Changing the Face of Customer Services. Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Customer Services Strategy

Transcription

1 Changing the Face of Customer Services Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Customer Services Strategy

2 Getting in Touch CONNECT TO BLAENAU GWENT CONTACT CENTRE C2BG C2BG Contact Centre Monday to Friday 8am pm Duty Referral Team Social Services (Monday Thursday 9am-5pm, Friday 9am pm) Minicom Fax info@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk By Post C2BG, Blaenau Gwent CBC, Central Depot, Barleyfield Industrial Estate, Brynmawr, NP23 4YF In Person Ebbw Vale Civic Centre, Customer Service Desk Emergency Out Of Hours Emergency Duty Team Social Services Text Tracey on to find out if you could be entitled to benefits INTEGRATED CHILDRENS CENTRE Freephone fis@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk LOOKING LOCAL To undertake all your council business access Blaenau Gwent Council s Looking Local Site. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 2

3 You can access the service on Sky TV Press Interactive > Direct Gov > Welcome > Local Services > Wales> Blaenau Gwent Virgin users should press Interactive > News & Info > Looking Local > Wales> Blaenau Gwent Alternatively visit or text your postcode to If you would like this document in an alternative format e.g. Braille or large print, please contact:- The Strategic Business Unit Floor 4a Municipal Offices Civic Centre Ebbw Vale Blaenau Gwent NP23 6XB Phone: Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 3

4 Contents 1. Welcome Introduction What have we achieved to date? What are our aims? What outcomes do we expect? Delivering Customer Services in Blaenau Gwent Glossary of terms..21 Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 4

5 1. Welcome Welcome to Changing the Face of Customer Services in Blaenau Gwent This document sets out the commitment of the Council to provide quality, accessible services that offer real value for money for all our customers. We want our customers to feel valued and involved in shaping the services they receive as we look to meet and, where possible, exceed expectations. Blaenau Gwent is changing, and so too must our response to how we approach customer services in the future. COUNCILLOR DEN HUGHES BLAENAU GWENT COUNCIL S EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE AND SERVICE TRANSFORMATION Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 5

6 2. Introduction Blaenau Gwent has changed considerably in recent years as it has looked to regenerate itself for the 21st Century. The way we live our lives is also changing, with technology influencing more and more the way we communicate, shop and access services. As a Council we understand the important role that effective access to quality services has on people s lives. We also recognise that, as times change, so do people s needs and expectations. The challenge we are facing in current times is how we make the difficult decisions on how best to deliver value for money services within diminishing resources, growing demands and higher expectations. One of the ways we will need to develop is through looking to encourage and help customers to move to more effective and efficient means of accessing our services. Our approach will be to make the most of emerging technology for the benefits of the customer providing them with greater choice and convenience. We know that we will need to build people s confidence, trust and skills in using new access channels. It will also be important to continue to offer a mix of traditional and emerging ways for customers to access our services. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 6

7 The Council wants its customers to feel valued, proud and involved in shaping what we do, so that the services we provide meet and wherever possible exceed expectations. We will look to deliver positive experiences for all our customers who contact us, regardless of when or how they make contact. This document sets out the outcomes we expect to see for our customers, staff and the Council as we look to rethink and adapt to the way we work and deliver services for the future. Links to other plans Improving our approach to Customer Services is a priority within the Council s Corporate Improvement Plan We will also look to ensure that other relevant documents such as the Council s ICT Strategy, Communications Strategy, the Corporate Complaints Policy and the Freedom of Information publication scheme, which are currently being refreshed and developed, link together in the right way. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 7

8 3. What Have We Achieved to Date? The Council has invested a great deal in customer care activities and initiatives. Some of our achievements over the last year are listed here: Creation of a central contact centre: C2BG, offering first port of call for 42 of the Council s services. C2BG currently offers a number of ways of getting in touch; telephone, web, , digitv - 76% of customer requests are resolved at first point by C2BG. The Creation of Looking Local an interactive access channel for information about services as well as a means of contact with Council services. Looking Local can be accessed from the comfort of your own living room via digital television, Nintendo Wii, or online. We are continuing to develop the way customers contact our services including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube, allowing you to comment on Council activities, make Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 8

