Testimonial from Patrick Schober, Managing Partner at PRAM Consulting
Website: www.pram.cz
What has certification brought to your agency in concrete terms?
I run my agency based on quality management principles, which makes me more effective, competitive, I am better partner for my clients, who are investing more for our services. CMS certification is the way to prove that our management is on high level.
Testimonial from Jürgen Gangoly, CEO / Managing Partner, The Skills Group
Website: www.skills.at
Why CMS certification?
We are CMS-certified… because we have always focused on outstanding quality and the CMS certification has enabled us to have this quality standard externally verified by independent auditors since 2004.
Why do you think agencies need an international quality label like CMS at all?
The demonstrable and obligatory compliance with international industry standards gives clients security when commissioning agencies and at the same time helps to recognise quality providers in the communications industry at first glance.
What has certification brought to your agency in concrete terms?
We are of course getting better and better! 😉 No kidding: the certification – and especially the re-certifications every two years – ensure that you can actually live a continuous improvement process in practice and that mistakes – if any – only happen once. This demonstrably increases customer satisfaction, the length of time customers and staff stay with the agency and automatically makes the agency more successful economically. Onboarding new employees and communicating the agency’s quality standards takes less time and is more effective. As a recognised and quality-certified agency, you are not only more attractive for clients, but also on the labour market, and you appeal particularly to “high potentials”.
Why do you recommend other colleagues to tackle CMS certification for their agency?
For all the reasons mentioned above – and because you can of course also be proud of being demonstrably one of the best communication agencies internationally in terms of quality.
In what way does the CMS label help you in acquisition?
In the last 15 years we have noticed several times that the quality certification is a significant plus point in agency presentations and pitch processes. Of course, you don’t win new clients with this alone – you also have to convince them personally, through consulting and implementation competence and creativity. But the certification is an additional evaluation and decision criterion for clients – and demonstrable quality sometimes justifies higher prices.
What influence does a label have on the internal effect – on your employees?
Our employees are really proud to work for a recognised and quality-certified agency. This has a positive effect on everything from the number of applications to the length of time they stay with the company.
What are your wishes for the further development of the CMS? What is missing today?
Public institutions and companies looking for communication agencies should increasingly demand CMS certification or at least provide it as a positive evaluation criterion with extra “points” in the pitch process. This requires the PR industry associations to become active nationally and internationally.
Reto Wilhelm Dr., (Managing Owner at Panta Rhei PR AG) CMS testimonial
Website: www.pantarhei.ch
Can you explain in one sentence why your agency pursued CMS certification?
We have been certified according to CMS, and since our agency has been in existence,we have always focused on quality. am absolutely convinced that this will prevail on the market. Even more, right now!
Why do we need an international quality label like CMS for agencies at all?
Because we – like architects, lawyers or other industries – need a reliable standard that can be used to distinguish pioneers in the world of communication from those who do not conduct their business sustainably. We owe this to our customers – and to our offspring as well. Quality matters.
What exactly did the certification of your agency bring?
A drastic development boost. We have already completed 8 recertifications and the democratization of knowledge and skills in our agency has increased enormously thanks to CMS. The learning curve is unmistakable. Everyone can rely on solid processes and fully exploit their creativity thanks to these instruments. And as an agency manager, running the agency has become much easier – because we all speak the same language and pursue the same goal: Quality sells better.
Why do you recommend other colleagues to tackle CMS certification for their agency?
Because we need a common sense for our industry. We need more pioneers for quality, for ethics, for fair cooperation and solid business. The CMS provides all of this – it is our compass for an industry that is undergoing major change. CMS guarantees stability, for the customer, for the individual agency and for us as an overall organization at ICCO level, which is responsible for the CMS.
To what extent does the CMS label benefit you in acquisition?
We address the label in all our channels, on offers, on the website, in presentations, on social media. I also write regular technical articles. We see ourselves as the standard bearer for this label, which needs even more visibility – with customers who are looking for a reliable partner.
What influence does a label have on the effect on the inside – on your employees?
A quite considerable one – especially the next generation wants to know what ethics, fair behavior and communication and sustainable action are all about. CMS is the right answer – because the standard operates holistically: socially, ecologically and economically.
What wish do you have for the further development of the CMS? What is missing today?
We need to reflect the concerns of inclusion and diversity even more strongly – especially when we talk about talent search. When I think about how difficult it is to gain a foothold in communication as a person with a migrant background. We also need to shed better light on the issue of succession planning in owner-managed agencies. And, of course, the topic of “ethics” in a very broad sense – from the technological to the behavioral level.
Reto Wilhelm BLOG
https://www.pantarhei.ch/zertifiziert-in-punkto-qualitaet/
https://www.pantarhei.ch/qualitaetsmanagement-in-der-krise-trennt-der-spreu-vom-weizen/
To learn more about the Consultancy Management Standard certification, please click here.