One of the major directions for government today - and one that is vital over the next decade into the twenty-first century - is to improve the quality of the goods and services the public sector is providing to customers.

The New South Wales Government is a leader in Australia in undertaking initiatives which aim to ensure public sector agencies provide high quality goods and services that consistently satisfy customer needs. The development in 1992 of Guarantees of Service and Customer Councils by agencies, for example, was a first step in the customer service reform of the public sector.

The next step is for each agency to undertake management strategies to bring about quality customer service. Existing management and work practices need to be redesigned where necessary to ensure each agency's goods and services are clearly meeting customer needs. Each agency also needs to ensure it has mechanisms in place so it can ascertain how well its goods and services are meeting customer needs. These changes will assist each agency to continuously improve its performance for the benefit of its customers.

I have enclosed a copy of the New South Wales Quality Customer Service Statement. The Statement is equally applicable to large and small agencies, simple and complex ones, and regardless of whether the agency has a service delivery, regulatory, policy or administrative role.

The Statement provides the framework to assist NSW Government agencies to implement Quality Customer Service. It will aid the efficient, effective and equitable management of Government resources. It also provides the basis for measuring progress and outcomes for the customers of public sector goods and services.

Each agency is asked to identify core business processes or programs which, with improvement, will result in better service and outcomes for customers, and to implement performance improvement strategies which will affect those core business processes or programs. The Office of Public Management, Premier's Department will monitor progress in the implementation of Quality Customer Service, and report to me on agency initiatives and outcomes for customers.

The Statement also notes that a Chief Executive Officer Steering Committee, a Quality Customer Service Fund and OPM will assist agencies to implement Quality Customer Service.

I would ask you to draw to the attention of your Chief Executive Officers the importance of each agency implementing Quality Customer Service.

John Fahey,
Premier.