Customer service strategy

Welcome to our Customer Service Strategy which sets out our commitment to developing the services we provide to our customers. It includes our vision for customer service delivery for the next three years, and states our aim to understand how customers prefer to communicate with us, and how we will introduce new methods to meet their preference.

We aim to encourage our customers to use online services and we will support them to do that, however we still intend to continue to improve and develop our current communication methods to ensure there are options to suit all of our customer needs.

I would like to thank all our customers who take the time to provide South Tyneside Homes with feedback through complaints, compliments and satisfaction surveys. The information has been invaluable in the development of this Strategy. Special thanks also go to the Housing and Area Management Customer Forum and the Tenants Scrutiny and Inspection Groups who regularly give up their time to share their views on how they feel services should be developed for the future, and who helped to develop this Strategy.

South Tyneside Homes aims to put our customers at the heart of all we do by understanding their needs, and providing excellent services to meet those needs.

We will achieve this aim by involving our customers in service improvements and developments, to ensure our services meet their needs. We will also meet this aim by developing an understanding of what it feels like to receive services from South Tyneside Homes, and adjusting services where required.

Feedback from our customers within the last year has provided us with a focus for our priorities, which is largely around communication issues. We will therefore focus our attention on the following:

1. Improved internal and external communication to ensure we are able to provide excellent customer service.
2. Provide an increased range of communication methods for our customers, which takes into account their preferred way of accessing services.
3. Provide our staff with the relevant skills, knowledge and equipment to enable them to respond to customer enquiries and provide services at the first point of contact.
4. Gather meaningful customer insights which enable us to understand and anticipate our customers’ needs.

South Tyneside Homes (STH) was established as an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) on 1 April 2006 to manage and maintain the Council’s housing stock in South Tyneside. As at 1 January 2019 we managed over 20,390 properties. We are a significant local employer with a current staff of over 617. The company is governed by a Board of 12 Directors comprising four tenants, four councillors and four independent members who direct the business affairs of STH. Business is conducted in three committees:

• Asset and Property Services Committee;
• Housing and Corporate Services Committee;
• Audit and Risk Committee.

Our governance structure is a Board which provides governance and is the decision making body whilst the committees provide scrutiny, challenge and support. The Executive Team consisting of a Managing Director and two Group Directors, manage the company on behalf of South Tyneside Council. Our key relationship is with South Tyneside Council which is the company’s parent organisation.

The company’s vision and strategic objectives were developed following consultation with customers, employees and partners and reflect our aspirations for the future of homes, communities and housing services in South Tyneside. This Strategy’s objectives fit with the vision and objectives and will significantly contribute to their achievement.

This Strategy builds on the success of the previous Customer Service Strategy, where we made the following improvements and achievements:

Achievements arising from the last Customer Service Strategy:

• An increased focus on tenant involvement and the introduction of scrutiny groups, tenant inspectors and customer forums;
• We now resolve almost 80% of enquiries at the first point of contact;
• A rolling programme of tenancy support visits focusing on customer care was introduced;
• We introduced more methods to report a complaint or compliment, making it easier for customers to register dissatisfaction or satisfaction;
• The collection of customer satisfaction data was improved to provide increased levels of responses;
• A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system was launched to log all communication with customers;
• Linked to the introduction of the CRM system, we reduced avoidable contact by 8% for our customers;
• Repair reminders are now sent to all customers by text;
• Customer service training was provided to all members of staff;
• A programme of complaint logging and investigation training was provided to all staff;
• Customer Service staff achieved NVQs 3 and 4 in customer service skills;
• Customer journey mapping was introduced to identify how our services are perceived by customers;
• The Behaviour Matters code of conduct document was reviewed and relaunched.

We have continued to build on the achievements from the last Customer Service Strategy, and focus on the future needs of our customers, for example by launching our Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Livechat services to increase our communication methods.

Going forward we will be concentrating on increasing the use of our social media platforms, build on the success of our Livechat service, and introduce more self service to our other methods of engaging with our customers. These additional methods are designed to provide customers with a range of communication options to suit their preferences and busy lives, and will be managed by our experienced Customer Service Advisors in a multi-channel Housing Service Centre. This Strategy is all about delivering those plans in order to provide consistently excellent services, in a way that is convenient to our customers. How we will achieve this is outlined in this Strategy’s Action Plan (Appendix A), which details what we will do and by when.

Since the last Customer Service Strategy was launched there has been an increase in the number and type of services STH provides, for example the Handy Estates Team which is responsible for environmental cleansing, the Welfare Support Team which provides advice on debt and benefits to customers across the whole of the Borough, and the Anti Social Behaviour Team which operates under STH. These types of services have brought a new dimension to the company as it means we are no longer dealing solely with tenants, we are also providing services to all residents of the Borough.

