Introduction

Benchmarking is one of the most frequently used management tools.  Essentially Benchmarking compares activities or outputs to enable understanding and improve performance.  Measuring performance within a peer group is a very powerful support for achieving Best Practice although the key pitfall is to regard results as a League Table.  Although qualitative industry standards can be found there may be many good and acceptable reasons why individual results will vary.  The key is to understand that variation.

It is best to compare like with like but providing differences are properly understood not essential.  With the potential to identify the focus for improvement resource Benchmarking serves as a targeting system encouraging investigation of anomalies.  Benchmarking itself is simply a tool that will facilitate other activity relating to change and improvement.  At worst it will promote a full understanding of performance results and often increase staff satisfaction through understanding and involvement.

 
In short benchmarking promotes understanding which will have a positive impact on bottom line results through improved staff and customer satisfaction reflected in lower attrition and higher rates of customer retention, faster and more efficient processes leading to cost efficiencies and a more focussed approach at operational management level

Benchmarking Survey Registration