

Regards,
V. Ranagarajan
Chennai.

The Importance of Consistent Performance Measurement

All workers benefit from performance measurement and appreciate fair productivity assessments. This can only happen when performance is measured consistently across an organization. In doing so, individuals can see how their work compares to that of other workers and industry benchmarks.

Workers should feel good about their contributions to the company, and any gaps or performance issues should be viewed as opportunities for improvement that will benefit both the worker and the organization. Ultimately, the commitment and the output are what count. It is not only the production or sales, etc.

Regards,
V. Muthukrishnan

Kindly refer to my earlier comment and also take Mr. B.K. Bhatia's contribution into account.

To quote: “Time-based targets for preparation & submission of Invoices & e-Returns, etc., are one way of defining goals for office staff.” Unquote. I agree with him.

An Easy Solution for Measuring Paperwork Performance

To say that there is no pending work with any one section concerned is the best performance, but it should be with quality and time.

How to Achieve It?

Start a self-targets practice for staff and yourself if you are in charge. Before doing this, as Mr. Bhatia said, you have to set well-defined job responsibilities for every person or group.

Allot the concerned work to each person with a date and deliver it in the mornings only. This does not apply to priority tasks.

Each person will load this to their self-target sheet and mark their own priority and time, but not exceeding any prescribed time.

Collect all sheets every Monday morning and compare with your total load of the individual, which is available with you. No questions are asked except under any alarming situation. Mark if you have any change in priority and just return the sheet. This practice has been experimented with by me in my office and has proved highly successful, as one could see there is some improvement every week, and soon you will find the staff relaxing and waiting for the next task.

This works under work measurement and self-improvement as there is no pressure from superiors. They also understand that this is solid proof of their contribution, which will speak during the annual report, promotion, and any other rewards.

This also gives you lots of feedback on individual live performances and situational responses, and also if anyone is overloaded, etc. If an individual's performance is not satisfactory, they can be confidentially counseled. Also, rotation of jobs every year makes flexible working easier.

I am a retired officer from the Defence Quality Assurance Organization, and this has helped my staff in annual confidential reports and promotion assessments and recommending for yearly performance awards, and some other divisions also followed suit.

But sustained practice and performance from the in-charge are essential.

Regards,
V. Muthukrishnan