THE CITY OF GREATER GEELONG WORKING BETTER TOGETHER

Transcription

1 THE CITY OF GREATER GEELONG WORKING BETTER TOGETHER CUSTOMER FOCUS STRATEGY

2 CONTENTS 1. PURPOSE PART A: BACKGROUND 2. Our customers 3. What has informed this strategy? 4. Our commitments PART B: GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND ACTIONS 5. An overall summary 6. Action plan 7. Who is responsible? 8. How we will measure ourselves 9. References APPENDIX 1: INTERNAL CONSULTATION APPENDIX 2: CUSTOMER FOCUS STRATEGY SUMMARY Adopted: Tuesday 23 May Document Control: Version 1.3; Location F:/Strategy; Date 24/4/2017; Comment: Draft prepared for Council 2017 City of Greater Geelong 1

3 WORKING BETTER TOGETHER 1. PURPOSE The purpose of this strategy is to set a clear, shared vision for customer service at the City of Greater Geelong for This strategy is designed to deliver on the following City Plan objectives: STRATEGIC DIRECTION How we do business PRIORITY Efficient and customer focused organisation PART A: BACKGROUND 2. OUR CUSTOMERS Our customers are generally defined as anyone we interact with when performing our duties as a local government. These duties include: planning and monitoring managing places service delivery lawmaking and enforcement KEY FACTS policy development Existing population estimate: 234,999 representation Projected population by 2031: 299,000 advocacy. 1 Current staff: 2,643 Volunteers: 700 Service types: 126 Total land area: 1250 square kms There are many different departments in the organisation that manage these functions. Customer service is therefore the responsibility of all employees not just those working in our customer service department Good Governance Guide (2016) Functions of Local Government. 3

4 3. WHAT HAS INFORMED THIS STRATEGY? The changing context Service practice has changed across government agencies to meet changing expectations. Central to these changes are concepts such as self-serve, collaboration and shared services. We believe the following trends are going to change how we live and will therefore influence what defines good customer service. DIGITAL EVERYWHERE Increasing technology is already dramatically changing traditional customer service models and patterns of use. As the online options increase, there will be increasing acceptance of virtual service delivery. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT URBANISATION Australia s population is becoming increasingly urban 3. New housing developments and an increased population density in existing urban areas will lead to increased demand for services. Keeping pace with these demands is an ongoing challenge for all government and utility services. SECURITY AND SAFETY As the world changes and new threats emerge, concerns about community and personal safety are expected to increase. From a service perspective, there will be increasing concerns about privacy and the use of personal data. CUSTOMER SERVICE DATA The following table shows how the patterns of use for our customer contact channels (different methods for contacting us) changed over two financial years ( and ) Variation % Web Visits 2,029,680 2,058, % Online payment transactions 35,677 43, % Customer Contact Centre 181, , % Online RFS transactions 8,988 18, % Contact us 17,252 18, % Registered mail 80,330 67, % Customer service centre visits 130, , % Customer service centre payments 72,428 70, % Payments as a % of customer service centre visits 53% 54% 1% % of payments through customer service centres 16% 14% -2% The way we currently live is turning natural resources into waste at a faster rate than nature can turn waste back into natural resources. 2 New technologies and a more thoughtful approach to how we use resources will be needed to minimise our impacts. DEMOGRAPHIC CHANGE AND DIVERSITY The population is ageing and becoming more ethnically diverse. To meet the needs of the changing population, services will need to be integrated and more inclusive. Our customer service data tells us the following: Our website continues to be our most popular and economical customer contact channel. In , there was a 1.4 per cent increase in visits delivered at a cost of approximately 98 cents per customer contact. Our telephone line received 188,337 calls during the period, emphasising its importance as a customer contact channel. At $3.30 per contact, it is a relatively cost-effective way to meet customer need. There has been a notable decrease in the number of customers sending us registered mail (15.5 per cent) and visiting customer service centres (10.9 per cent). The number of online Request for Service transactions increased by over 100 per cent. 2. City of Greater Geelong (2017) Environment Management Strategy , p Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008) Australian Social Trends,

