This was the journey Sofis Solutions took to achieve the National Quality Award.

Montevideo, March 21, 2024.

The “National Quality Award” is the result of Sofis Solutions’ ongoing efforts to promote and implement a Continuous Improvement Model.

On November 29, 2023, Sofis Solutions was recognized with the “National Quality Award 2023,” in the category “Private Service Companies, Medium and Small”, granted by the National Institute of Quality (INACAL). The award was given to the company for implementing its Continuous Improvement Model, focused on transforming its management to achieve Total Quality Management.

This prestigious recognition is the result of Sofis Solutions’ work to promote and implement a Continuous Improvement Model aimed at total excellence, both in its management and in delivering products and services to its clients.

According to Gustavo Cirigliano, Director of Sofis Solutions, continuous improvement as part of daily activities and teamwork makes this type of recognition possible. “This award is a very important recognition for the company and reaffirms the path the company has been following to deliver services oriented toward excellence and understanding the expectations and needs of our stakeholders.”

Stages of the evaluation process

To achieve this recognition, the company went through different stages of an evaluation process developed by INACAL, where it demonstrated the work carried out to improve the quality of its processes, products, and services. These are detailed below:

• Stage 1 – Application: Sofis Solutions applied for the National Quality Award 2023 and received confirmation of receipt. Later, it was notified of its pre-qualification by INACAL, subject to evaluation by the Award Council.
• Stage 2 – Organizational Guidance: the company participated in an activity providing guidelines for preparing the Extensive Reports for the National Quality Award.
• Stage 3 – Objections by the Award Council: INACAL established a deadline for objections from the Award Council regarding pre-qualified organizations and then notified the result via email: objections or final pre-qualification.
• Stage 4 – Submission of Extensive Reports/Self-Assessments and Explanatory Annexes: for this stage, Sofis Solutions submitted its Extensive Report.
• Stage 5 – Evaluator Visits: Sofis Solutions received visits from INACAL evaluators to validate its Continuous Improvement Model according to INACAL guidelines.
• Stage 6 – Resolution by the Award Council: the company was notified as one of the awarded organizations to participate in the Award Ceremony.
• Stage 7 – Feedback Meeting: this final stage aims to gather awarded organizations to share experiences and lessons learned from the process.

Receiving the National Quality Award 2023 allows Sofis Solutions to promote its quality improvement tools and strategies. INACAL highlighted the company’s mission, which is focused on improving the quality of life of Latin American people through digital transformation of organizations and technological inclusion.

“The application process took approximately a year of work and analysis, always focused on improvement. Since its beginnings, Sofis Solutions has worked with a quality-focused approach for its clients, analyzing the different requirements, needs, and expectations of its stakeholders. This recognition confirms that the company is on the right path and motivates the entire team to continue focusing on continuous process improvement,” commented Laura Viré, Coordinator of Integrated Systems at Sofis Solutions.

Among the milestones highlighted by Sofis Solutions in continuous improvement, the company has a Quality Management System certified under UNIT-ISO 9001:2015 within the integrated management systems with a sustainability focus, together with the Anti-Bribery Management System and the Environmental Management System. This approach aims for continuous improvement and customer satisfaction when receiving products, as well as employee satisfaction during project execution.

About the National Quality Award

The National Quality Award is a prestigious recognition given by the Oriental Republic of Uruguay to public and private sector organizations that excel in continuous process improvement, through a change-focused approach toward Total Quality Management.

Applicant organizations undergo a self-assessment process based on the main tool of the National Quality Award, the “Continuous Improvement Models,” designed by the National Institute of Quality (INACAL). This methodology allows for a self-diagnosis based on the following areas: leadership, planning, people development, focus on external clients, information and analysis, process management, societal and environmental impact, and results. It is important to note that the evaluation of areas depends on the Continuous Improvement Model applied by organizations according to their nature.

INACAL presents two Continuous Improvement Models: one for large organizations and another for small and medium-sized organizations (SMEs). Both models serve as a guide for preparing a report to be submitted by participating organizations; at the same time, they define the principles of Total Quality Management and provide a comprehensive methodology for self-diagnosis and a didactic guide on Quality Management Systems.

Continuous Improvement Model for small and medium-sized organizations

Due to its characteristics and nature, Sofis Solutions used the “Continuous Improvement Model for Small and Medium Organizations,” based on a simplified version of the “Continuous Improvement Model for Large Public and Private Organizations,” evaluating the areas: leadership, people development, focus on external clients, administration and process improvement, and results.

                                              Image of the areas of the Continuous Improvement Model for small and medium-sized organizations from INACAL

This model provides an explanation of the different evaluation areas, including a brief description of what is assessed in each area and the topics covered. Each area is assigned a score used for evaluation by the judges of the National Quality Award.

1. Leadership: this area aims to assess how clearly management understands the principles and values of Total Quality Management, its new role in leading the organization, and the extent to which daily actions exemplify these principles and values. The focus of this area is “Leadership through example and values.” It also evaluates dimensions ranging from management training on Continuous Improvement principles and values to concrete actions ensuring trust-based relationships with employees, suppliers, and clients.
2. People Development: this area aims to assess the organization’s ability to develop its employees as an end in itself while ensuring their maximum contribution to both external client satisfaction and organizational productivity. The focus is on “Employee engagement, education, training, and quality of work life.” Dimensions evaluated include mechanisms to increase employee participation in process improvement and how the organization values their active engagement in achieving better ways to satisfy clients.
3. Focus on External Clients: this area evaluates the organization’s capacity to retain and develop existing clients and attract new ones. The focus is on “Understanding external clients and the market and determining client satisfaction.” Dimensions include actions to improve client knowledge and information, and the indicators or parameters used to measure client satisfaction and dissatisfaction with products and services.
4. Administration and Process Improvement: this area assesses the organization’s actual capacity to manage key aspects of competitiveness: planning, client-oriented products and services, efficient production processes, distribution systems, support areas, and supplier alignment with client needs. The focus is on managing key competitive aspects, including planning, client orientation, efficient production and support processes, supplier management, and environmental impacts. It ranges from defining strategic objectives to measures preventing negative environmental impacts.
5. Results: this area aims to evaluate whether the mechanisms, systems, and procedures described in the previous four areas are achieving their intended purpose and generating tangible improvements in aspects critical to organizational competitiveness and success. The focus is on: “Product and/or service results,” “Production, support, and supplier process results,” “People development results,” and “Market and financial results.” Dimensions include numerical data reflecting efforts to train and develop employees, employee satisfaction with work conditions, financial performance indicators, and other productivity, efficiency, sales, and supplier improvement indicators.

After Sofis Solutions submitted information according to the Continuous Improvement Model, INACAL evaluators assessed the dimensions of approach, implementation, and results. These dimensions are referenced in an “Evaluation Guide Table,” which serves as the main reference for the criteria evaluators consider, based on the percentage of progress in each topic presented by the organization.

This was the process followed by Sofis Solutions based on INACAL’s Continuous Improvement Model, evaluating areas, topics, and dimensions according to the model implemented by the company, resulting in the receipt of the “National Quality Award 2023,” making the company an exemplary organization striving for operational excellence, constantly improving processes to identify opportunities, develop and assess competitiveness in the IT sector, and enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.