LABORATORY SERVICE QUALITY MEASURES

The HRSD Central Environmental Laboratory provides a full spectrum of analytical services in support of a variety of environmental applications and programs. Growth in recent years related to expansion of the HRSD service area and other programs has led to an increased customer base, diversification of laboratory services and expansion of analytical capabilities. In order to meet changing demands of environmental programs and the individual expectations of customers, the need to implement effective laboratory performance measures has become apparent. Laboratory service quality measures are not internally focused, but are based on customer expectations and program data quality objectives. While internal measurements such as productivity, efficiency, growth and return on capital can be important management tools, they do not always guarantee quality performance in the eyes of the customer. Service quality measures such as customer feedback, data turnaround time, data reliability, number of repeat customers, customer referrals, and availability and cost of analytical services focus on both service and data quality. The CEL has implemented several tools to measure service quality and has used results to continuously improve. When results are effectively communicated, laboratory staff respond positively and these measures can be motivational in providing quality service to customers.