Our customers have diverse and different needs and we are doing all we can to meet those needs in a way that ensures equal access to our services for all our customers regardless of the way they prefer to contact us. For example, our customers tell us that they would like us to expand the types of communication tools we use for example to make better use of Facebook for providing up to date news and information. Our customers have also told us that they would like to contact us in a way that is convenient and easy for them. Focusing on customer convenience is therefore a key priority within this Strategy and increasing the range of communication tools we use is an essential way of increasing the accessibility of services. We will combine this with improving the current telephone service to make it more efficient and easier to use for our customers.

We will use the knowledge we have received from our customers to shape services that suit their requirements. In particular we have considered feedback from complaints, compliments and satisfaction surveys in developing this Strategy. Feedback from those sources indicates that we do get it right a lot of the time, which is reflected in the compliments we receive. However where our customers are dissatisfied tends to be around some key areas including:

• Failing to follow our policies and procedures,
• Failures in communication internally and externally: and
• Developing the training and knowledge of our staff.

This corresponds with what customers are telling us through Customer Forums, and customer scrutiny and inspections. We therefore aim to address our customers’ concerns whilst building on what they tell us we are doing well.

This Strategy provides the catalyst for reviewing our services by ensuring customer focus is embedded in all we do. There are a number of strategies, policies and data sources which address responsive customer services within STH and which have helped shape this Strategy. The documents include:

Service Improvement Plans

Our Service Improvement Plans are produced on an annual basis by each team, and have a range of commitments in them designed to improve services for the benefit of customers. In particular they outline a firm commitment to improve customer service across the Company by effectively incorporating technological solutions, best practice and innovation across all service areas.

Behaviour Matters

Our ‘Behaviour Matters’ document is our framework for how our staff will behave towards our customers and each other. It is also applied when recruiting to the company to ensure we get the right people with the right attitude working for the organisation.

STH Tenants’ Digital Scrutiny Report

Out Tenants’ Scrutiny Panel conducted a review in 2018 which examined how STH can tackle issues associated with digital inclusion in the Borough and ensure customers are able to access digital services in the future. The Panel evaluated new systems and made recommendations from a tenants’ perspective including identifying what skills, knowledge and abilities tenants need to be able to access services digitally. The report the Panel produced also explored what STH can do to promote opportunities for engaging customers in alternative forms of communication.

Financial Inclusion Strategy

The Financial Inclusion Strategy provides a framework to help those in financial difficulty and interventions to reduce arrears, over-indebtedness, evictions and homelessness as well as help and support regarding Universal Credit. One of the key aims of the Strategy is to help customers become more aware of digital engagement and provides signposting to help customers access digital skills training.

Other documents which have influenced this Strategy are:

South Tyneside Council’s ICT and Digital Strategy

The Council’s ICT and Digital Strategy focuses on the continuing growth of digital technologies, and the increased use of smartphones and other hand held devices used by many residents of South Tyneside. In particular the Strategy focuses on how to provide Council services in the most effective and efficient way possible. The commitment in the Strategy is to provide “online information and digital services that are easy to find, accessible on all devices, and simple to use and understand.” The Strategy has three key themes which are digital services, smarter working and technology refresh.

Within the document is the latest national internet usage statistics which show that 99% of adults aged between 16 and 44 have used the internet within 3 months, and over 90% in the 45-64 age range. Generally speaking the gap between regular internet users and non-internet users in all age ranges is narrowing with 80% usage in the 65-74 age range and 43% usage in the 75 years plus age range.

Social Housing Green Paper

In August 2018 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government launched a consultation green paper to seek views on the government’s vision for social housing. The government’s aim is to strengthen the regulatory framework around the governance and financial viability of housing associations, and also to explore how residents are treated and the level of services they should expect. Within the paper there is an expectation that customer involvement and engagement will be given increased importance and priority, and that complaint and feedback procedures will need to be robust, easy and transparent for customers. The outcome from the green paper will therefore form an important part of the customer service STH offers.

Our vision for when our customers contact us is they will be greeted by courteous, respectful and knowledgeable staff who are keen to help and who take pride in their work. Questions will only need to be asked once as all previous communication will be captured centrally. When an enquiry needs to be referred that member of staff will take responsibility for the enquiry until it is resolved. When we get this right, the service we provide will be consistent, co-ordinated and proactive, and the customer experience will be an excellent one.

Maintaining Standards

One of the ways we will ensure a company wide commitment and approach to excellent customer service is to set and deliver consistent customer service standards and involve our customers in their initial development, and then by asking them to challenge what we do. Through feedback and scrutiny from customers we will be able to re-design the way we work meeting their needs, priorities and aspirations, and provide a mechanism for them to challenge the way STH delivers services.

Providing a Range of Methods for Accessing Services

To achieve excellence and introduce the change required, we will need to introduce new and innovative methods of communication. A large part of this Strategy is therefore about exploring the wide range of digital tools available to help customers either communicate directly with a member of our team, or to enable them to access self service options at a time convenient to them.

Our aim and objectives for delivering this Strategy is outlined below:

South Tyneside Homes aims to put our customers at the heart of all we do by understanding their needs, and providing excellent services to meet those needs.

