feature: Customer focus in action
16 November 2007
Residents deal with the council face to face or on the phone every day of the week. We look at how the council is working to improve that experience.
There are many ways to contact the council, from online contact through the website to personal visits to the customer service centres or other offices.
Although online contact is increasing every day, most people will still use the phone or come in. Whether it’s a council tax or housing benefit query, or a complaint about dumped rubbish, most enquiries or problems can now be sorted out quickly and simply through the customer services team.
“Getting this sort of direct contact right is very important,”
says Cllr Lorna Reith, cabinet member for community cohesion and involvement.
"It’s also important that all staff who deal with residents – not just our customer services teams – take customer focus seriously, so that we meet local needs in the best possible way.
“Of course we have to follow regulations ourselves, and cannot always do exactly what you want, but we will always explain the situation properly.”
Some thousand customers have already thanked staff by nominating them for a customer service WOW! Award – and the WOW! scheme has seen the council win a top award at this year’s National Customer Service Awards. Now our front-line staff have developed a new customer charter setting out the standards you should expect.
The draft charter was unveiled this month during National Customer Service Week. Now you are invited to tell us what you think about the charter and what should be in it, on the questionnaire available at front desks, or via the website www.haringey.gov.uk/customercharter.
- For further information visit our customer services web pages.
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