Policy 1k Customer Engagement. Director of Engagement

Transcription

1 Objective 1 Increasing Satisfaction Policy 1k Customer Engagement Last Reviewed Responsible Officer November 2013 Director of Engagement Next Review September Policy statement This over-arching policy applies to all the organisation s activities unless specifically exempted. Freebridge Community Housing is committed to putting the customer at the heart of our activities through actively encouraging and facilitating meaningful opportunities for engagement which have a genuine impact on, and link to, our services. Customer engagement has been embedded within the culture of the organisation and we will seek opportunities to gain customer feedback and involvement where opportunity and need exists. We will adopt a consumerist, can-do, proactive approach to engaging tenants and align activity with the needs of the organisation. 2. Definitions For the purposes of this policy, customer refers to: Existing and potential tenants (or their representatives), Leaseholders Shared owners of a Freebridge property. 3. Policy objectives Freebridge Community Housing will aim to: Meet the needs of our customers, by ensuring we are easy to do business with, to increase satisfaction; 1

2 Deliver appropriate, well-planned, varied, accessible and timely opportunities for engagement and feedback across the business so that our customers can have an input on services which impact upon them; Respond to customer feedback through adapting the services we provide, and communicating to our customers when, where and why we have made relevant changes; Deliver all engagement activity with a listening approach, recognising the meaningful impact that customers have on the continuous development and improvement of our business; Recognise that we all have a role in keeping our customers engaged, and behave accordingly; Exceed our regulatory and legal equality responsibilities. 4. Strategy 4.1 Corporate culture and standards Freebridge is putting the customer at the heart of the organisation through the development of an organisational customer care culture. Alongside this, we will continue to embed customer engagement through providing opportunities for engagement and feedback across all areas of the business, where need and opportunity exists. Customer engagement is the responsibility of everyone and we will ensure that all staff understand their role through this policy. We will set out our commitment to engaging customers through updating our service standards. 4.2 Governance Freebridge will embed customer engagement into the Governance of the organisation The Board has established the Freebridge Tenant Panel as the recognised, forum which works with Freebridge on tasks including feedback on policies, monitoring performance, conducting service reviews and making recommendations for improvements. The Tenant Panel also has a key role in reviewing complaints, along with Board member representatives, as part of the formal complaints process. It operates to terms of reference agreed by the Board. Our shareholding policy also supports customer engagement. 4.3 Accessible and relevant engagement Freebridge will meet the diverse needs of our customers through offering a range of inclusive, accessible and appropriate engagement opportunities which meet the needs of customers and reflect our business priorities. Opportunities will include Out & About visits to customers in their own homes, an annual tenant event and Mystery Shopping. The purpose of the engagement will determine how it will be delivered; we will be targeted in our approach. 4.4 Surveys and consultation Freebridge carries out regular surveys, such as the STAR survey and the Getting to Know You survey, which provide an insight into our customers and their needs. We will continue to deliver timely and appropriate surveys so that we can maintain our knowledge of our customers and deliver appropriate 2

3 engagement opportunities to them. We will analyse the findings of these surveys and, where appropriate, take action to improve. 4.5 Shared engagement opportunities Where opportunity and need exists, we will work with partners to deliver joint engagement activity. This could be in the form of having a presence at events, or providing sponsorship, such as Around the World in 80 Dishes. Each shared opportunity will be considered on its own merit, ensuring that there is added value for us and our customers through our involvement. We will look to deliver activities which reflect and support our vision of a Better West Norfolk. 4.6 Training and investment We will work with our partners to provide training which brings a long-lasting benefit for participants and enables individuals to access further opportunities to improve their lives. We will promote these opportunities to our customers, ensuring that they are able to access and maximise training for their needs. We will also signpost customers to other training and capacity building, as appropriate. We will also provide a community fund which our customers can access for activities which promote health and wellbeing, improve the environment, support residents or bring communities together. Recipients of the fund will be chosen by a panel which will include customer representatives. We will also carry out consultation as needed to gain feedback from customers on different subjects. The purpose for the consultation will determine the channel we will use, such as focus groups or workshops. 4.7 Wellbeing We will promote the importance of wellbeing for our customers through ongoing communications around the themes of Mental, Physical, Social, Financial, Community and Career Wellbeing. Where appropriate, we will signpost customers to resources to support their wellbeing. 4.8 Technology We will use technology effectively to engage customers through our use, and ongoing development of, social media. We will continue to develop our use of technology, and we will, where possible, aim to be early adopters of new technological advancements so that we can offer our customers further opportunities to engage with us through technology in the way which they prefer. 4.9 Promotion and communication We will ensure that customers are aware of opportunities to get involved and provide feedback by promoting these through our communication channels, including our website, Streets Ahead and social media. We will promote in a wide variety of ways so that we can be inclusive and accessible 3