5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY SATISFACTION SURVEY CITY OF GREATER GEELONG CULTURE REVIEW OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER Although customer service is just one part of this annual review, it is an area of performance we ve been highly rated for a number of years. In 2016, we achieved the following results: Our customer service rating index score increased to 74, up 6 points on the 2015 result. This result was 4 points higher than the average for all regional cities and 5 points above the state average. Very good ratings for customer service increased by 11 points, compared to In 2016, we conducted a survey to capture an up-to-date assessment of employee views of, and attitudes towards, our organisation. A small percentage of our employees reported that a member of the public had bullied them in the workplace. To meet occupational health and safety requirements, we have a responsibility to protect our people from bullying and inappropriate behaviour. INTERNAL CONSULTATION While our Customer Service Working Group was instrumental in developing this strategy, employees at all levels of the organisation and across departments were In November 2016, we commissioned Customer Service Benchmarking Australia to conduct a telephone survey of 254 people who had recently contacted us. I received all the information I needed I waited a reasonable amount of time for someone to intially respond 15% 13% Respondents were asked to judge the quality of service they received, as well as to identify the service attributes driving their levels of satisfaction. The analysis revealed that the following service attributes drive customer satisfaction: also consulted (see appendix 1 for more information). 57% I was satisfied with the quality of the service provided 4. OUR COMMITMENTS The amount of time it took to get all of the help or service I need was reasonable 15% Adjusted R-squared = 73% n=203 OUR VALUES Our values represent who we are as an organisation and who we aspire to be. They are: Make people the centre of our business. Respect and encourage each other. Embrace new ideas and better ways to work. Create a healthy and safe environment for all. We developed a new Customer Service Charter (see next page) that we feel will best help us deliver services to meet these attributes. When we focus tested the standards with 100 local residents, their response was overwhelmingly positive. Our plan is to expand the number of services we deliver according to a standard. 6 7

6 CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER Delivering service excellence by striving to achieve the following standards IN GENERAL We will act in line with our values. We will be realistic about what we can do and by when and we ll let you know about delays. IN WRITING We will acknowledge and try to resolve issues you write to us about within 10 business days. If we cannot meet that deadline, we will explain why, let you know who is handling our response and give you an expected reply date. If you want us to look at or fix something, we will give you a reference number. We will act according to the legislation that governs us. We will encourage customer feedback and view it as an opportunity to improve. BY We will respond to s received via (contactus@geelongcity.vic.gov.au) within one business day. BY PHONE IN PERSON Our phone service will be available for general enquiries between 8.00am and 5.00pm on weekdays (excluding public holidays). We will provide an after-hours phone service for urgent calls. We will greet you using our name (organisation/ department) and the first name of the person you are talking to. We will do our best to satisfy your request when you visit. If you enquiry is of a technical or specialised nature, we will contact the appropriate person to assist. If that person is unavailable, we will get in touch within 24 hours to arrange an appointment or discuss the matter over the phone. HOW YOU CAN HELP US We will give you a direct number to call us back, if necessary. USING OUR WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA If your call needs to be transferred to someone else, we will ask you some basic information so we can introduce your call. We will give you options if that person isn t available, such as taking a message. Messages that are left on voic will be returned within one business day. We will maintain our website with relevant, up-to-date information that is easily understood and accessible. We will respond to our social media platforms within one business day. Get in touch using any method advertised on Contact our officers directly, if you have their details. Let us know if your details change, such as address or animal registration details. Respect and treat all our facilities, equipment and property with due care. Be polite and respectful towards our employees and other customers. Understand we can ask you to leave, cease a conversation, or contact the police if your behaviour is considered hostile, threatening or abusive. 8 9

7 PART B: GOALS AND ACTIONS 6. ACTION PLAN ACTION DEPARTMENT/S RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES REQUIRED AN OVERALL SUMMARY 1. Establish a service improvement team to deliver the actions in this strategy. Customer Service Our customer service goals for are: To provide choice for our customers. To increase customer satisfaction. To deliver our services in the most cost-effective way. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE WILL: Increase investment in the customer contact channels our customers most want and reduce or remove those that are inefficient. Promote our Customer Service Charter (see page 8) to customers and increase the number of services we hold to a standard. Develop the skills of our employees to help them meet the standards in our Customer Service Charter. Simplify our processes to improve the speed of our customer service response times. Promote our MyGeelong website as a secure and personalised way to make payments and lodge forms any time. Promote our telephone number as a cost-effective and personalised way we can reach customers who cannot visit us or use our services online. Produce a model for face-to-face customer service centres that will consolidate the number of centres we have and deliver better value for money, while still meeting the needs of most people in the community. Work with our contractors to make sure they are delivering a service that meets the standards of our Customer Service Charter. Further improve our website so it becomes the first port-of-call for all our customers improvement of our intranet will also help us respond better to customer enquiries. Improve our complaints management system to meet the requirements of the Victorian Ombudsman s review and Councils and Complaints A Good Practice Guide February Measure customer satisfaction, share results and address anything that doesn t meet the standards in our Customer Service Charter. 2. Promote our Customer Service Charter and work with internal departments to expand the number of services we deliver to a standard. 3. Develop a strategy that will improve consistency across all our customer contact channels and provide 24/7 service options. 4. Expand investment in web-based self-service applications so that customers can search, interact and transact online with as many services as possible. 5. Develop a consolidated model for face-to-face customer service centres. 6. Implement a communications campaign to promote customer contact channels, with an emphasis on online options (such as mygeelong ). Customer Service/ Service Improvement Team Digital Information and Technology Digital Information and Technology Customer Service Corporate Communication and Marketing Business case Business case 7. Develop our intranet and corporate websites to improve search capability, maintain content accuracy and enhance online transactions. Digital Information & Technology/ Financial Services 10 11