9 complaints and find out more about what your Council provides. The creation of Service Buddy, a children s complaints service which enables children to find out about Council services and to complain about problems in their local area via SMS texting, freephone or . The formation of Blaenau Gwent Family Information Service which provides free, quality, confidential and impartial information and guidance on the full range of services available to Children and Young People in the County Borough of Blaenau Gwent. Online payment can now be made for customer convenience on a variety of services including Council tax and national non domestic rates, sundry accounts and housing benefit overpayments. This includes an automated telephone payments facility. Online forms for a range of services can now be filled in online but are also available for download and posting on. Videophones are telephones with video screens. These are currently being tested in a pilot project between Social Services, C2BG and a number of Customers within Blaenau Gwent who have access to a videophone. They enable Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 9

10 customers capable of duplex both video and audio transmissions for communication between people in realtime. Text Tracey is a single point of contact using SMS texting to help ensure all customers receive the benefits they are entitled to. Benefit Customers are now dealt with by the same member of staff from the time they submit their application form until their claim is assessed. Life cards are an easy access, cost effective way for customers to keep themselves fit and healthy by using Blaenau Gwent leisure services. Tell Us Once from March 2011 we will be offering a face to face tell us once service through Registrars, where people only have to tell us once about a birth or death and we will make sure that the information reaches other departments and agencies that need to know. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 10

11 4. What are our aims? The achievements across the Council so far, along with our commitment to deliver streamlined, user friendly and cost effective services, gives the Council the opportunity to make a real impact for the people of Blaenau Gwent. The Four aims that will underpin our outcomes are to: Improve the Customer experience Develop and Promote Ways to Access Council Services Provide Learning, Development and Training Promote Joined Up Service Delivery In developing our aims, we have considered the outcomes we would expect for Customers, Staff and Blaenau Gwent Council. 5. What Outcomes do we expect? We are and will continue to work hard to deliver improvements and enhance our reputation. The outcomes we expect to see between now and 2013 for our customers, staff and the organisation as a whole are: For Customers: More choice and convenience in the way they access our services More involvement in how services are planned, reviewed and evaluated Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 11

12 Resolution to queries at the first point of contact and a decrease in avoidable contact. No unnecessary red tape Expressions of dissatisfaction (complaints) are dealt with in a consistent way and if we didn t do something well we will tell you how we aim to put it right (redress) Joined up services where this makes it easier for our customers Excellence in our customer service and the information we provide For Staff: A customer focused organisation that listens to the needs of its customers More involvement in shaping processes and improvements to services Learning lessons from complaints to improve service design and delivery, and telling customers how we plan to change things for the better Better use of information for the benefit of customers Being part of an organisation which is modern and forward thinking Supporting customers to self serve where appropriate, and using face to face where it is the best way to meet customer expectation Training and development opportunities to enable us to move this work forward Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 12

13 For Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council: Clear focus on the customer Delivery of better value for money services including joined up services where appropriate Consistently higher levels of customer satisfaction A range of improved access channels available for our customers A consistent approach to dealing with complaints and a commitment to learn lessons from them to improve service delivery Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 13

14 Our commitment What we will aim to be Our Front Line Staff told us what they felt is important and what people in Blaenau Gwent expect from Good Customer Service: Our commitment - What we will aim to avoid Our Front Line Staff told us what they feel represents Bad Customer Service: Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 14

15 Our Commitment We will aim to get it right and here are some examples of what that will mean for you Up to date information is available on all council services on their website and through Looking Local Accessing Council services is convenient and user friendly Wherever possible I get through to C2BG and my query is dealt with at first point of contact Customer service is informative, polite and effective. They even know my street! Customer complaints are handled swiftly and effectively resolved. I have seen an improvement in the service I feel like a person not a number I m provided with a contact name when I speak to the council. It s a relationship not a transaction Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council really understands its customers! We re getting the same quality customer service from all departments of the Council Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 15

16 6. Delivering Customer Services in Blaenau Gwent Our Approach Our intention is to make it easy for anyone living, visiting or working in Blaenau Gwent to access Council services where and when they need them. We will look to deliver quality experiences for all our customers who contact us, regardless of when or how they make contact. Where possible we will offer services that are joined up with other agencies. In practice this approach means that for all services the Council will:- listen to the needs of its customers listen to and act on feedback, and tell customers what we intend to do be courteous at all times provide services which are easily accessible, up to date and user friendly deliver the highest quality service within available resources keep people informed and communicate in plain language For us to deliver excellent customer service in Blaenau Gwent, we need to work with our staff and our customers to improve on our existing services and how they currently operate. We want people to experience a service which is streamlined, user friendly and cost effective. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 16

