The quality-of-service initiative "QualiParis"
The City of Paris museums are committed to the QUALIPARIS initiative, which aims to develop and maintain an optimal quality of service and amenities for the public, while constantly striving for improvement.
The City of Paris has launched this initiative in all its public facilities, in order to place the user at the centre of their departments' priorities.
Présentation & objectifs de la démarche
Le label QualiPARIS poursuit 4 objectifs principaux :
- Développer un «réflexe qualité» pour améliorer, en continu, la qualité du service rendu aux usagers et, en particulier, les conditions d’accueil du public dans les services de la Ville de Paris ;
- Homogénéiser le niveau de qualité des prestations offertes sur l’ensemble du territoire parisien ;
- Favoriser la cohésion d’équipe via des objectifs communs à tous les agents ;
- Contribuer à l’amélioration des conditions de travail des agents en clarifiant les responsabilités de chacun et en proposant des outils adaptés.
The QualiParis commitments
12 commitments shared by all the City of Paris's departments have been combined in a reference framework, structured around the following main themes:
- Access / signage
- Information
- First level reception (physical, telephone, e-mail)
- Listening / management of people interactions and suggestions
QualiParis commitments
In addition to this common core, there are specific commitments directly related to museum activities:
- How works are presented
- How the works are mediated
- How accessible the museums are to visitors with disabilities
Running the scheme
The QualiPARIS quality initiative, launched in 2008 by the Mayor of Paris, falls under the remit of Deputy Mayor Véronique LEVIEUX's team, which is responsible for human resources, social dialogue and the quality of public services. It is also supported by Christophe GIRARD, deputy mayor responsible for culture. The initiative is coordinated by the General Secretariat.
Operational oversight is provided for the whole of Paris by a dedicated project team attached to the department for Démocratie, des Citoyens et des Territoires (DDCT).
This department is responsible for devising the scheme and managing a network of "label initiative managers" chosen from within each field of activity, including of course Paris Musées.
As far as the museums are concerned, implementation of the initiative involves the entire staff: from Receptionists and Security Officers to the Board of Directors, the Conservation Department and the General Secretariat, as well as the Cultural and Communication Departments – everybody is working together to improve your visitor experience.
Attribution du label QUALIPARIS
This distinction, which is awarded by an independent body, is recognition of the quality of the service provided. To obtain it, organisations must meet certain requirements and satisfy regular checks.
First, an internal audit is carried out by a City of Paris executive: it is a kind of “mock exam". The auditor visits the sites, looks at the way people are dealt with, the functioning of the various departments and, above all, the way the commitments are put into practice. This inspection makes it possible to detect and correct any shortcomings.
An external audit, carried out by an independent body, usually takes place two months later. This time it is an official review that determines the accreditation. The external auditor monitors compliance with the commitments made and reports on the quality of the results achieved.
If the report is positive, the QualiPARIS label is awarded for 4 years.
Déploiement de la démarche qualité dans les musées de la Ville
Pilot schemes in two museums – the Maison de Victor Hugo and the Musée Cognacq-Jay – were awarded the label in 2016, paving the way for others to follow.
In 2018, 4 other museums joined the initiative – the Petit Palais, the Musée d'Art moderne, the Palais Galliera and the Musée Bourdelle –, and were awarded the label in the first half of the year.
The other museums in the City of Paris network are also working on this initiative, as part of their respective schedules.
More than 600 establishments or facilities in the City of Paris are now displaying the QUALIPARIS label.