Agenda item

To consider the update on ‘what our customers are telling us’ plus an update on our Customer Strategy.

The Customer Services Director, R Pavey gave an update on the Council’s Customer Service KPI’s for overall customer satisfaction, first point resolution, complaints, call volumes and the Customer Strategy.           

He reported that throughout the lockdown period many customers had channel shifted to self-service help, which had been assisted by removing ‘contact us’  and encouraging customers to use the online forms or completing a general contact form. The automated scripts developed for the customers and the Call Centre Officers also reduced the call waiting times and resolutions to 47% for 2020/21. Areas that had been affected by the closure of face to face contact had been the cash offices, although the payments teams had supported customers by taking payment over the telephone.

The Customer Strategy would continue to drive the single point of contact through the remaining service areas into the contact centre and would  focus the following;

• Gaining a better understanding of the customer and their needs;
• How and why the customer contact the Council;
• Utilisation of modern technology, to enhance the customer contact experience;
• Service delivery improvements;
• Customer shoes cultural training; and
• Digital buddies support for residents.

In the first quarter of 2021/22, focus would be given to a new welcome lounge and plans for a partnership hub, the development of in-house customer shoes training, promotion of Service Superstars, the cash office re-opening in The Broadway and payment kiosk in Waltham Abbey and the Civic Offices, the continuation of Webcasting with new hybrid webcasting capability, the promotion of Digital buddies in the community and a member technology and contact process review to improve the ICT for members.

The Committee asked the following questions;

·         Could further details be given on electric charging points in the District? R Pavey advised that the Transport Strategy fell under another service area, but he would request that the relevant officer gets in touch.

·         Were there issues with contacting Officers by telephone and what did the  reference to resourcing issues in Customer Strategy reference to? R Pavey advised that Members should contact the Customer Contact Team directly, who could log and monitor and ensure responses were given. If there were any particular services that members were not receiving a response from, then they should email R Pavey directly. In regards to resourcing issues, there was currently a Team Manager Vacancy with reduced the capacity by 50%, although they were in the process of recruitment.

·         There appeared to be issues with the response times to planning enforcement enquiries, could the officer give any further information? And whether the face-to-face cash collection services had been affected by the shift change in payment methods? R Pavey advised that a need for a cash collection service was still required, although going forward it would need further consideration and he would supply the monetary figures to members via the Members Bulletin. 

The Customer & Corporate Support Services Portfolio Holder, Councillor S Kane advised that they were investigating the issues mentioned by Members about the phone service and IT systems were being investigated. 

RESOLVED:

That the Committee Noted the updates given on ‘what our customers are telling us’ and the Customer Strategy.