8 ACTION DEPARTMENT/S RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES REQUIRED ACTION DEPARTMENT/S RESPONSIBLE RESOURCES REQUIRED Monitor customer interactions across all platforms, such as phone, online and in-person, to inform the mix of customer contact channels we offer. 9. Review and update the complaints handling process and improve our skills at handling and resolving complaints. Customer Service/ Business Improvement Customer Service 15. Commence a plan of business process improvement (Lean Thinking) to help departments deliver services that can best meet the needs of our customers. 16. Develop and implement a portfolio of rolling customer service training for all staff. Business Improvement People and Organisational Development Business case 10. Develop a uniform approach to customer billing and payment methods, to reduce complexity and improve efficiency. Service Improvement Team 17. Provide a mechanism to report whole-of-city performance, measuring satisfaction across all customer contact channels. Strategy and Performance 11. Review our telephone-based customer service system to make sure it is meeting our Customer Service Charter. Digital Information and Technology 7. WHO IS RESPONSIBLE? 12. Investigate methods to allow customers to prove their identity and personal information once for all our different services. Digital Information and Technology Business case required We acknowledge that customer service is the responsibility of everyone in the organisation. As such, all employees and others who work on our behalf will be expected to play their role in delivering the actions in this strategy. 13. Carry out ongoing monitoring and management of contracted services to make sure they deliver value for money and quality service to our customers. 14. Undertake a review of our Request For Service system and response times. Environment and Waste/City Services/ Health and Local Laws. Customer Service Responsibilities can be broken down as follows: CEO Directors Department managers Maintains overall responsibility for making sure the organisation develops and delivers a co-ordinated approach to customer service. Each director has a duty to actively promote customer service within their divisional customer service teams, service improvement teams or similar, and to update action plans to ensure this strategy is implemented. Managers must actively promote customer service within their teams and implement actions in this strategy. They are expected to update staff on customer service issues through team meetings, personal development plans and training. Employees and contractors Our employees and contractors play a significant role in making sure that all our customers, clients and partners receive good customer service that meets our Customer Service Charter

9 8. HOW WE WILL MEASURE OURSELVES We will measure our performance in the following ways: performance improvement, as rated by the annual Local Government Community Satisfaction Survey improvement in our independent performance ratings performance against speed of response measures for telephone, written correspondence and Requests for Service completion times qualitative information regarding staff courtesy, helpfulness and knowledge of current information 9. REFERENCES Australian Bureau of Statistics (2008) Australian Social Trends, nsf/lookup/4102.0chapter City of Greater Geelong (2017) Environment Management Strategy Deloitte (2011) Customer Service in the Digital Age responding to digital disruption and rising customer expectations. G21 Strategic Plan. Gartner (2013) Predicts 2014: Customer Support and the Engaged Enterprise. by measuring the number of customer service improvement activities undertaken by our compliance with legislative requirements through increased online access, transactions and satisfaction by assessing our performance against our peers. live. The 2012 Revision. CSIRO, Australia. Humphreys, P.C. (1998) Improving Public Service Delivery, CPMR Discussion Paper. No. 7, Dublin: Institute of Public Administration. KPMG International (2013) Future State 2030 Global megatrends shaping governments. Rosalky D. (2009) Strategic Review of Future Directions for Australian Government Service Delivery. Varney (2006) Service Transformation: A better service for citizens and businesses, a better deal for the taxpayer. APPENDIX 1 INTERNAL CONSULTATION The preparation of this Customer Focus Strategy draws on: Consultation with Executive Directors, Managers and customer contact staff. As a result of their day-to- day contact with customers over many years, they have tremendous reserves of knowledge about customer contact and feedback. Individual service areas hold information and data about customers, including transaction records that can provide a rich understanding of service users and issues. Consultation exercises with departments involved in service delivery and customers involved in receiving our services. A detailed review of our customer service centres including population forecasts, feedback from residents that use our customer service centres, a review of transaction data and benchmark data from other councils. An independent review of customer satisfaction levels conducted by Customer Service Benchmarking Australia. The Customer Service Working Group a crossfunctional team of officers drawn from across the organisation to oversee development and implementation of the strategy. Review of information about best practice customer service methods employed by other government and private sector organisations, both nationally and internationally. German Convention Bureau (2013) Meetings and Conventions 2030: A study of megatrends shaping our industry. Good Governance Guide (2016) Functions of Local Government. Watson J. (2011) Service 2020: Megatrends for the Decade ahead. Our Future World: Global megatrends that will change the way we live. A BDO Report written by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Z punkt (2014) Connected Reality 2025 the next wave of digital transformations. Hajkowicz SA, Cook H, Littleboy A. (2012) Our Future World: Global megatrends that will change the way we

