News story

eCom Client - Customer Service Professional wins COSLA Excellence Award - Gold Winner

Dunfermline, ScotlandLearning NewseCom Learning Solutions

The Customer Service Professional Qualification has been honoured with a prestigious COSLA Excellence Award. Developed under Renfrewshire Council and the Improvement Service's lead, the Qualification triumphed in the 'Securing a Workforce for the Future' category at the annual COSLA Excellence Awards ceremony in St Andrews on the evening of Thursday 10 March.

Scottish local government's only online professional qualification certificated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the Qualification is transforming customer service across the country and developing a more skilled workforce now and for the future.

A wonderful example of the benefits of collaborative working, the Qualification is helping to achieve more first-time resolutions of customer enquiries and increase customer satisfaction levels.

The Qualification is portable across local government and provides career pathways for the diverse workforce. Since its launch in 2008 the award-winning Qualification has grown from strength to strength to become SQA's fastest growing customised award. It has produced over 125 graduates, with hundreds of candidates currently working through the Qualification at the 25 test centres around the country.

A recent independent evaluation study offered a fantastic endorsement of the Qualification's impact across Scotland, with the overwhelming majority of learners (92%) confirming they would recommend the Qualification to a colleague.

The success of the Qualification is underpinned by a cutting-edge online learning platform provided by eCom, specialists in the field of online learning and assessment. Embracing a unique, online format and applying leading practice which gives learners immediate test results and feedback, the Qualification is helping to transform the sector by providing the local government workforce with the right skills, knowledge and confidence to the benefit of customers.

Thanks to working closely with eCom the Qualification is helping to transform the sector by extending the reach and provision of customer service training through online learning. This offers cost savings of up to 66% compared with traditional classroom-based teaching. In tandem the Qualification has also resulted in bottom line council savings of £750,000 as a result of developing and delivering the Qualification.

A short video outlining some of the benefits and achievements of the Qualification is available at http://awards.cosla.gov.uk/2011/03/category-6-winner2011-renfrewshire-council-customer-service-professional/.

And the success story continues...... after a phenomenal 2010 the CSP entered 2011 on a high with plans to launch the Professional Development Award (PDA), the third and final level of the qualification. In common with the existing Award and Certificate levels, the PDA level will come with SQA certification and deliver all the benefits that SQA's badging offers. It has been rated at SCQF Level 8.
Contact eCom today to find out how our online solutions can make a positive impact on your organisation.