Best Value, The 4 C's

 

A fundamental and continuous requirement of the review process is to challenge us and justify why our services exist in the way they do. Best Value is all about innovation and not accepting what we have always done as being the only and necessarily right way. Best Value Reviews require authorities to apply the 4 C's to each of their functions.

 

The 4 C's require authorities to:

 

In addition, the review process should involve a review of the following key issues:

 

 

Organisations require a pro-active approach in developing systems to consult or engage the community. How and how often customers and the wider community are consulted will be key to Best Value. Consultation is necessarily an ongoing process; customer requirements are continually evolving and this must be reflected in how services are delivered.

 

 

A very clear requirement of Best Value is the measurement of performance, both internally and against external benchmarks. Whilst this remains only one part of any demonstration of Best Value, it is an element which is critical to its success. Organisations must have a common and credible framework for measuring the performance of services. This will involve clarifying the language associated with performance measurement and developing a range of operational and performance measures that can be applied to services.

 

 

Implicit in the Best Value Concept is the acknowledgement that any effective customer care strategy will ensure future success of services. Organisations must develop a customer care policy which reflects the importance and value of the customer

 

 

Best Value requires the delivery of high quality as well as cost effective services. Organisations need to look at the ideas of quality within the context of adding value to services. There is an implicit requirement to define the concept of quality and consider how it may be applied across a range of services.