The Trust. Customer Experience Policy. Customer Experience Team. Version: Final Version. Effective Date: July Affected Teams: All

Transcription

1 The Trust Customer Experience Policy Customer Experience Team Version: Final Version Effective Date: July 2013 Affected Teams: All

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION AIMS OF THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE POLICY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PROMISES IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING INVOLVEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS REVIEW... 6

3 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 This policy sets out Peaks & Plains Housing Trust s (the Trust) policy on the delivery of an excellent customer experience. 1.2 This Customer Experience Policy covers all of the Trust s customers, with a purpose of meeting our diverse customers needs and expectations in conjunction with cultural, economic, and legislative concerns. 1.3 The Trust views its customers as being individuals, groups of people or organisations who wish to access services or information from the Trust. 1.4 The Trust is committed to providing an excellent customer experience and our local offers and behaviour framework provide additional mechanisms alongside this Policy to ensure the organisation embeds customer excellence. 2. AIMS OF THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE POLICY 2.1 To set out the level of service customers will experience when communicating with the Trust and its stakeholders such as contractors. 2.2 To set out how the Trust will ensure this Policy is implemented and adhered to. 3. CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE PROMISES 3.1 Accessing Services: Our services will be accessible to all our customer. We can be contacted in person by visiting our offices, over the phone and by text, by , in writing, via our website, and via a range of social networking sites. Our telephone service will be open during normal office hours. A 24 hours hour telephone service is available for emergency responses to repairs and independent living. We will make information available through all our access points and within newsletters, publications and will develop YouTube as a further information point. Alternative languages and other formats such as large print, braille and audio cd, are available. Our information will be clear, accurate, up-to-date and without jargon. Staff and contractors will show ID badges when visiting you at home or in our office and when out in the community. 3.2 How we communicate: We will always listen carefully to what customers say. We will be friendly and polite.

4 We will let people know what will happen next. We will point people in the right direction if we are unable to help. We will let people know if there will be a delay, and when they can expect a response. We will respond to all communications promptly with details of who is dealing with the matter. When we make a mistake, we will apologise and offer a solution. 3.3 The Customer Experience We will strive to make every contact a positive experience for our customers. We will resolve our customers enquiries at first point of contact. We will be sensitive to our customers needs and will not discriminate due to any strand of diversity such as age, disability, or ethnic origin. We will listen to customers views and use these to tailor our services. We will promote current topical issues and give practical advice to help customers within their homes and their communities. We will record calls for staff training and quality purposes. We will notify customers of the improvements we have made following review of the feedback. 4. IMPLEMENTATION AND MONITORING 4.1 All staff will be trained in providing an excellent customer experience. 4.2 We will identify the training requirements of staff through our appraisal process, customer feedback, and by regularly assessing their needs. Our staff development plan will include appropriate courses or learning activities. 4.3 New members of staff will take part in corporate and team specific induction programmes. They will be regularly assessed for their ability to deliver an excellent customer experience. 4.4 The training packages will; enable all staff to comply with this Policy enable all staff to be more efficient and competent in dealing with customers address the way managers and supervisors support their staff in implementing this policy enable staff to improve their relationship with customers and other staff make sure the Trust has a better understanding of customer needs and expectations ensure the Trust delivers a quality service and provides value for money ensure that the equality and diversity of customers is central to service delivery and planning. 4.5 Other stakeholders, such as contractors, will receive training on this policy.

5 4.6 The Trust will involve customers in the monitoring of the service by using our Challenge Group to scrutinise performance, and methods such as mystery shopping, tenant inspections, consultation meetings and satisfaction surveys to ensure that standards are continuously improving. 4.7 Managers will monitor the delivery and compliance of this policy by reviewing performance information, customer feedback and inter-team relationships. 4.8 Senior Managers, the Executive Team and the Board will monitor services delivered to customers through performance reporting, customer and staff feedback and through benchmarking with other organisations. 5. INVOLVEMENT 5.1 The Trust welcomes customer feedback on an ongoing basis, using views to shape the services according to our customers diverse needs. We will actively seek customers opinions through the following methods to improve the services, policies and procedures in the future: Customer satisfaction surveys Consultation with operational services via resident involvement groups Focus groups with particular topics, e.g. repairs, allocations Challenge group meetings to review all areas of the Trusts performance Customer comments and suggestions recording Complaints Policy 5.2 We will seek feedback from all our customers including those that are hard to reach to ensure inclusivity. 5.3 If a customer feels that the promises set out in this policy have not been met, they can complain using the Trust s Complaints Procedure. 6. RESPONSIBILITIES 6.1 It is the responsibility of all who are involved in delivering services to customers on behalf of the Trust to ensure the highest possible standards of conduct are met in accordance with this policy. 6.2 The Director of Operations is responsible for the implementation of the Customer Experience Policy. 6.3 The Director of Operations will also be responsible for ensuring that all staff involved in the implementation of this policy is aware of and trained in the Trust s policies and procedures.

6 7. EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY IMPLICATIONS 7.1 The Trust is committing to providing the best possible experience to all its customers. All staff will receive Equality and Diversity training and we will ensure that all customers can access services and are not treated unfairly in the provision of these services. 8. REVIEW 8.1 In order to continually develop good practice in this policy area, the Trust will review the effectiveness and detail of this policy on a regular basis in consultation with customers. Associated Documents Equality and Diversity Policy Resident Involvement Policy The Trust s Tenants' Handbook Complaints Policy Contractor Code of Conduct Policy Name: Status: Reviewed by: Approved by: Drafted By: Customer Experience Policy Approved Customer Experience sub group Board Michelle Moseley Date approved: July 2013 Next Review Date: July 2016