4 4.10 Feedback We will seek to ensure we provide feedback to our customers following their involvement in engagement opportunities. We will provide this feedback through a variety of methods, such as through our social media channels, through our customer magazine Streets Ahead, or through targeted letters to customers. We will also provide feedback to our customers on how we are performing through the annual tenant report. 5. Compliance In implementing this policy and strategy it is expected that all other overarching policies and strategies will also be complied with. 6. Review Board and management: The Board has a corporate responsibility for ensuring that Customer Engagement is promoted and that this policy and strategy underpins all aspects of the Association s work. The Board has a responsibility to ensure that customer engagement is delivered effectively at board-level. The Management Team has responsibility for developing the organisational culture which embeds customer engagement within the fabric of Freebridge. Managers are individually and corporately responsible for ensuring that they engage and seek feedback from customers in line with service area activities. Staff, contractors and suppliers: All staff, regardless of job title or remit, should have an understanding that customer engagement is of crucial importance to the continuous development and improvement of the business. In line with our Customer Focus value - and through use of the Ask, Listen, Act, Learn approach - staff, contractors and suppliers will obtain feedback which can be used to make meaningful developments and improvements to our services Customers: Freebridge expects that all customers treat our workers with respect and courtesy and recognise that we will not always be able to adapt our services based on all of their comments. When we cannot adapt our services, we will feedback to customers the reasons why. 7. Monitoring We will monitor performance across the areas covered by this policy and report it to the Board as part of our ongoing performance monitoring. As customer satisfaction is a key business driver, it will continue to be monitored through the annual STAR survey. In addition, we will have an action plan and accompanying outputs that will be monitored and reviewed by the Management Team and progress reported around key activities to the Board. 4

5 Customer Engagement Strategy Action Plan Area Actions Responsibility (Deadline) Update the Service Standards to reflect our DH/DE, November commitment to customer engagement 2013 Advise and support managers to deliver engagement activity which aligns with their DE/CEM, ongoing service area priorities Attitude survey to check/understand the DE, January 2014 culture. Corporate Culture and Standards Governance Accessible and relevant engagement Surveys and Consultation Shared Engagement Opportunities Training and Investment Wellbeing Technology Promotion and Communication Feedback Ongoing support of the Tenant Panel, including identifying and providing training and development Identify and deliver opportunities for engagement in line with the business priorities Deliver: Out & About Visits Mystery Shopping Streets Ahead Tenant event Deliver the STAR survey and analyse the findings Targeted surveys and consultation, in line with business priorities Around the World in 80 Dishes Identify and deliver other shared opportunities Work with partners to identify training activities Promote training opportunities to our customers Coordinate and promote the Freebridge Community Fund Promote wellbeing messages through Streets Ahead and associated communication channels Manage and update the website Manage the Facebook page Manage the Twitter account Promote opportunities for engagement through our corporate communication channels Provide targeted feedback to customers with whom we have engaged DE/CS/GA Managers, ongoing CSM, ongoing CSM, ongoing CEM, quarterly CEM, annual CEM, March 2014 Managers, as required MCA, summer 2014 DE, ongoing DH/DE, ongoing CE, ongoing CE, April 2014 CEM, ongoing CE/ICT, ongoing FCC/CEM, ongoing CEM/MCA, ongoing CE, ongoing CE/Managers, ongoing Key DE = Director of Engagement; DH = Director of Housing; CEM = Communications & Engagement Manager; CE = Communications & Engagement team; CSM = Customer Services Manager; CS = Company Secretary; GA = 5

6 Governance Administrator; FCC = First Contact Centre; MCA = Marketing Communications Advisor; ICT = ICT team. 6