Briefing Note Improving Customer Access with the introduction of a Customer Service Centre •
Herefordshire Housing (HHL) carried out a strategic analysis and review of customer access – reporting to Board in July 2008.
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Communication with customers is critical to customer service and our strategic vision includes the following goals: Improve housing services and service delivery Improve maintenance services Be flexible, delivering the services that customers want Increase access to care and support for vulnerable customers Manage costs to achieve economy, efficiency and effectiveness Listen, understand, respond to customers Understand diverse communities and plan to deliver appropriate services o Explore and implement new technological solutions o o o o o o o
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This customer access analysis identified the following contacts with the organisation: Method of contact Visits to an office Correspondence received Website ‘hits’ Telephone calls
number* 1,198 2,776 4,206 25,173
percent 4% 8% 13% 75%
*estimate per month
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The analysis also found that: o Customers would prefer a single telephone number to ring for all enquiries, and the vast majority would like the first person they talk to be able to deal with their enquiry. o Majority of calls are of a short duration (implying the enquiry is likely to be of a relatively simple nature).
Strengthening customer access •
Over the last 12 months, access has been improved by extending ASB reporting to 24 hours/ 365 days per year, improving our website functionality, income collection telephone support available to 8.00pm weekday evenings, taking services to residents on a Rural Roadshow.
Page 1 of 2 28th February 2009