Issue - items at meetings - Customer Service Strategy

REPORT OF THE CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER

Proposing a new customer service strategy covering 2021-2026.

RESOLVED:

(1) That the title of Appendix A – Customer Service Strategy 2021-2026 be amended to extend the date range by one year in line with the Council Plan.

(2) That Cabinet adopt the following documents:

· Appendix A - Customer Service Strategy 2021-2027 (as amended)

· Appendix B - Customer Care Standards

(3) That Cabinet agree to delegate any minor changes in relation to the Customer Service Strategy and the Customer Care Standards to the Service Director – Customers in consultation with the Executive Member for the Customer Service Centre (The Leader).

REASON FOR DECISION: To adopt the new Customer Service Strategy.

Audio Recording – 16 minutes 50 seconds.

The Service Director – Customers presented the report entitled Customer Service Strategy along with the following Appendices:

· Appendix A – Customer Service Strategy 2021-2026

· Appendix B – Customer Care Standards

The Service Director – Customers advised that the title of the report should be amended to extend the period covered from 2021-2026 to 2021-2027 in line with the Council Plan.

Councillor David Levett, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny, presented referral 6d and drew attention to points including:

· The Customer Service Strategy was a necessary document laying out a clear strategy;

· It was important to ensure that customer service did not lose sight of customers that did not use digital platforms and that traditional means of contact should remain options.

The following Members took part in debate:

· Councillor Judi Billing

· Councillor Elizabeth Dennis-Harburg

· Councillor Ian Albert

· Councillor Steve Jarvis

· Councillor Paul Clark

Points raised by Members included:

· Referring to residents as ‘customers,’ was somewhat uncomfortable and it was important to remember that many of the people who came in to contact with the Council had no choice (as consumers) to work with a different provider;

· It was essential to champion customer service across the whole organisation rather than see it as the sole preserve of the customer services centre, and this strategy would inform the senior leadership team and councillors;

· The Fair Collection Policy was relevant to good customer service and should be referenced in the strategy

· There should be some mechanism to quantify the achievement of the targets set out in this strategy

· It was clear that the success of this strategy did not mean achieving those goals by 2027 but as an ongoing process of continual improvement

In response to points raised the Service Director – Customers advised that the Fair Collection Policy was referenced on Page 23 of the Strategy.

In response to points raised the Managing Director advised that the Customer Service Strategy would be included in staff training and induction and advertised to staff by the communications team, and would feed in to the review of the organisational values and behaviours in light of the new Council Plan and new ways of working.

On the vote it was: