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Access to Services

Access to Services. Steve Finegan, Head of Business Improvement Seema Kohli, Quality & Customer Services Manager Tara Kelly, Equality & Diversity Officer. How We Started. What we needed to do: Set up an Access to Services Forum Review and update customer service standards

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Access to Services

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  1. Access to Services Steve Finegan, Head of Business Improvement Seema Kohli, Quality & Customer Services Manager Tara Kelly, Equality & Diversity Officer

  2. How We Started • What we needed to do: • Set up an Access to Services Forum • Review and update customer service standards • Carry out customer profiling • Publish Single Equality Scheme • Review Interpretations and Translations Policy • Increase understanding of why some tenants don’t access the service • Need to raise awareness of existing access arrangements • Need to improve our complaints handling, especially lessons learned • Need to capture information on how consultation is driving improvement – • “you said, we did” • Ensure contracting partners adopting a consistent approach

  3. Access Review Group • A value for money review of the call centre • balance between cost and quality • affordable access • benchmarking • investment in technology • Local office opening hours • extended opening pilot • customer priorities Tenant Handbook on DVD “Value for money is embedded in the organisation; the approach to VFM is well developed. Services are delivered with a focus on VFM and customer priorities” Audit Commission Report January 2009

  4. Customer Profiling • What we needed to know: • Breakdown of customers bysix equality strands • Customers preferred communication needs

  5. Our Strategy • Information collected at customer sign-up • Mail out to all tenants • Market Research Company carried out telephone survey • Contracting partners collected information during Decent Homes Programme • Door to door knocking exercises • At inspection: Age 82%; Disability 84%; Ethnicity 87%; Gender 96%; Religion/Belief 85%; Sexuality 82%

  6. Examples of how we used the information • Set Board and Employment equality targets. • Produced Northwards Natter in required format e.g. large print, on CD • Extended programme of cultural awareness to include Buddhism Awareness Sessions • Established LGBT Resident’s Forum • Promoted the Retirement Housing Service to BME tenants over the age of 60. • Reviewed Community Languages offered on publications • Promoted Manchester Equipment and Adaptations Partnership (MEAP) to disabled tenants

  7. Service User Involvement • A variety of mechanisms i.e. Area Panels, Tenants groups, service questionnaires • Tenant Inspectors • Forums – BME, Disability, Resident Involvement, Communications, High Rise Living, • Retirement Housing, Leaseholders, Access to Services, LGBT, Repairs & Improvements • Complaints Panel – Reviewing Policy, Valuing Complaints e-bulletin, ‘You said, We did’ • Social events e.g. fun days, five-a-side tournaments • Junior wardens • Mystery Shoppers • Ask the Board

  8. Interpretations and Translations Policy • New government guidance • Consultation with E&D Resident Forums • Translation requests co-ordinated centrally • Procedures easily accessible on intranet • Employee Training

  9. E-gov and new technology • Fully accessible website triple A compliant with 48 interactive sections and around 22,800 visits per month • Internet Web kiosks approx 460 visits per month • Free phone access • Text Messaging • Introduction of hand held PDA’s for repairs / satisfaction • Digital Signage • Tenant Inspectors evaluate website 83% contact us by phone 17% visit a local office 5% Letter / Email 3% Website 10% No contact

  10. Partnership Working • Co-location of NH and Contractors Decent Homes Teams • Sharing Communication Needs • Joint Training Initiatives • Complaints Forum

  11. Future Plans • Review of Communications Strategy • Review of cash collection service • Dedicated On-Call Advisors for vulnerable tenants • Strategy to complete Customer Profiling • Further engage under-represented groups • Develop the use of new technology

  12. Q&A

  13. thank you for listening www.northwardshousing.co.uk/excellence Steve Finegan, Head of Business Improvement E-mail s.finegan@northwardshousing.co.uk Tel 0161 227 3012 Seema Kohli, Quality and Customer Services Manager E-mail s.kohli@northwardshousing.co.uk Tel 0161 227 3030 Tara Kelly, Equality & Diversity Officer E-mail t.kelly@northwardshousing.co.uk Tel 0161 227 3044 Northwards Housing, Hexagon Tower, 6th Floor, Crumpsall Vale, Blackley, Manchester M9 8ZS

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