Health and safety helpline helps IIRSM serve growing international membership
The International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) is a professional body for health and safety practitioners, providing recognition, information and enhancement to its expanding membership. One of the fastest growing health and safety bodies in the UK, it works to advance professional standards and public education in accident prevention and occupational health throughout the world. From its west London base, IIRSM serves practitioners working in occupational health, safety and risk management in more than 60 countries worldwide.
Choosing Sypol
Recent years have seen major changes at the Institute, among them a move to new premises. These developments reflect its success in attracting and retaining members and growing global recognition of the importance of risk and safety management. Increasing numbers of members are joining from high-growth economies such as India, Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
In addition, as Zoë Kavadas, Operations Manager at IIRSM explains: “We have also become increasingly independent in line with our growth. While we used to share offices with the British Safety Council and still maintain very strong links, we have really come into our own as an organisation over the past couple of years. Part and parcel of this evolution has been reviewing the suppliers on whom our staff relies to deliver an excellent service to over 8,000 members.”
The supplier review included going out to tender for a new provider of the Institute’s Technical Information Service. All members of IIRSM have free access to a helpline for detailed and impartial technical advice in occupational health, safety and environmental areas.
In selecting a new provider, the Institute placed the highest priority on quality of service with a friendly, professional approach. Zoë notes: “We wanted to ensure we could provide a grade A service to our members, and that the chosen supplier could demonstrate an enthusiastic commitment to undertaking the work.”
Leading health, safety and environmental specialists Sypol soon emerged as the front runner. The company’s evident understanding of the organisation’s requirements, the strength of its proposal and a strong reputation within the industry impressed the Institute’s management.
With Sypol already being experienced in operating its own content management system helpline for customers, it had specialists in place used to answering the type of question being asked by IIRSM members.
Sypol – an integral part of the IIRSM team
Today, IIRSM members have access by phone, fax and email to the technical helpline which is managed by Sypol at its Aylesbury office. The dedicated team of consultants has become the single source of answers to members’ queries. A typical call might be a query relating to the Health & Safety Act or the rules and regulations regarding Control of Substances Hazardous to Health.
As a new service provider, Sypol’s performance was closely monitored by the IIRSM. In fact, glowing reports from members showed their appreciation of the markedly improved service.
Zoë, too, praises Sypol’s service delivery, “Over the two years that we’ve been working with Sypol, we’ve had many positive comments from our members and no complaints. In fact, we hear only good things about them. That’s quite a record. We are more than happy with the service provided and have come to regard Sypol as a key part of the IIRSM team.”
Sypol provides the IIRSM with monthly statistics on the numbers and nature of enquiries.
From strength to strength
It is a measure of the Institute’s satisfaction with the Sypol service that in late 2007, it signed another two-year contract. The close partnership is set to enter an exciting new phase of collaboration.
Sypol will be given greater prominence with the membership through articles in the Institute’s regular newsletter. These will help to share best practice, based on queries received from members. At the same time, the Institute will be promoting Sypol’s free health and safety seminars as a service to its members.
Zoë sums up: “We value highly Sypol’s contribution to our provision of a solid information service. Its ethos of approachable, professional service closely aligns with our own and the Sypol team clearly enjoys tackling all the technical queries our members present them with!”
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