CEN/TS 99001:2008

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2008
Podpora poslovanju - Storitve v podporo majhnim podjetjem - Terminologija,
kakovost in delovanje
Business support - Support services provided to small enterprises - Terminology, quality
and performance
Wirtschaftsförderung - Unternehmensentwicklungsdienstleistungen für kleine und
mittelständische Unternehmen - Terminologie, Qualität und Leistung
Services aux entreprises - Services d'accompagnement et de conseil aux petites
entreprises - Terminologie, qualité et performances du service
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: CEN/TS 99001:2008
ICS:
03.080.20 Storitve za podjetja Services for companies
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
CEN/TS 99001
SPÉCIFICATION TECHNIQUE
TECHNISCHE SPEZIFIKATION
October 2008
ICS 03.080.20
English Version
Business support - Support services provided to small
enterprises - Terminology, quality and performance
Services aux entreprises - Services d'accompagnement et Business support - Support Services für Kleinunternehmen
de conseil aux petites entreprises - Terminologie, qualité et - Begriffe, Qualität und Ausführung
performances du service
This Technical Specification (CEN/TS) was approved by CEN on 21 July 2008 for provisional application.
The period of validity of this CEN/TS is limited initially to three years. After two years the members of CEN will be requested to submit their
comments, particularly on the question whether the CEN/TS can be converted into a European Standard.
CEN members are required to announce the existence of this CEN/TS in the same way as for an EN and to make the CEN/TS available
promptly at national level in an appropriate form. It is permissible to keep conflicting national standards in force (in parallel to the CEN/TS)
until the final decision about the possible conversion of the CEN/TS into an EN is reached.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: rue de Stassart, 36  B-1050 Brussels
© 2008 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. CEN/TS 99001:2008: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.

Contents Page
Foreword.3
Introduction .4
1 Scope .5
2 Terms and definitions .6
3 The phases of service provision.7
3.1 Description of the process .7
3.2 General (SE) .9
4 Description of phase 1 – Selection .9
4.1 Identification of needs by the manager of the enterprise (SE) .9
4.2 Preparation (SE).10
4.3 Identification of the service providers from which the enterprise may request an
offer  (SE).10
4.4 Consultation.11
4.5 Final selection of the service provider .13
4.6 Contractual relations.14
5 Description of phase 2 – Performance of the service.17
5.1 Organisation.17
5.2 Modification of the service .18
5.3 Monitoring and inspection of the service process.19
5.4 End of assignment.20
6 Description of phase 3 – Assessment of the service.21
7 Ongoing improvement of the service .22
Annex A (informative) The six fundamental principles of service provision .23
A.1 Service provision focused on the enterprise.23
A.2 A clear and transparent service offer .23
A.3 Service coherence .23
A.4 A fair price .23
A.5 A mutual commitment between the parties .23
A.6 The possibility of ongoing improvement of the service.24
Annex B (informative) Code of conduct for the service provider.25
Annex C (informative) Assessment of a business support service .26
Annex D (normative) Check-list for the small enterprises .29
Bibliography .34

Foreword
This document (CEN/TS 99001:2008) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 374 “Project
Committee - Business Support Services”, the secretariat of which is held by AFNOR.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the
European Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Directive(s).
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organizations of the following
countries are bound to announce this Technical Specification: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Introduction
To be effective, the provision of business support services to small enterprises should be based upon a
common understanding between the managers of small enterprises on the one hand and the service
providers on the other hand.
If both parties use the same methods, in the same spirit, the quality of the services will be improved, as well
as the ongoing development of the small enterprise.
In order to show to each party the needs, challenges and obligations which the other party faces in the
process of the provision of a business support service, this document is presented, where appropriate, in two
columns, the left column containing recommendations for the small enterprises (SE), and the right column
containing requirements for the service providers (SP).
1 Scope
This Technical Specification establishes the general elements of a business support service of appropriate
quality. The service should be tailored to the expectations of enterprises.
This Technical Specification specifies requirements on the business support service providers, as well as
guidelines for enterprises, including self-employed persons. It focuses on the process of service provision
rather than the nature or content of the service. It is not concerned with the internal organisation of either
service providers or enterprises.
This Technical Specification can serve as a common reference for both enterprises and support service
providers.
On the one hand, for service providers, it is intended to be:
 a reference tool for how to structure the services provided;
 a guideline for providing a service corresponding to actual needs and expectations;
 a guideline for improving the quality of the service.
It clarifies the type of information exchanged between service provider and service receiver, i.e. the enterprise.
On the other hand, it is intended to help the managers to detect and specify the needs of their enterprises and
to get a suitable service by:
 expressing the needs of the enterprise;
 interacting with the service provider;
 choosing or seeking guidance on a suitable service provider;
 evaluating the service received in line with documented requirements and expectations.
This Technical Specification also contains some more detailed advice on drawing up contracts and placing
orders. It is intended to be a practical tool for enterprises to choose and evaluate their support service
providers.
This Technical Specification concerns all types of business support services, irrespective of the domain in
question (commercial, financial, training, IT, legal, marketing, organisational, technical, general
assistance, etc.), with the exception of facilities management described in EN 15221-1 and EN 15221-2
(see note). These services may be provided over extended or predefined periods (days, weeks or months), be
performed by private or public organisations and be carried out within the framework of common business
relations including direct payment of fees by the enterprise. It should be noted that, because the range of
services offered by business support providers which fall within the scope of this document is very wide, not
all possible elements of each support provision process are covered by this document.
This Technical Specification is not intended to serve as a basis for certification of the service providers.
NOTE Facilities management services according to EN 15221-1 and EN 15221-2: services that support the main
activities of the enterprise in order to improve its effectiveness via the management and provision of appropriate support
services. Facilities management services are services relating to space and infrastructure (e.g. energy management,
cleaning, office arrangement renewal) and/or to persons and organisation (e.g. access control, fire extinguisher
maintenance, security, catering, shipping of merchandise, archiving and storage).
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1
enterprise
entity engaged in an economic activity, irrespective of its legal form; this includes self-employed persons and
family businesses engaged in craft or other activities, and partnerships or associations regularly engaged in
an economic activity
[Commission Recommendation C(2003) 1422]
2.2
small enterprise (SE)
enterprise which employs fewer than 50 people and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total
does not exceed EUR 10 million
[Commission Recommendation C(2003) 1422]
NOTE The small enterprise can be at any stage of its life cycle: creation, growth, maturity or transfer. By their nature,
small enterprises have few staff and may not have the management structures and resources of larger organisations.
Therefore, one person can incorporate all operating functions of the enterprise.
2.3
micro enterprise
enterprise which employs fewer than 10 people and whose annual turnover and/or annual balance sheet total
does not exceed EUR 2 million
[Commission Recommendation C(2003) 1422]
NOTE 1 The micro enterprise can be at any stage of its life cycle: creation, growth, maturity or transfer. By their nature,
micro enterprises have few staff and may not have the management structures and resources of larger organisations.
Therefore one person can incorporate all operating functions of the enterprise.
NOTE 2 In this Technical Specification, the term small enterprise (SE) is used for micro and small enterprises as
defined by the EU as well as self-employed persons.
2.4
self employed
person working for oneself as freelance or owner of a business that has no other employees
2.5
business support service
service provided by a third party (either private or public) external to the enterprise, which involves providi
...