In line with Newcastle's Community Engagement Strategy and the Customer Service Strategy's Communication and Consultation Framework Customer Services Division carries out an annual programme of customer satisfaction research.
Customer Services Division is continually reviewing its research schedule with a view to updating the research programme that is conducted to meet the demands of a constantly evolving service and to ensure continuing high levels of customer satisfaction are being maintained.
The background to the current research programme is that as Customer Service Centres have been opened to date, a Full Review of the service is carried out after their First 6 Months of Operation, and then after every 2 years. A Full Review includes:
Every January, a Comment Card Survey is completed to assess customer opinion and every November, a specific survey of the Cashiering Service in carried out.
Mystery Shopping exercises are conducted every month and reported back monthly where there are issues to address, otherwise an annual report is compiled. This exercise will now be extended to include Civic Receptions and the Corporate Contact Centre.
The 101 Service is already independently monitored and a new schedule of research is being developed for the Corporate Contact Centre. We will carry out a programme of Annual Surveys of the Contact Centre, joining up with existing surveys to take a divisional approach where possible, such as the Councillors' Survey and Non Users' Survey.
We regularly ask you for feedback on the services we provide to find out if we are doing a good job. Here is some information on the research we have conducted:
You said...we did
High level chairs
We provided high level chairs in our CSCs to help people to sit down and stand up more easily.
Utility bill payment facilities
We introduced the PayPoint service that lets you pay your rent, council tax, utility bills and mobile phone top ups at over 130 outlets across Newcastle.
Electronic payments
All our CSCs have facilities for you to make electronic payments for council services.
External agency services
Our CSCs accommodate a wide range of services provided by other public sector organisations, charities, voluntary and community organisations. Some services are offered on a full time basis and others on a part time or surgery basis.
More signage to promote PCs available for customer use
Signage has been improved and increased to raise awareness of the PCs available for public use in our CSCs.
Photograph service
Some of our services require a passport sized photo, so digital cameras and printers have been introduced at all our centres so customers can complete their transaction in one go.
Shorter waiting times for specific services
Reduced waiting times were achieved at the Outer West CSC for the housing and council tax benefits service by training all CSC officers on the verification framework so they can help out benefit staff at busy times.
The following documents which help to shape the way we consult with our customers.