Foreign Experience in Implementing Quality Management Systems in the Provision of Municipal Services

The article examines modern models of quality of local self-government bodies' activities aimed at improving the quality of municipal services: TQM schools; standardized models of management systems; models of organizational excellence; models of diagnostic self-assessment and other models aimed at achieving high quality of municipal services. It is established that the introduction of a quality management system in the activities of local self-government bodies, created in accordance with the international standards of the ISO 9000 series, is one of the most effective methods of increasing the efficiency of local self-government bodies, improving the quality of municipal services, and identifying the needs and interests of residents of the territorial community. The results of the study of best practices in the implementation of municipal service quality management systems in the partner cities of the UNDP Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Program project are analysed. Attention is drawn to such quality assessment methods as the Balanced Scorecard (BSC); the Theory of «Learning Organizations»; Knowledge Management; the Theory and practice of Change Management; and Benchmarking Technology. The study of the peculiarities of municipal service provision suggests that it is necessary to revise the principles of selection of municipal employees who perform the functions of providing services to citizens, in addition to professional qualities, to pay attention to personal qualities, since close contact with consumers implies the influence of the human factor on service activities; it is necessary to establish public control over the provision of municipal services and ensure feedback between the subjects of municipal service provision and consumers, creation of channels for systematic submission of complaints and suggestions; delegation of customer service powers to private entities while maintaining the control functions of public authorities; implementing artificial intelligence technologies to further improve the quality of municipal services.