17 Our current Corporate Service Standards are set out below:- Response to Customers a complete response dealing with the issue to be sent within 10 working days of receipt unless it proves impossible to do so; if it is not possible to give a definitive response within 10 working days, a holding response will be sent within 3 working days. This will explain the reason why it has not been possible to provide a definitive response in the first instance; if a holding response has been sent, the definitive response dealing with the issue will be sent within 15 working days; there sometimes may be exceptional circumstances where providing a definitive response may take longer. In these cases the reason for this must be provided with a full explanation and details of when the response will be sent must be clear. Telephone response to Customers telephones will be answered promptly and courteously; response to a telephone message or query will be dealt with within 3 working days; there sometimes may be exceptional circumstances where providing a definitive response may take longer. In these cases the reason for this must be provided with a full explanation and details of when the response can be expected. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 17

18 Delivering Value for Money Services The Council and its partners are committed to improving the value for money of its services, including reducing the cost of each transaction whilst at the same time improving the quality of those services. This is one of a number of clear intentions set out as part of our planned work. It will be important that we continue to offer a mix of traditional and emerging ways for customers to access our services. We know our customers still value traditional channels where they can speak to a real person either face to face or by telephone. Some sections of the community, such as those with specific needs and older residents, may value this more strongly than, for example, younger people who may be more comfortable with electronic methods. It is important for us to encourage those customers who would like to, and are able to, use modern electronic methods to do so. This includes using the internet and Looking Local. Doing this will help the Council to provide existing services to more people and improve the quality of services for everyone. Building on our knowledge of our customers In order to provide high quality customer service we must first understand who our customers are. Although Blaenau Gwent has changed over the years, the county borough has kept a strong cultural identity and we aim to respect this by providing a top class service where the customer feels valued and important. We also need to understand that customer s value talking to someone with Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 18

19 relevant knowledge of the area and we aim to reflect this throughout our customer care and the services we provide. The Council continues to develop a variety of ways to engage with the people of Blaenau Gwent and a lot of work has been done to consult with and gain information from customers to inform specific issues and developments. Recent examples include the Living in Blaenau Gwent Residents Survey, Here to Listen meetings, PACT (Police and Communities Together) meetings and formal consultation on the draft Community Strategy and School Transformation Programme. We are looking to use this information in a better, more joined up way that helps us understand our customer s expectations and priorities. We can then use this information to shape how we deliver services to meet their needs. The challenge for the Council in current times is how we make difficult decisions on how to deliver value for money services within diminishing resources, constantly growing demands and higher expectations. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 19

20 This is what our Front Line Staff told us they thought a quality service should be: Evaluation In drafting this document we worked with a range of front line staff, other internal officers, and elected members who contributed to setting out what they felt were the important issues from their experience. We also engaged with the Youth Forum and Access For All Forum for their views. Consultation on this document will be an ongoing process to ensure that it continues to be relevant to meet expectations. We will review this document and the associated delivery plan annually, and report progress on a regular basis. The work the Council is currently progressing towards a single equality scheme will also form part of the ongoing evaluation. What we intend to do, how we intend to do it, and the difference it will make is set out in the Delivery Plan in the next section of this document. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 20

21 7. Glossary of Terms Customer: Internal or external user of services provided by Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. Web: A communication network enabling linking of computers worldwide for data exchange. Website: A page accessed via the Internet, usually maintained by one person or organisation and devoted to a single topic or several closely related topics. Digi-tv: A range of extra channels added to your normal television, also providing access to local information and services. Facebook: A networking website that people can use to talk to friends/find friends, and share their day to day life using photo s, videos and updates on a daily basis. Flickr: A website where people can share their photos and videos with friends and other websites. SMS Text messaging: A brief worded message sent via a mobile phone to another phone. Online Form: A questionnaire that can be completed using the Internet. A computer-to-computer communication system, which allows a text-based message to be sent to another computer via the Internet. Nintendo Wii: A games console that you can play games on using a wireless controller that detects movement, it also provides access to the internet. Twitter: A website where you can share your day-to-day life with friends, an online diary. You Tube: A website where you can upload home videos to share with the world. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 21

22 Online Payment: A way of paying a bill to your service provider using the Internet. Text Tracey: A single point of contact using SMS text messaging for customers within Blaenau Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil to find out if they could be entitled to benefits. Avoidable Contact: The proportion of customer contact that is of low or no value to the customer. Failure Demand: Contact that occurs as a result of the Council failing to do something or do something right for the customer. Customer Services Strategy Blaenau Gwent 22