Developing a quality seal for business services
The project aims to design and roll out an industry quality seal for the Clúster Servicios Empresariales, raising professional standards among member companies and strengthening their competitive position in the market.
Summary
The Clúster de Servicios Empresariales de Córdoba developed an industry Quality Seal for business services firms, both cluster members and non-members, that meet set requirements across five dimensions: Strategy, Customer Service, Resources, Staff and Social Responsibility. The recognition serves as an entry point to a continuous improvement path, preparing companies for more demanding certifications such as ISO 9001.
The project worked on three coordinated fronts. The first completed the design of the seal: final drafting of requirements and evidence, administrative and operational processes (registration, auditing, follow-up), legal agreements and template contracts, and all communication assets (a dedicated website for the seal, institutional materials, logo, certificates). The second built auditing capacity and prepared the ecosystem: training internal auditors together with the Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN), which acts as an impartial body, and preparing cluster companies for certification. The third ran the first cohort: one-on-one advisory support for 10 companies already certified under ISO 9001, industry outreach led by a community manager, and certification of these pioneering companies.
The project was led by Cecilia Lorenzon (Cluster Manager). 050,000 (ARS 4,025,000 non-repayable grant + ARS 3,475,000 cash co-funding from the cluster + ARS 550,000 in kind). Choosing ISO 9001-certified companies for the first cohort lowered initial barriers and sped up adoption of the seal across the industry.
Main objective
Develop and roll out an industry Quality Seal for business services firms, setting requirements across five dimensions (Strategy, Customer Service, Resources, Staff and Social Responsibility), bringing in UTN as an impartial auditing body, and certifying the cluster's first 10 companies as the foundation of a continuous improvement path toward more complex certifications.
Duration:
December 2023 to July 2024 (8 months)
Status:
Completed
Clúster de Servicios Empresariales
A platform that brings together companies, the public sector, universities and civil society organizations to professionalize and export services that make other organizations more competitive. Founded in 2010 and a nonprofit association since 2022, it works on institutional partnerships, continuous improvement through the Business Services Quality Seal, training and advisory services, export development and CSR programs.