1. Continuous Improvement and Change Learning Outcome 4: Use a range of change, quality methods, models and techniques. Carter Maintenance Services Ltd, a division of Carter Group Pic, have two separate branches in the West Midlands, one in Solihull and one in Sutton Coldfield. Financial results for the last two years have been disappointing across the group as a whole, particularly from the Sutton Coldfield branch, which has seen a rise in quality issues and customer complaints. Standards at Sutton ^Coldfield are not being achieved and procedures are not being followed. CCustomers have been moving to other maintenance firms in the area and the jbranch recently lost its1 most loyal and profitable customer due to poor \_workmanship, inaccurate invoices, and poor communication channels. Carter Group Pic has recently been going through a major ''cost cutting'' exercise investigating ways and means of reducing its overheads. Particular attention has been paid to the fact that there are two office locations in the West Midlands and the poor performance of the Sutton Coldfield branch. The Solihull branch has a good quality record, excellent financial results, recognised as the most efficient branch in the group and is seen as the ''benchmark'' for other branches throughout the United Kingdom (UK). The organisation does not operate a formal quality assurance system, such as ISO 9000, but does have a set of internal standards and procedures. However, these differ from one branch to another due to differences in culture, operations processes and leadership styles. As a result of the investigation and ''cost cutting'' exercise Carter Group Pic has decided that the two branches will merge and operate from a new office block in Solihull as from 1st September 2006. The merger is expected to involve and address quality issues and the process of change management. At present the SolihuH branch has sixty five employees and the Sutton Coldfield branch thirty six employees. The merger is expected to result in a number of redundancies.