The Director of Finance presented the Annual Report 2010/2011 on performance in dealing with customer feedback, which provided an analysis of contacts received over the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011. It highlighted trends and described some of the challenges faced in ensuring that all feedback was recorded and responded to consistently. Feedback was primarily recorded through the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System (although a separate application (Respond) was used to support the distinct statutory complaints process) and the report informed that each department had a designated co-ordinator to record, assign, progress, chase and update contacts with resolution details. Customer Care Standards had been created to ensure that expected standards were met and their adoption had resulted in a marked improvement in the approach to customer feedback.

Members discussed the System’s tracking ability and the need to simplify access to it.  The Head of Revenue, Benefits and Customer Services was in attendance at the meeting and informed that he wanted to make CRM easier to use, that a major upgrade would be necessary to achieve this but, hopefully, this could be done.  He also explained that once an eight digit number was generated through this System the information would go into officers’ mail boxes the following day.

The Committee considered the report in detail and drew attention to the graph at paragraph 4.16 of the report and in particular, its title, Councillor/MP Contacts – Average Working Days to Resolve 01/04/10 - 31/03/11.  It was pointed out that, in this instance, the word Resolve meant the department had responded to inform that it was now progressing the matter.  It did not mean that the process had been completed.  The Head of Revenue, Benefits and Customer Services acknowledged that Respond was a better word to use to describe what was happening and agreed it would be used in future for the purpose of this report.

Concerns were raised over the Department of Adult Social Services (DASS) respond rates which where, on average, 25 working days, when the corporate standard was 10 working days.  The Head of Revenue, Benefits and Customer Services reported that this may reflect the depth and complexity of the queries DASS received.  However, Members took the view that if this was the case a holding response, acknowledging receipt of the query, at least, should be sent within the 10 working days. 

The report also listed a number of service improvements and it was noted that some had come about as a result of complaints received.  Members enquired about the use of mystery shoppers and were told that they were used but that they were not external appointments but Council Officers.  The Head of Revenue, Benefits and Customer Services agreed to provide Members with a break down of the mystery shopper returns.

RESOLVED:  That

(1)  the report be noted; and

(2)  this Committee expresses its disappointment over the Department of Adult Social Services taking so long to acknowledge queries and considers that it should aim to do this within ten working days which is the corporate standard.