10 APPENDIX 2: CUSTOMER FOCUS STRATEGY SUMMARY CUSTOMER FOCUS STRATEGY OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE ETHOS WORKING BETTER TOGETHER OUR VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS Respect and encourage each other. Create a healthy and safe environment for all Embrace new ideas and better ways to work Make people the centre of our business CUSTOMER SERVICE CHARTER Delivering service excellence by striving to achieve the following standards In general We will act in line with our values. We will be realistic about what we can do and by when and we ll let you know about delays. If you want us to look at or fix something, we will give you a reference number. We will act according to the legislation that governs us. We will encourage customer feedback and view it as an opportunity to improve. BY PHONE Our phone service will be available for general enquiries between 8.00am and 5.00pm on weekdays (excluding public holidays). We will provide an after-hours phone service for urgent calls. We will greet you using our name (organisation/department) and the first name of the person you are talking to. We will give you a direct number to call us back, if necessary. If your call needs to be transferred to someone else, we will ask you some basic information so we can introduce your call. We will give you options if that person isn t available, such as taking a message. Messages that are left on voic will be returned within one business day. IN WRITING We will acknowledge and try to resolve issues you write to us about within 10 business days. If we cannot meet that deadline, we will explain why, let you know who is handling our response and give you an expected reply date. BY We will respond to s received via (contactus@geelongcity.vic.gov. au) within one business day. IN PERSON We will do our best to satisfy your request when you visit. If you enquiry is of a technical or specialised nature, we will contact the appropriate person to assist. If that person is unavailable, we will get in touch within 24 hours to arrange an appointment or discuss the matter over the phone. USING OUR WEBSITE OR SOCIAL MEDIA We will maintain our website with relevant, up-to-date information that is easily understood and accessible. We will respond to our social media platforms within one business day. HOW YOU CAN HELP US Get in touch using any method advertised on (www. geelongaustralia.com.au/contact) Contact our officers directly, if you have their details. Let us know if your details change, such as address or animal registration details. Respect and treat all our facilities, equipment and property with due care. Be polite and respectful towards our employees and other customers. Understand we can ask you to leave, cease a conversation, or contact the police if your behaviour is considered hostile, threatening or abusive. GOALS GOAL 1: To provide choice for our customers. GOAL 2: To increase customer satisfaction. GOAL 3: To deliver our services in the most cost-effective way. ACTION PLAN 1. Establish a service improvement team to deliver the actions in this strategy. 2. Promote our Customer Service Charter and work with internal departments to expand the number of services we deliver to a standard. 3. Develop a strategy that will improve consistency across all our customer contact channels and provide 24/7 service options. 4. Expand investment in web-based self-service applications so that customers can search, interact and transact online with as many services as possible. 5. Develop a consolidated model for face-to-face customer service centres. 6. Implement a communications campaign to promote customer contact channels, with an emphasis on online options (such as mygeelong ). 7. Develop our intranet and corporate websites to improve search capability, maintain content accuracy and enhance online transactions. 8. Monitor customer interactions across all platforms, such as phone, online and in-person, to inform the mix of customer contact channels we offer. 9. Review and update the complaints handling process and improve our skills at handling and resolving complaints. 10. Develop a uniform approach to customer billing and payment methods, to reduce complexity and improve efficiency. 11. Review our telephone-based customer service system to make sure it is meeting our Customer Service Charter. 12. Investigate methods to allow customers to prove their identity and personal information once for all our different services. 13. Carry out ongoing monitoring and management of contracted services to make sure they deliver value for money and quality service to our customers. 14. Undertake a review of our Request For Service system and response times. 15. Commence a plan of business process improvement (Lean Thinking) to help departments deliver services that can best meet the needs of our customers. 16. Develop and implement a portfolio of rolling customer service training for all staff. 17. Provide a mechanism to report whole-of-city performance, measuring satisfaction across all customer contact channels

11 CITY OF GREATER GEELONG PO Box 104 Geelong VIC 3220 P: E: CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTRE 100 Brougham Street Geelong VIC :00am 5:00pm LATEST CityofGreaterGeelong