customer care charter
customer care charter
customer care charter
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CustomerCare<br />
Edition Two September 2004<br />
KCC is working hard to<br />
improve Customer Care for all<br />
of the people of Kent:<br />
● whichever of our services you use, e.g. roads, schools,<br />
buildings, country parks, social services, adult education,<br />
or libraries.<br />
● whether you are a resident, a visitor, a local business,<br />
a member of staff or a partner organisation.<br />
A range of <strong>customer</strong>s from across Kent helped<br />
us define the commitments set out in this leaflet<br />
and we are using them to shape the way we do<br />
business. We are defining standards of <strong>customer</strong> service<br />
based on these commitments and will use them to train our<br />
staff. We intend to build them into contracts with the service<br />
providers who deliver on our behalf.<br />
if you need us<br />
we are here<br />
if you want us<br />
you can reach us<br />
you can trust us<br />
to do our best<br />
We are realistic about what we can do, understand<br />
our resources are limited and we know we can’t change<br />
things overnight, but we are determined to make<br />
a difference for you.<br />
www.kent.gov.uk<br />
KCC Contact Centre<br />
Tel No: 08458 247247<br />
Customer <strong>care</strong> is important to everyone in KCC
Involving our <strong>customer</strong>s<br />
CustomerCare<br />
We will make sure we understand what our <strong>customer</strong>s need,<br />
and develop our services around our <strong>customer</strong>s’ expectations.<br />
We will:<br />
● regularly ask <strong>customer</strong>s for their opinions about our services.<br />
● ensure that our <strong>customer</strong>s help shape the services<br />
we deliver.<br />
● be honest about what we can do and what we can’t.<br />
Our people<br />
We recognise that we rely on our staff to deliver great<br />
Customer Care. We will:<br />
● ensure our staff are trained and competent to deliver<br />
our services.<br />
● ensure our staff treat every user of KCC services as we<br />
would wish to be treated ourselves with respect, courtesy<br />
and understanding.<br />
● train every member of staff, and every elected Member, in<br />
Customer Care.<br />
Reaching us<br />
We will provide different ways to help people contact us and<br />
access the services they need. We will:<br />
● make information about KCC and its services easily available.<br />
● publish opening hours and describe how to access services.<br />
● provide a welcoming, friendly environment, easily accessible<br />
to all.<br />
Customer <strong>care</strong> is important to everyone in KCC
How we communicate<br />
CustomerCare<br />
We want to make every contact a positive experience for our<br />
<strong>customer</strong>s. We will:<br />
● always listen <strong>care</strong>fully to what <strong>customer</strong>s and colleagues say.<br />
● be polite and honest.<br />
● give a contact name and details.<br />
● let people know what will happen next.<br />
● point people in the right direction if we can’t help.<br />
● provide a suitable environment and ensure confidentiality.<br />
● write letters, emails and publications that are easy to read<br />
and understand.<br />
● respond to letters and emails promptly and when that is not<br />
possible, we will send an acknowledgement with details of<br />
who is dealing with the matter.<br />
● let people know if there will be a delay in responding.<br />
● ensure answer-phone messages are clear and tell people<br />
when to expect a reply and offer an alternative contact.<br />
Measuring how we perform<br />
We want to make sure that our commitment to Customer Care<br />
is making a difference, and we will assess our success by<br />
measuring what our <strong>customer</strong>s value. We will:<br />
● seek regular feedback on Customer satisfaction.<br />
● publish details of how <strong>customer</strong>s can tell us about<br />
complaints, pay compliments and give us feedback.<br />
● investigate all complaints thoroughly, as quickly as possible,<br />
and learn from mistakes.<br />
● set specific Customer Care standards and publish the results.<br />
Customer <strong>care</strong> is important to everyone in KCC
CustomerCare<br />
How we are doing Update September 2004<br />
One of the ways we measure how we’re doing is through regular public satisfaction surveys. In our<br />
most recent survey three quarters of respondents were satisfied with the way KCC runs things overall.<br />
This is an increase of 17% since 2001 ranking us among the best councils in the UK.<br />
However, we are not complacent, and we are already taking action to help us live up to the commitments<br />
in this leaflet and further improve Customer Care in KCC. In 2003 we set a series of targets. Since<br />
then we have launched a new residents’ panel, established local boards, conducted a major <strong>customer</strong><br />
satisfaction survey, held a <strong>care</strong>rs’ week, set up seven new library user groups and piloted longer<br />
opening hours.<br />
For our staff we have published core standards of behaviour, trained 2000 in Customer Care, held a<br />
Customer Care Week and had 500 nominations for Quality Service Awards from <strong>customer</strong>s across Kent.<br />
We have refreshed our website and introduced ‘Frequently Asked Questions’. Our Contact Centre is now<br />
open for business 24 hours a day, seven days a week.<br />
In addition, several new initiatives are underway. Our targets are outlined below:<br />
KCC Action<br />
● Produce a standard for <strong>customer</strong>–friendly reception<br />
areas across KCC.<br />
● Complete an audit of disabled access for all of<br />
KCC public buildings.<br />
● Customer Care Week – promoting activities that<br />
put the <strong>customer</strong> at the heart of everything we do.<br />
● Set up ways to keep you informed about what<br />
we have done in response to listening to our<br />
Resident’s Panel.<br />
● Expand our Contact Centre to 150 staff answering<br />
the phone.<br />
● Training 15,000 staff in core standards of<br />
behaviour.<br />
● Continue our commitment to make 100% of our<br />
services (where appropriate) available electronically.<br />
Target Date / Progress Update<br />
● Improvement work to Sessions House Reception,<br />
incorporating the standards, due to complete in<br />
the autumn of 2004.<br />
● October 2004.<br />
On target to complete an audit of more than 300<br />
buildings to improve access for everyone.<br />
● December 2004.<br />
● December 2004.<br />
If you are interested in joining the Panel please<br />
contact us on 0800 0930 522.<br />
● March 2005.<br />
● On target for completion by April 2005<br />
● On target for December 2005.<br />
Your comments<br />
If you would like to comment on KCC’s approach to Customer Care, please send your views to:<br />
Customer Care Room 1:20, Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 1XQ<br />
or email: <strong>customer</strong>.<strong>care</strong>@kent.gov.uk<br />
This document is available in alternative formats and can be explained in a range of languages.<br />
Telephone 01622 221163 or email: diversityinfo@kent.gov.uk<br />
Customer <strong>care</strong> is important to everyone in KCC