Level 1 - Total Support Quality Certification
Companies must successfully complete the first two phases; Self-Assessment and Audit, to achieve the Total Support Quality Certification. Depending on the extent of the audits and the speed with which the organization completes the Self-Assessment Phase, the entire process may take between two and six
months. A typical schedule is around three months.
Self-Assessment Phase
The Self-Assessment Phase is guided by the standards criteria and consists in preparing a self-evaluation against the criteria, gathering documentation, and getting ready for the audits. The primary activities in the Self-Assessment Phase will include:
| Getting Organized |
- Assemble a certification task force and develop a general schedule for completing the self-assessment |
| Review the Criteria |
- Compare your support organization to the program criteria and address any critical gaps |
| Prepare Supporting Evidence |
- Organize reports, presentations and other documents that auditors can review during the onsite audit |
| Submit the Self-Assessment Form |
- Score your compliance with the criteria and have a corporate office verify that the findings are accurate |
Audit Phase
During the Audit Phase of the program, an audit team, comprised of one SSPA auditor and one J.D. Power auditor, will conduct one or more on-site audits as determined by the certification configuration for your company. The goal of the audits is to validate the results of the Self-Assessment and to ensure that the certification standards and practices are consistently applied. Each audit consists of a review of the supporting evidence you have compiled and a series of interviews with your staff. The evidence review checks that the procedures are clear and formally defined. The interviews verify that the policies and procedures are known and used routinely by the staff.
The scoring for the Audit Phase follows the modular structure of the program. The maximum score varies depending on the certification configuration for each company. To pass the audit and earn the SSPA Total Support Quality certification, companies must receive at least 80% of the total audit points available.
Companies that achieve the SSPA Total Support Quality certification can graduate to the next level of the program to become a Certified Technology Service & Support provider. <more>
Get started by contacting the SSPA now!
The road to certified technology service and support excellence begins with a call to the SSPA at 858.674.5491 or email ctss@thesspa.com.
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