How the Service Excellence Network works, what it stands for, and what members can expect of each other.
1. Purpose
The Service Excellence Network exists to raise the productivity and quality of service work by connecting the people who run it. Our descriptor is: "Best practice for organisations that run on people."
Service and knowledge work account for about 70% of developed economies, yet their productivity has improved far more slowly than manufacturing's. Most of what works is known by practitioners rather than written down. The network makes that knowledge easy to find, share and apply.
We pursue this purpose by:
- connecting practitioners who can help each other, free of charge;
- sharing proven practice across six areas: customer and service experience; people, leadership and culture; operations and process; technology, AI and automation; strategy, performance and execution; and change and transformation;
- bringing paid work to members who offer fractional, project, interim or advisory services;
- convening people in person through local chapters and events.
2. Who the network is for
The network is for people who lead, run or improve service and knowledge-work organisations: operations leaders, service managers, transformation and improvement specialists, and the advisers who support them.
- Individual membership is free and open to practitioners anywhere.
- Our core sectors are financial services, healthcare, life sciences, shared services and BPO, IT services and the public sector; practitioners from other sectors are welcome.
- Events and chapters start in Ireland and New England. Members anywhere can propose a local chapter, and the council approves a pilot once an area has enough members.
- Organisations join by arrangement with the council. Sponsors support the network and its rewards; sponsorship never buys influence over content or membership decisions.
3. Principles
- Practitioner-led. What we share comes from people who have done the work, and we say where it comes from.
- Give before you ask. Members help one another freely; credits recognise that help but are never the reason for it.
- Requests and discussion are separate. Requests for help go through the request routes; open discussion belongs in the forum.
- Respect people's time. No request is ever sent to the whole network, and every member controls how many requests they receive.
- Privacy by default. Email addresses are never shown; members choose what appears on their profile.
- Fair and transparent. The rules for credits, limits and verification are published, and the same rules apply to everyone, including the council.
- Inclusive. The network welcomes practitioners of every background, sector and location.
4. How the network works
Each part of the network has one job, so members always know where to go.
| Part | What it is for | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Member directory | Finding members by skill, sector and location | None |
| Ask one member | A direct request to a member whose skills fit | Costs 5 |
| Ask a matched group | One request sent to up to 8 matched members, never the whole network | Costs 10, refunded if no one offers help |
| Paid briefs | Organisations post paid work; practitioners express interest and are shortlisted | Poster earns 50 when a brief is filled through the network |
| Forum | Open discussion and questions for everyone | Best answer earns 20 |
| Insights | Articles and lessons from members, published after council review | Shared resources earn 30 |
| Events and chapters | Meeting in person; members can propose events and chapters | Hosting or speaking earns 100 |
Network credits work like a bank account. Members earn them by helping others and spend them on requests and rewards. Each member can see a full statement of their credits, and a network dashboard shows who is most asked for advice and for paid work. Credits have no cash value and cannot be transferred.
To keep requests manageable, each member can make up to 2 requests a day, 5 a week and 12 a month, and receives no more than they choose to accept.
5. Governance
The network runs on a self-serve model: members use it directly, and the council handles exceptions rather than approving routine activity. Until the first council is elected, the co-founders handle exceptions.
| Role | Who | Responsibilities |
|---|---|---|
| Co-founders | Alex McDonnell (convenor) and Paula Lawton (Ireland) | Set direction, represent the network, and handle exceptions until the first council is elected |
| Council | Members elected by the network, on fixed terms; being formed and to be announced | Approves events, insights and chapter pilots; reviews reports and credit activity; decides exceptions |
| Chapter leads | Announced as chapters open | Run local events and welcome new members |
Council members cannot decide on matters that concern their own requests, credits or rewards.
The network intends to become an independent non-profit company limited by guarantee, so that it belongs to its members rather than to any firm. Until then it is hosted by Expertivity, which holds no special rights over members or their data.
6. Member commitments
By joining, members agree to:
- keep their profile honest, including their skills, level and availability;
- use requests for genuine questions, and say thank you, or confirm help, when someone helps;
- keep anything shared in confidence confidential;
- treat other members with courtesy, whatever their seniority, sector or background;
- never use member details for unsolicited selling or recruitment outside the network's own routes;
- not game the credit system, for example by trading confirmations.
Any member can report a request, post or behaviour that breaks these commitments. The council reviews reports and may remove content, reverse credits, remove badges, or suspend or end a membership. Members are told the reason for any action taken and can ask the council to look at it again.
7. Review of this charter
The council reviews this charter every year, and sooner if members ask. Proposed changes are shared with members for comment for at least 30 days before they take effect. This charter will be readopted by the board of the non-profit company when it is formed.
Also see the Member handbook.