Improving our customer services thanks to your feedback!

We recently sent you a survey from the Institute of Customer Service so you could let us know what you think about the customer service Watford Community Housing provides.

The results of the survey have allowed us to look more closely at the service we’re providing, learning about the things you like and the areas where we can improve. It’s been really helpful to have your feedback, and we can now make changes which ensure our customers experience a high-quality tailored service.

We’re pleased to report that overall satisfaction with our customer services has improved since we last carried out the Institute of Customer Services survey in 2015, and that you think we’ve improved in the following areas:

• The helpfulness and competence of our staff
• How easy it was for you to access our services
• Our information and advice is of a better quality
• The speed of our written responses has improved
• The speed of responses and outcomes of complaints has improved

Although we were happy to see these positive improvements, it is just as important that we take on board the feedback you’ve given about the areas of our customer service that need to improve.

The results of the survey have given us some excellent insight into how we need to move forward, improving our customer service for you.

The main concerns highlighted in the responses were:

• It needs to be easier to contact the right person in the organisation
• Overall speed of response and resolution of problems
• Better understanding of individual needs
• More knowledgeable staff

We’ve listened to your concerns and will be continuing to work to tackle them – knowing specifically what we can improve really helps us to focus our efforts, so thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. Your time and feedback will really help to make a difference.

We are continuously improving our customer service experience, and this year has been no exception. Over the last 12 months we’ve been improving, with major changes and consistent upgrades which help to deliver a better customer service experience. Here’s an update on some of our recent work:

• You can now book your repairs online - We recently rolled out new features for your online account! It’s the first of a range of upgrades as we develop our online services.
  
  Anyone can sign up for an online account using their tenancy number. The account gives you the chance to quickly and easily:
  
  
• Book repair appointments
• Check your rent balance
• Give us your feedback
• Update your tenancy details
• Report anti-social behaviour online
  
  If you’d like to sign up, click here and start managing your tenancy online!
  
• A new website - Our new website went live at the end of March. The new site is much clearer and easier to use, giving you information on our services and easy access to your online account. Check out the website for up-to-date news and information about the work we’re doing to improve our service.
  
  
• Reviewing the call option system - We have been reviewing the calls coming into our customer service centre, and will be looking to make it quicker for you to get in touch by removing some of the call options. This will help you get in touch more easily and efficiently.
  
  
• Updating the way we get in touch – We know that our services are best when they’re tailored to you. You may have received a call from us asking for data about your age and lifestyle. This information helps us to understand your needs and how we can best provide for you.
  
  We’ve been getting in touch about your preferred method of contact, so that if we need to reach you, we’ll do it in a way that suits you best. So far, we know the preference of 38% of our tenants, and we’ll be speaking to everyone in due course. In the meantime, you can let us know your preferences right now by updating your details on your online account.
  
  
• Providing proactive and consistent communication – We want to be open and honest with you, and provide transparent, proactive and consistent communication. We are looking at reviewing our processes for corresponding with you and updating our in-house training, so that communications flow smoothly across our organisation and out to you.
  
  

Keep letting us know how we are doing – The information you give us, whether it be through surveys, compliments or complaints, is vital to how we review and improve the services we deliver. We have been looking at how to make it easier for you to let us know when we get it wrong and when we get it right. In the future, this could involve new customer engagement systems at different points of contact.

Thanks to your feedback and our commitment to continuous improvement, we are working hard to deliver a high level of customer service for you and to make your experience with us an effortless process.