Housing Service satisfaction survey

We asked for your views on the way you use and interact with the service. In particular we wanted to know whether you found each of the avenues of communication (in-person, telephone, letters and assessments and online) accessible and user-friendly. Furthermore, we wanted to get an understanding of any issues around internet access and the digital skills of our temporary accommodation residents.

We received extensive feedback on the aspects of our service that were working well but also on the gaps and areas that could be improved. The following points represent key feedback that we have gathered from the survey:

• The overall satisfaction levels for telephone communication reduced in comparison to last year. Issues with waiting times and an inability to access our services was a particular cause for concern.
• There are issues with our communication throughout the housing assessment process as residents do not feel well-informed and are often unaware of what the process is and what is required from them.
• The website is not clear and informative and consequently residents prefer accessing information through other means.
• There should be greater flexibility in the methods of communication that the council offers. For example, there is demand for services such as webchat, video calls and WhatsApp.

We will be discussing the results with a resident focus group to get feedback on the issues raised in the survey and find solutions to adequately address them. In addition, there is ongoing service development work already in place to rectify issues in some of these areas. For example:

• Call Handling – In February, we introduced a new telephony system that allows us to record calls and collect data on key performance indicators, including waiting times and abandoned calls. With this information, we can ensure that the level of customer service that we provide is at a high standard and all dips can be identified and rectified.
• Service Standards – There is ongoing work to revise our service standards and ensure that the product we deliver is of a level that you, as residents, deem acceptable. As part of this, we are ensuring that the resident voice is heard through a number of outreach and engagement activities.
• Rent Statements – We are also working to introduce regular rent statements. We hope that this will help keep you better informed and more clearly set out the process and requirements.
• Training and Induction – We have just introduced a new training and induction programme for new starters. This will ensure that front line officers are fully equipped with all of the knowledge and soft skills to provide an excellent user experience.