IQS: Internal Quality Indicators

What is IQS

IQS (Internal Quality Score) is a key performance indicator (KPI) used to measure employee performance, particularly in call centers or sales departments. These metrics help assess how well teams are achieving their objectives and maintaining high standards of service or sales quality. In the context of surveys, this may include evaluating the quality of responses, response times, customer satisfaction, and other important aspects of customer interaction and request handling.

Why IQS Evaluation Is Used

IQS evaluation serves several purposes, all aimed at improving internal quality and process efficiency within organizations. Key goals include:

1. Improving service quality. IQS helps determine how effectively employees communicate with customers and solve their problems, directly impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty.
2. Managing employee performance. IQS is used to monitor and assess employee work, identify strengths and weaknesses, and plan training and skill development.
3. Optimizing internal processes. IQS data analysis helps identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies, enabling process improvements and boosting overall productivity.
4. Enhancing customer interactions. Understanding the quality of customer interactions through IQS enables organizations to refine communication strategies and improve service approaches.
5. Data-driven decision-making. IQS provides quantitative insights to support informed management decisions aimed at enhancing quality and efficiency.
6. Employee motivation. IQS can be used as a performance metric to encourage employees to improve their work and achieve better results.

How the IQS Metric Is Calculated

IQS calculation may vary depending on an organization’s specific standards and criteria. Here's a basic example using a simplified formula that takes the arithmetic mean of several quality indicators without applying weights — assuming equal importance for each metric.

Let’s say IQS is based on three indicators: response time (T), customer satisfaction (C), and compliance with service standards (S). Each is scored individually on a scale from 0 to 1 (or as percentages).

The simplified formula looks like this:

IQS = (T + C + S) / 3

Example:

• Response time (T) = 80% or 0.8
• Customer satisfaction (C) = 90% or 0.9
• Service standard compliance (S) = 75% or 0.75

The IQS would be calculated as:

IQS = (0.8 + 0.9 + 0.75) / 3 = 0.817 or 81.7%

This result means that, on average, the internal quality score across the three evaluated areas is 81.7%. This simplified approach offers an easy way to assess internal quality without assigning weighted values to individual indicators.

General Methodology for IQS Surveys

The general IQS survey methodology includes several key stages aimed at evaluating and improving internal quality within an organization. These steps are:

1. Clearly define what you want to measure with the IQS survey. This could include overall service quality, employee satisfaction, or process efficiency.
2. Create a questionnaire or checklist with questions or statements designed to measure key quality aspects. Questions should be clear, specific, and easy to understand for respondents.
3. Decide on the survey method (e.g., interviews, phone surveys, online forms) and select appropriate tools and platforms.
4. Identify the target audience and sampling method (random, quota-based, etc.) to ensure representative results.
5. Distribute the questionnaires and collect responses. Ensuring anonymity and confidentiality is essential for honest and accurate data.
6. Process the collected data, calculate quality scores for each question, and derive the overall IQS. Use both quantitative and qualitative analysis depending on question types and data collected.
7. Interpret the results and understand their impact on the quality of services or operations. Develop improvement recommendations based on the findings.
8. Prepare reports for stakeholders and provide feedback to employees and participants on the actions taken to improve quality.

What Is Considered a Normal IQS

A "normal" IQS can vary significantly depending on industry, company specifics, established standards, and strategic goals. There is no universal benchmark, as each organization may set its own criteria for internal quality evaluation.

Generally, an IQS above 80–85% is considered good, indicating a high level of internal quality and customer satisfaction. However, even with strong scores, continuous improvement is important, since many factors influence overall quality perception and customer experience.

How to Improve the IQS Metric

Improving IQS involves focusing on core aspects that affect internal quality and service delivery. Here are several strategies to help improve IQS:

1. Regularly analyze IQS survey data, including open comments. Identify specific problems and improvement areas. Customer and employee feedback can offer valuable insights.
2. Enhance employee skills through training sessions and professional development, especially in areas where gaps have been identified. Ongoing training in customer service, communication, and conflict resolution can significantly improve performance.
3. Review and optimize internal processes and work standards. Removing bottlenecks, automating routine tasks, and improving decision-making workflows can boost efficiency and quality.
4. Establish incentive and recognition programs to reward employees who demonstrate high-quality work and positively impact IQS. Recognition encourages motivation and engagement.
5. Adopt new technologies and tools to support quality improvement — such as CRM systems, service monitoring tools, and data analysis platforms.
6. Foster a company culture that prioritizes quality. Communicate the importance of high standards, create a sense of responsibility among employees, and support quality-focused initiatives.
7. Approach IQS improvement as a continuous PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle — implementing changes, evaluating their impact, and adjusting as needed for ongoing improvement.

Improving IQS requires a comprehensive, organization-wide effort, involving leadership and frontline employees alike, and a consistent commitment to monitoring, feedback, and adaptability.