Agenda item

Report of the Divisional Director of Partnership Development and Performance

The Committee considered the proposed scope for the Customer Care Scrutiny Review as agreed by the Review Group at its meeting on 29 February 2012.

Members made various comments with regard to the extent of the review and the Chairman of the Review Group emphasised that it was intended that the remit of the Group would extend beyond the Better Deal for Residents review’s consideration of impact on residents and that all channels of customer care would be considered, together with an examination of the culture of the organisation with regard to customer care.

A Member expressed her view that consideration be given to finding a more symmetrical way of honing the current customer care arrangements, citing the Aberdeenshire model as a strong example for aspiration by the Group.  The Chairman of the Review Group agreed with the point made and emphasised that the Customer Care Scrutiny Review was focused on how the council dealt with contacts via its multiplicity of channels before a matter reached the complaints stage as a result of poor service experience.

Members then discussed the various merits and disbenefits in relation to expanding beyond the proposed customer care scope to include a wider focus upon the customer care channels, management and subsequent delivery.  A Member commented specifically that the current scope proposals did not address the potential of establishing a model to take forward for the future with regard to customer care and contacts.

The Chairman of the Review Group emphasised the extent of the evidence that would need to be gathered as part of the current scope proposals and that a measure of success would be effects on the customer score through the council’s relationship tracker.  He also stated that there was a limited window to undertake and achieve the review.  The review, as proposed, would map the customer journey and would also consider a random selection of customer interactions with the Council through the various channels offered.

A Member spoke on the need to establish who the “customer” was and for the need to ensure that customer care as a principle was in place across the entire organisation.  He noted the challenge the review faced in ensuring its customer care review did not become an inward focussed review.

The Interim Corporate Director of Resources responded to the comments noting that a significant level of good practice was already fundamentally in place within Access Harrow and that the philosophy she supported was “provide excellent services and get the governance right”.  She felt the review was timely and would link well with the ongoing officer review of service and customer care delivery.

A Member suggested that further thought be given by the Review Group to widening its aims and objectives as she felt these were too limiting as currently proposed and the Chair of the Review Group invited Members to send him suggestions for expansion of the Scope which he would ensure was considered by its next meeting.  However, he emphasised the need to ensure the workload remained manageable as any expansion would have an impact upon available resource.

RESOLVED:  That the Scope of the Customer Care Scrutiny Review be provisionally approved subject to a consideration of widening its aims and objectives at its next meeting.