Agenda item

The purpose of this report is to provide the Committee with Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 position for 2023/24 regarding customer interactions and call handling within the Customer Service team and high contact service areas.  The report will also provide an update regarding various projects being undertaken by the service and review the Customer Service action plan.

The Head of Service (Revenues, Benefits, Customer and Community) presented the report which provided the Committee with the Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 position regarding customer interactions and call handling within the Customer Service Team and high contact Services Areas.

The report also provided an update regarding various projects being undertaken by the Customer Service Team and a review of the customer service action plan.

The table and graphs on paragraph 2.5 onwards of the report provided figures of customer interactions received into the Customer Service Team since the 1 April 2023 to the 30 September 2023. The interaction figures were broken down by e-method and traditional methods.

The tables in paragraph 2.10 and 2.13 of the report provided the customer contact handled by Customer Services during Quarter 1 and Quarter 2. There had been an increase in customer contact in Quarter 2 from 47,420 to 50,412. Despite the increase, the number of calls handled had increased from 75% to 81% and had further increased to 83% as at the beginning of December 2023. 

There had been a significant reduction in calls to the switchboard, meaning that callers were being re-directed to the service area at point of contact. Week commencing 27 November 2023, 452 calls went straight to the switchboard, in comparison to 657 for the same week in 2022. Week commencing 4 December 2023, there were 281 calls directed to the switchboard, compared to 685 for the same week in 2022. This meant switchboard Officers were able to undertake other work whilst not answering calls.

It was noted that the Deepings and Stamford walk in offices had been closed. As part of the customer experience strategy, a working group had been formed for 2024 and the service offer for the Deepings and Stamford would be discussed. This review would be included as an action within the customer experience strategy.

One Member raised concern of vulnerable residents in the Deepings and Stamford, who no longer had access to a walk-in office for face-to-face communication with Customer Services.

It was queried as to whether the location of calls received was monitored.

The technology used by Officers did not allow access to the location of where the person was calling from. Customer services would complete a request form when speaking to a caller, where that data would be gathered.

Clarification was sought around the figures relating to online forms.

A query was raised in relation to the Bourne Library, and whether Bourne Town Council were able to assist residents with blue badges and bus passes, as this fell under the responsibility of Lincolnshire County Council.

The Head of Service (Revenues, Benefits, Customer and Community) clarified that the funding provided by Lincolnshire County Council was purely for the library service and any further support was not funded for. The blue badges and bus pass forms were online, and computers were available at Bourne library for residents to utilise.

It was queried whether any provision had been put into place for the possible increase in calls during the rollout of the ‘purple bin scheme’.

The Council were being heavily supported by Lincolnshire County Council colleagues, who were proving 2 FTE members of staff to deal with all enquiries, any overflows would be dealt SKDC colleagues. It was unknown as to how many queries the Council would receive; however, this would be monitored on a daily basis.

The customer experience strategy would be drafted in due course and be brought back to the Committee for review at a later date.

Concern was raised on significant changes in staffing and a high number of staff resigning. It was queried as to whether Officers were aware of the reasoning of high staff turnover. 

It was clarified that the changes in staffing was mostly down to staff relocating to a different department within the organisation, to develop further opportunities.

The FTE was a lot less than it was in Quarter 1 (6.23) and Quarter 2 (4.42). In Quarter 2, new staff were trained within service areas.

The Customer Service Team dealt with 18 service areas. When an internal vacancy arises, the customer service staff were well positioned to be able to apply for a role.

One Member raised a query on whether customer services had any succession paths or ways of progression.

It was confirmed that within the team are Officers, Lead Customer Service Advisors and a Manager. The current way in which the role was graded was being reviewed and potential ways of succession.

A preview of the significant number of projects taking place across customer services in individual service areas was requested.

The projects taking place were set out with appendix 2 of the report pack:

·       Twin Stream Bin Rollout

·       Garden Waste Collections (2024)

·       Replacement of Customer Service document management system

·       Customer Service Centre – move to new location (Unit 1, The Picture House)

·       Launch of Citizens Access portal (Revenues – Council Tax) – Phase 1

·       Review of new website

·       Virtual Operator Service

·       Launch of Citizens Access portal (Revenues – Council Tax) – Phase 2: Moves in, out and within the District

·       Customer Experience Strategy Review

·       Launch of Citizens Access portal (Revenues – Council Tax) – Phase 3: Students and Severely Mentally Impaired – reporting and forms

It was queried as to how the 83% target for the call centre satisfaction level was benchmarked, as the percentage seemed low.

The target was set at 85%, which was not based on any data or analysis. As part of the customer experience strategy, the satisfaction level rate could be review. The Customer Service Team were not a call centre and they dealt with more complex queries.

That the Committee

1. Notes the report and are invited to ask questions relating to the report