1 SUMMARY
1.1 This report recommends a "vision" for future customer access to the Council
2 RECOMMENDATION
2.1 That Members endorse the Vision for future customer access to the Council (Appendix A)
2.2 A further report is brought to Committee within the next six months proposing a detailed Customer Service Strategy and implementation plan.
3 RESOURCE AND CORPORATE POLICY IMPLICATIONS (WHERE NECESSARY, THE VIEWS OF THE COUNCIL'S STATUTORY OFFICERS ARE REFLECTED IN THE COMMENTS BELOW)
3.1 Financial: The review of Council Strategy and Financial Plan will need to reflect and make provision for implementation of the Customer Service Strategy
3.2 Staffing: There will be significant implications for staff roles and ways of working which will need to be addressed, including provision for employee training/development.
3.3 Equalities: Social Inclusion considerations will need to be taken fully into account in developing the Strategy
3.4 Council Wide Impacts: The Customer Service Strategy will impact on all Council Services, and potentially on working arrangements with partner organisations
4 BACKGROUND AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
4.1 At the meeting of this Committee on 26th September 2000 Members received a report recommending an approach to developing a Customer Service Strategy for the Council. The proposed approach was agreed, and is:-
a) Research:
· Establish existing contact information (by type and service)
· Establish existing customer preferences and expectations, wishes for the future
· Identify future trends (i.e. demographic, social, technology etc)
· Collate information re: customer service in potential partner organisations
· Review and evaluate potential for this Council of customer service initiatives in other public/private sector organisations
b) Establish Principles
c) Develop Vision
d) Develop IS, accommodation, Human resource and service specific strategies to support the vision with approximate costs and an outline implementation programme.
e) Revise programme in the context of available resources and identified customer priorities.
f) Publicise vision and ensure all developments are compatible with it.
g) Implement, monitor, review
4.2 At the same meeting Members endorsed the following Customer Service Principles to underpin all aspects of the development of the Council's customer service
· Core standards of customer service however and where ever you contact us
· Clear service standards for every service we provide
· Options for how you contact and interact with us - your choice - phone, letter, face to face, internet
· Single contact to resolve your issue whenever possible.
· Tracking of service requests and reliable and up-to-date information on progress
· Clear who is responsible and accountable for decisions - where ever possible front line staff empowered to make decisions
· Open and fair handling of complaints with agreed remedies
· 24/7 access to information and emergency services, and for all possible on-line transactions
· Guaranteed quality and reliability of all information provided
· Partnership with, and gateway to, other public services
4.3 Committee requested a further report proposing a "vision" of how the public will be able to access the Council in future
5. A Vision for Customer Access to the Council
5.1 Appendix A sets out a possible vision for customer access to the Council. Implementation of this vision is made possible by the advances in Internet technology that have happened over the past five years. However, IT cannot be used as a veneer to cover up fragmented services. Moving to customer-focussed services as set out in the "vision" will require a fundamental review of the way the Council and its services currently operate. This will need to be determined and implemented with full and active involvement of senior managers, staff and trade unions.
5.2 Work is in hand to draft an Information Systems Strategy and plan for the Council, drawing on the work to date on the Customer Service Strategy. Following the decisions made at this meeting further work can be undertaken on the detailed implications for the IS Strategy, and this will be reported to the next meeting of this Committee. This will also be informed by the implementation plan referred to in 2.1 above.
5.3 The vision draws on information about public needs and wishes provided through the national People's Panel. This has demonstrated that 84% of people who had contacted Councils over the previous year wanted extended opening hours, of whom 90% would like to be able to make contact by phone during extended week day hours, and 74% on Saturdays. Other improvements that were wanted included:-
· Quick response to enquiry
· Making it easy to get in touch
· Friendly and helpful staff
· Getting it right first time
Further local market research is being undertaken via the B&NES Citizens Panel, and other mechanisms as necessary.
5.4 As the previous report indicated, implementation of the vision will need to be carefully planned, managed and monitored. It is likely to happen on a phased basis, with successful pilot initiatives subsequently moving to a wider application.
6. CONSULTATION
6.1This report was sent to the Trades Unions for comment on 1st November. Any comments received will be reported to the meeting.
a) First/One Stop Shops -
3 "shops", one in each of the major urban areas, that deliver a comprehensive service to the public. Customer Service staff fully trained and empowered to deal with service requests, queries and complaints for all possible Council services. Extended opening hours to respond to market research on public wishes/ needs. Shared use/ agency arrangements with other public service providers to be explored
b) Call Centre - Telephone service staffed by Customer Service staff fully trained and empowered to deal with service requests, queries and complaints for all possible Council services. Extended opening hours to meet identified public wishes/ needs (probably weekday evenings and Saturdays in addition to standard office hours). 24/7 service for emergencies.
c) Information Points -
Network of fully interactive information points throughout the district allowing access to all public Council information and the facility to undertake all possible transactions (eg payments, bookings, basic applications, deficit notification, etc). Points located in all libraries and in other locations ( to be decided in consultation with local people) which could include Post Offices, Doctors Surgeries, Schools, Village Halls, etc.
d) Web Site -
Interactive web site that allows the majority of transactions to be performed (as © above). Accessible via any medium of home/community internet access. High connectivity with and from other sites, simple and fast access within and to site.
All the above supported by:-
- Interconnected and compatible data bases with the capacity to provide comprehensive management information including full tracking and up-to-date information on individual service requests, transactions, complaints, etc..
- A clear public service image for B&NES delivered through well-publicised service standards, which are responsive to needs and preferences of B&NES communities.
- Service organisation, management and processes designed to enable and fully support delivery of customer service through First/One Stop Shops and Call Centre
- Partnership working with other key public service providers developed and implemented through the Community Planning process.
MEETING: