In a world where customer expectations continually rise, service excellence has become a crucial differentiator. It’s not enough to satisfy; organizations must delight. That’s the essence of ISO 23592:2021, which defines service excellence through a model of four maturity levels, two foundational levels that ensure satisfaction, and two advanced levels that emphasize personalization and surprise-driven delight.
The challenge: Turning frameworks into practices
However, many organizations hit a wall when transitioning from theory to meaningful change. Surveys reveal that 70–75% of transformation efforts, even those aimed at achieving service excellence, fall short of their objectives. Common barriers include:
- Fixed mindsets and internal silos
- Weak leadership commitment
- Lack of culture aligned with customer‑centric strategy
The Breakthrough: ISO/TS 19390:2025
Published in July 2025, ISO/TS 19390:2025 provides a step-by-step implementation guide for ISO 23592:2021 Service excellence – Principles and model.
Key Highlights:
- Structured Phases
- Pre‑implementation (“Unfreeze”): Build awareness, align leadership, assess current maturity via the Service Excellence Maturity Model (SEMM), and set vision aligned with strategic goals.
- Implementation (“Change”): Launch targeted initiatives, empower change agents, and map progress.
- Post‑implementation (“Refreeze”): Solidify practices, integrate into culture, and reinforce new norms.
- Guideposts Toward Maturity
The SEMM helps organizations move systematically from managed (Level 3) to good and excellent (Levels 4‑5), focusing on embedding customer orientation as a core enabler. - Integration with Change Management
Maps seamlessly to ISO 21502, ISO 21503, and ISO 21504 project and portfolio standards, enabling agile or waterfall transformations. - Complementary Guidance
Perfectly pairs with ISO/TS 24082 (service design) and ISO/TS 23686 (performance measurement) for a complete journey from concept to culture of excellence.
Why It Matters
- From Vision to Reality: ISO/TS 19390 provides organizations with the missing playbook for operationalizing and sustaining service excellence.
- Cultural Shift: It helps move the entire organization toward customer-centric transformation, weaving service excellence into its DNA.
- Stakeholder Impact: Employees feel engaged, leaders gain clarity and support, and customers experience genuine delight.
Getting Started with ISO/TS 19390:2025
- Assess your current service maturity using SEMM, as outlined in ISO/TS 19387.
- Build Executive Alignment in the pre‑implementation phase—define your vision and strategic priorities.
- Plan a series of minimum viable changes (MVCs) to gain quick wins and momentum.
- Integrate implementation into your existing change, program, or portfolio management processes.
- Monitor and Reinforce results until service excellence becomes your new operational norm.
Final thoughts
Service excellence isn’t a checkbox—it’s a dynamic, organization-wide endeavour. ISO/TS 19390:2025 turns ambition into action, empowering companies to move from “we want to delight” to “we do delight, every time.” For practitioners, it’s the missing link between conceptual frameworks and real-world impact.
At StandardsHero, we’re excited by this leap forward. Let us know if you’d like a printable implementation roadmap or a tailored digest for your training or leadership teams.