We will achieve this aim by involving our customers in service improvements and developments, to ensure our services meet their needs. We will also meet this aim by developing an understanding of what it feels like to receive services from South Tyneside Homes, and adjusting services where required.

Feedback from our customers within the last year has provided us with a focus for our priorities, which is largely around communication issues. We will therefore focus our attention on the following:

Improved internal and external communication to ensure we are able to provide excellent customer service

We realise that internal customers are directly linked to the company’s ability to deliver excellent external customer service. We therefore need to ensure that our communication internally is as efficient and effective as possible to ensure the best possible quality of service to our customers.

The actions within this Strategy focus on where we have got it wrong in the past, and are designed to remove the barriers and pitfalls of the past. We are therefore committed to creating customer service standards which will provide our customers with clear information on the standard of service they can expect, and how to feedback to us if we fall short of that standard.

Provide an increased range of communication methods for our customers, which takes into account their preferred way of accessing services

We currently have a wide range of communication tools for our customers which include:

• Livechat accessed via our website www.southtynesidehomes.org.uk;
• a customer telephone line (0300 123 6633);
• an e-mail address connect2@southtynesidehomes.org.uk;
• 24 hour rent payment line (0300 456 0501);
• Face to face appointments with housing professionals either in locations convenient to our customers;
• Social media;
  www.facebook.com/stynesidehomes www.twitter.com/stynesidehomes

This Strategy outlines a firm commitment for us to branch out into self service options, including the development of our customer portal, which will provide customers with options to book their own repair appointment, check their rent balance and a range of other self service options.

Provide our staff with the relevant skills, knowledge and equipment to enable them to respond to customer enquiries and provide services at the first point of contact

Training staff on their jobs and meeting customer expectations is another crucial part of this Strategy. When customers contact us, we want our staff to be able to respond to enquiries at the first point of contact, and if they are unable to do so, that they take responsibility for the enquiry and quickly find the information out on behalf of the customer. Staff training and a database of scripts and processes are crucial to this.

This Strategy therefore commits to providing ongoing customer service refresher training for staff, as well as ensuring robust inductions and job related training is in place for all staff.

Gather meaningful customer insights which enable us to understand and anticipate our customers’ needs

As well as knowing the demographics of our customers, to understand them better, we have to get greater insight into how they actually access services. Our aim is to gather as much data as possible on the way our customers are behaving, in terms of how long they stay on our website, what links they use, and what triggers them to share content on social media for example. This kind of information can help us anticipate their needs and generate conversations around what matters to them.

Our Promise on Behaviours

We will deliver our services in line with our ‘Behaviour Matters’ document, which is our framework for how our staff will behave towards our customers and each other. It is also applied when recruiting to the company to ensure we get the right people with the right attitude working for the organisation.

All staff will comply with the Behaviour Matters framework by:

• Always being polite and friendly
• Ensuring that all matters of concern are reported
• Identifying and responding to customers needs, ensuring services are accessible
• Developing trust
• Displaying a “can do” and “will do” attitude
• Taking ownership of problems to reduce unnecessary contact for our customers
• Respecting and adapting to the different needs of our customers
• Ensuring customers always receive feedback
• Providing explanations of all decisions and keeping customers informed
• Wherever possible, honouring commitments to customers or offering alternatives
• Encouraging customers to contribute ideas and opinions and to give feedback
• Acting with integrity and without bias at all times
• Always being approachable
• Displaying a customer first culture.

Our ambition is to provide services that meet our customers needs and we believe that the delivery of this strategy, in partnership with our customers, will enable us to achieve that.

Our Strategy outlines the actions that will help us achieve excellence in customer service, and give a commitment to explore and implement digital applications to help us to deliver our services in a modern and useful way for our customer if they choose to use those methods.

As well as using new and innovative digital methods of engagement, we will ensure that all members of our staff are involved in achieving excellent customer service and that our teams work closely together on this challenge to ensure the best possible outcome for our customers.

Ongoing customer scrutiny and feedback will be used to shape our services and help us focus on what matters to our customers. The information collected has already helped us to formulate the actions for our Action Plan, which sets out how we will deliver the Strategy’s four objectives. The actions will drive the improvement required to ensure we provide excellent customer service. The Action Plan is attached as Appendix A.

This Strategy will be reviewed annually and updated by the end of June each year in consultation with our customers and staff, and will be overseen by the Senior Management Team. Progress will be continuously monitored by STH Housing and Corporate Services Committee. The review and update to the Strategy will be guided by mystery shopping exercises, customer satisfaction surveys, performance data, and monthly reports that together will make up a continuous process of challenge to achieve excellence.

Action Plan

South Tyneside Homes aims to put our customers at the heart of all we do by understanding their needs, and providing excellent services to meet those needs.

Risk Codes

rHAM16-02/17 Failure to engage customers with customer service transformation and channel shift

rHAM18-03/18 Failure to act upon Housing Ombudsman changes

rHVT31 Failure to respond effectively to complaints, which results in referrals to Housing Ombudsman and damage to Company reputation