GOVERNANCE CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER. 1.1 This Charter sets out Council s approach to managing customer enquiries, requests or complaints.

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1 GOV.012 CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER DOC NO: GOV.012 VERSION 3 DATE 15/11/10 CONTROLLER: APPROVED BY: REVIEW DATE: GENERAL MANAGER COUNCIL November Purpose 1.1 This Charter sets out Council s approach to managing customer enquiries, requests or complaints. 2.0 Objective 2.1 The objectives of this Charter are: To provide a practical framework for customer service and to ensure that all staff respond in a courteous, consistent, timely and fair manner to all reasonable enquiries, requests or complaints from customers, and, To ensure, as far as practicable, that Council resources are used efficiently and effectively when dealing with customers enquiries, requests or complaints. 3.0 Scope 3.1 The Customer Service Charter applies to all enquiries, requests or complaints to Council from its customers. Customers are defined as any persons or organisations that have any form of dealings with Council. This definition also includes Council staff, contractors and elected members. 3.2 Customer dealings with Council may take a number of forms and include, but are not limited to, requests for specific information or for a decision to be made in relation to a specific matter, or an appeal for Council assistance to inspect, remove, replace, repair or reinstate Council facilities or amenities. 4.0 Legislation Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) Local Government Act 1993 Personal Information Protection Act 2004 Waratah -Wynyard Council Customer Service Charter Page 1

2 5.0 Policy 5.1 Council s general service commitment to customers Council will: Treat customers courteously and with respect. Not discriminate against or act in a discriminatory manner towards a customer against the Anti Discrimination Act Act on any commitments given as quickly as reasonably possible. In accordance with Council s Privacy Policy, respect the customer s privacy by treating confidentially all personal information provided. 5.2 Response commitments given by Council Face to face Council will: Greet the customer courteously upon their arrival. Assist the customer with enquiries promptly and as completely as possible. Provide names of all relevant staff where required and contact telephone numbers as required. Listen carefully and identify the customer s needs by asking questions and confirming details. Wherever possible, provide information in plain English. Be punctual for meetings and appointments On the telephone Council will: Answer the customer s call pr omptly. Provide a friendly first point of contact with the Waratah-Wynyard Council. Greet the customer with Good morning/good afternoon, Waratah-Wynyard Council or staff identification, using first names. Establish the customer s query or complaint and refer the call to the appropriate staff member if unable to satisfy the issue in the first instance. In the event of the unavailability of the staff member, give a commitment that the customer s call will be returned by either the staff member, or a member of the same Council Department, where practical within 24 hours of the original call. Waratah -Wynyard Council Customer Service Charter Page 2

3 Where necessary, provide a direct telephone number for further communication with Council By letter, or facsimile Council will: Normally provide a full response to any query or complaint within five working days Where a full response is unable to be provided due to an issue requiring consideration by Council at a formal meeting, or due to circumstances outside of Council s control, acknowledge the customer s letter, facsimile or within five working days advising of action taken since the receipt of correspondence. Write to customers in clear, concise language that is easily understood and avoid technical terms and jargon where possible. Ensure that Council s web site is easy to navigate, can be searched effectively and provides an opportunity for customers to send queries and/or feedback to Council. 5.3 Requirements of customers Customers can help Council staff meet their commitments under this policy: (g) (h) By providing accurate and complete details when telephoning Council with any queries. By treating Council staff with respect. By telephoning to make an appointment when there is a complex enquiry or a need to see a specific staff member. By telephoning the staff member nominated and providing file references quoted on correspondence. In general, Council staff have a general right to: Be treated with respect and courtesy. Be supplied with sufficient detail to initiate any action or to investigate a complaint. Be given a reasonable opportunity to respond to any request or complaint. 5.4 Council s Contact Details Council will make readily available at the Council Offices, and other relevant outlets a Customer Service Charter brochure containing a summary of this policy and details of the street and postal addresses of the Council s Offices and telephone and facsimile numbers, general and web site addresses and after hours emergency contact details. Waratah -Wynyard Council Customer Service Charter Page 3

4 5.4.2 The brochure will be updated and reprinted as often as is reasonably practicable to ensure that only current information is being provided to customers Council will publish a list of the contact details of relevant staff and councillors including job titles, telephone numbers and addresses (where applicable), on its web site on a readily accessible web page with a direct link to that page from the site home page Council will distribute an Information Brochure with the annual Notice of Rates which will include, amongst other things, the basic Council contact details. 5.5 Managing anonymous customer requests Customers may sometimes anonymously request action from Council. Invariably, such reque sts are difficult to investigate because an anonymous caller may not necessarily provide sufficient information to enable a full investigation. In such circumstances it is normally impossible to respond to or communicate findings to the customer in question For the reasons outlined in 5.5.1, Council will not normally investigate anonymous requests for action to be taken unless, in the opinion of the General Manager or a Departmental Director, there is a potential risk to public safety or the request for action raises a serious matter and there is sufficient information in the complaint to make out a prima facie case to carry out an investigation In accordance with Council s Privacy Policy, adopted on 7 April 2003, whenever it is lawful and practicable to do so, customers may choose not to identify themselves when dealing with Council. 5.6 Definition of a complaint: A customer complaint may be an expression of dissatisfaction with a service or product offered or provided, or an appeal for action to be taken in respect of a perceived nuisance 5.7 Reporting The General Manager is to provide the Council with a monthly statistical report of the number of complaints received and their nature by reference to the relevant department, activ ity or program area. Waratah -Wynyard Council Customer Service Charter Page 4

5 5.8 Confidentiality and Privacy All dealings with customers must be in accordance Council s Privacy Policy and the Personal Information Protection Act Appeals against Council Decisions There are several avenues of appeal or review external to Council for customers who are not satisfied with Council s actions or perceived inaction in relation to a request. In the first instance, customers are encouraged to request that the General Manager initiate an investigation of any service complaints or review any Council responses with which they are not satisfied and report the findings of any investigation or review to them in writing A customer who remains unsatisfied with Council s actions will be advised of external avenues of recourse that may be available to them including, but not limited to, the Office of the Tasmanian Ombudsman, the Anti-Discrimination Commission Tasmania and the Local Government Division Complaints against non-compliance or offence 6.0 Responsibility Where a customer makes a complaint of a nature referred to in Section 339F of the Local Government Act 1993 i.e. that Council, a Councillor or the General Manager has failed to comply with that or any other Act or may have committed an offence under that Act the customer will be informed in writing that the complaint must be lodged with the Director of Local Government in accordance with the Act. 6.1 The General Manager has overall responsibility for the management of this policy. 7.0 Minute Reference Minute No Council Meeting Date 15 November 2010 Waratah -Wynyard Council Customer Service Charter Page 5