Agenda item

Agenda item

Customer Experience Strategy

Report of the Strategic Director of Housing and Customer Services

Presented by the Leader

Minutes:

The Leader presented the report to Members.

 

He reminded Cabinet that the Council had made a commitment in the current Council Priorities to establish a Customer First Programme, as there had been an uneven culture of customer service across the authority. He advised that the result was different levels of service across the Council. The corporate customer service team were receiving several hundred thousand contacts per annum with many customers having long wait times or failed calls.

 

He informed Members that the service was now improving, and following the appointment of the new Head of Customer Services, a ‘Customer Experience Strategy’ had been produced which outlined the scope and ambition of the work required to deliver against the customer first commitment. He highlighted that the strategy would provide a clear vision for all officers, members, partners and customers around how the Council will interact with its customers and that it would embrace technological opportunities, new working practices and changing customer expectations. He outlined the six themes and principles in the strategy as detailed in the report.

 

Councillor A V Smith acknowledged the excellent progress with the work so far and that the website was working well.

 

Councillor R D Bayliss advised that the tenants’ forum worked well for the housing service in obtaining customer feedback which had helped to shape policies.

 

The Leader invited the Head of Customer Services to join the meeting and provide Members with further background and information on the work required.

 

The Head of Customer Services advised Members that when he first arrived some service areas were performing better than others and that some customers were waiting up to 10-15 minutes for calls to be answered and up to 1 in 3 calls were abandoned. He stated that work in front of them would require officers to look at how the information was being presented to customers and then tailoring each service to meet their needs.

 

In response to questions from Councillor N J Rushton, the Head of Customer Services advised that the digital transformation team were working with other authorities to look at how they connect with their residents. They wouldthen be looking at tailoring the proposals in the Strategy to meet the needs of the residents of North West and that the strategy would be an ongoing piece of work that would need to be reviewed after 2 years to then look at the next 3 years.

 

Councillor R Blunt felt that the three things that annoyed customers the most needed to be identified and a process to deal with the issues prepared.

 

The Leader requested that quarterly reports be brought to Cabinet on the progress of the strategy and how each service area is changing its approach to customer service.

 

It was moved by Councillor R Blunt, seconded by Councillor A V Smith and

 

RESOLVED THAT:

 

The delivery of the strategy to transform the customer experience of NWLDC customers be approved.

 

Reason for decision: To mobilise a programme that delivers against the themes and principles of the Customer Experience Strategy to improve the customer experience.

 

Supporting documents: