Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report which was due to be determined at the Cabinet and Commissioners’ Decision Making Meeting on 21 May 2018 in respect of the Customer Access Strategy.

It was reported that a new Customer Access Strategy was required to replace the expired Customer Access Strategy, and that provided an opportunity to refresh the Council’s approach by adapting to changing customer needs and expectations and advancing technology. This would therefore demonstrate a modern, efficient council that makes best use of available resources and provides value for money, customer-focused services. The refreshed strategy would seek to strengthen customer relationships, enhance experience and increase satisfaction. It also aimed to influence positive behaviour changes by encouraging engagement, involvement and increasing digital inclusion.

It was noted that the strategy would provide a framework that cut across all areas of business, placing the customer at its heart and adopting a digital first ethos that would enable greater control and independence without excluding anyone from accessing the help, information and advice they needed.

Members initially raised the absence of an equality impact assessment with the report and in response it was confirmed that this would be made available after the meeting,

Reference was made to the Customer Service and Efficiency Board, chaired by the Strategic Director of Finance and Customer Services, and Members sought clarification as to who else was on the Board. It was confirmed that it was an internal officer board with an arrangement for the Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Finance to provide a political sense check. There was representation from every directorate on the Board. In a supplementary question, clarification was sought as to whether the membership of the board provided a true representation of what customer service was like on the front line. In response it was confirmed that was not the purpose of the Board, but more broadly it was about senior officer buy in. Reference was made to the ongoing work with individual members of the public and community groups who were happy to work with the Council to test new things as the Council developed approaches and practices.

The view was expressed that the document could have been more detailed in respect of channel strategy and it was not clear that the model was able to work in all areas of the borough. In response, it was confirmed that testing was underway to establish how it fit, but there was an awareness that it would not work for everyone. Furthermore, it was acknowledged that further work was needed in respect of the telephony service provided by the Council to ensure that the contact centre was able to handle the widest range of enquiries.

In response to an enquiry in respect of how the customer journey would be simplified, the Leader of the Council indicated that it would be on a case by case basis, but would also require a high level piece of work to review processes in customer services and across the authority.

Resolved:-

1.    That Cabinet be advised that the recommendations be supported, subject to there being no negative implications from the equality impact assessment.

2.    That the work programme from the Customer Access Strategy be shared with Members so that they are aware of the timeline for implementation of projects and how these will be evaluated.

3.    That the Leader of the Council consider how non-executive members can become involved in the projects and work programme underpinning the Customer Access Strategy to give Members’ assurance that customer experience will be good irrespective of which channel of engagement with the Council they choose.