Reimagining Quality as a Driver of Service Excellence
Many quality assurance programs are designed to identify mistakes. At Vertex, Jeri Cinnamon and the Quality Team asked a different question: What if quality could become a catalyst for growth?
That question sparked the creation of Quality 2.0, a complete redesign of Vertex's quality program that shifted the focus from compliance and scorekeeping to coaching, insight, and continuous improvement. Rather than treating quality reviews as a checklist exercise, the team built a framework that helps analysts understand not only what happened, but why it happened and how to improve.
The result is a system that evaluates performance across three core areas: issue diagnosis and resolution, internal processes, and communication skills. Every evaluation begins at 100%, reinforcing a "default to excellence" mindset while tying deductions to specific root causes that can be coached, measured, and improved over time.
The impact has been significant. Since implementing Quality 2.0, Vertex has:
- Reduced repetitive messaging deductions by 27%
- Reduced spelling and grammar deductions by 36%
- Improved case categorization accuracy by 26%
- Increased quality evaluation output by 170%
- Increased CSAT from 84.0 to 90.7 year-over-year
Beyond the metrics, the initiative has changed how quality is viewed throughout the organization. Analysts receive clearer feedback, supervisors coach with greater precision, and leaders have access to meaningful performance insights that support strategic decision-making.
The judges were particularly impressed by the team's vision and execution.
"The program moves beyond traditional QA scoring and delivers measurable improvements in customer experience, analyst performance, and leadership decision-making. It is thoughtfully designed, well adopted, and clearly sustainable, with strong evidence of cultural and operational transformation."
Another judge praised the team's willingness to challenge conventional thinking:
"By allocating time for critical reflection, challenging assumptions, and prioritizing what truly matters—even foregoing conventional best practices when they impede progress—you have identified the essential factors for organizational advancement."
Quality 2.0 demonstrates that service improvement isn't always about adding new tools or processes. Sometimes it's about rethinking their purpose. By transforming quality into a system for learning, coaching, and continuous improvement, Jeri Cinnamon and the Quality Team created a model that strengthens employee performance, enhances customer experiences, and supports long-term business success.
Congratulations to Jeri Cinnamon and the Quality Team of Vertex Inc., recipients of the 2026 HDI Best Service Improvement Initiative Award.
Does your team have what it takes to bring home the coveted trophy in 2027? Stay tuned! The awards entry window will open up in August. Make sure you’re following
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