CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS, COMPLIMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS
Author’s Title
Estelle Packham – Customer Services
Manager
Jane Wisson – Customer Services Team
Leader
Are there background papers?
Yes
No
Exempt
Yes
No
Key Decision?
Yes
No
If Key Decision is it on the Forward Plan?
Yes
No
Decision for Full Council?
Yes
No
Reason for Exemption?
Ward(s) affected?
All
Responsible Cabinet Member name
Cllr Graham Jones
Contact Officer
Estelle Packham – Customer Services
Manager
Jane Wisson – Customer Services Team
Leader
E-mail address
estelle.packham@north-norfolk.gov.uk:
jane.wisson@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Telephone number
Estelle Packham Tel: 516079
Jane Wisson
Are there Non Electronic Appendices?
List of Background Papers
Tel: 516096
Yes
No
n/a
File Location:
1.1.
PLEASE REFER TO SECTION 7 OF THE GUIDANCE NOTES FOR
TEMPLATES
Implications / Risks:
Have you identified & explained within the report the
implications of the options available to
members?
Yes
None
(Implications should include financial, legal and links
to the Council’s existing policies and
strategies)
Have you highlighted the Risks to the Council?
Yes
None
Cabinet Member
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
Local Member
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
Yes
If not please
state
reason
below
1.2.
Financial Implications and Risks to the
Council should have their own separate
headings. It is not acceptable to simply
state that financial implications or risks have
been alluded to in the main body of the
report.
This report has been subject to the following processes:
Consultations with:
N/A
S151 Officer
Update on process – consultation not required
Monitoring Officer
Update on process – consultation not required
Democratic Services Manager
Update on process – consultation not required
Communications Manager
Update on process – consultation not required
Other Head(s) of Service:
n/a
Others:
n/a
Please confirm this report has been signed off by:
Management Team
Yes
Not apt
Relevant Strategic Director
Yes
Not apt
The Chief Executive
Yes
Not apt
Agenda Item No___8___
CUSTOMER COMPLIMENTS, COMPLAINTS AND SUGGESTIONS MONITORING
REPORT.
Summary:
This report provides Members with an overview of customer
compliments, complaints and suggestions received by the
organisation during the period 1st December 2010 and 31st
January 2011 along with an overview of recent and forthcoming
related activities.
Conclusions:
The report has shown that complaints acknowledged year on year
have remained at 100% and complaints responded to within
timescale are at 73%.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that Members note the contents of this
report.
Cabinet member(s):
Ward(s) affected:
Cllr. Graham Jones
All
Estelle Packham – Customer Services Manager
Extension: 6079
Email: estelle.packham@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Jane Wisson – Customer Services Team Leader
Extension: 6096
Email: jane.wisson@north-norfolk.gov.uk
Contact Officer,
telephone
number, and
e-mail:
1. Context
1.1
This report provides Members with an overview of the corporate customer
compliments, complaints and suggestions (CCS) results during the period 1st
December 2010 to 31st January 2011.
1.2
The results period reflects the date that that the new system, used for recording
feedback, was implemented.
1.3
During the implementation phase of the new system (December 2010 to
September 2011) comparisons to services should not be made due to
variances with channels of feedback recorded.
2. Current situation
Achievements since September 2010
2.1
The design and development of the new corporate compliments, complaints
and suggestions system has been completed
2.2
Testing of the system and training for all feedback coordinators took place
throughout November 2010.
2.3
The new system was implemented in December 2010.
3. Next Steps
3.1
Further system training for identified officers will take place between April –
August 2011.
3.2
System enhancements, including reporting functionality and data collection
fields will be developed as and when identified. Timescales will be dependent
on ICT’s capacity.
3.3
The feedback information will be reported to the Performance and Risk
Management Board on a quarterly basis from March 2011.
3.4
It is the aim for all feedback received across all access channels to be
recorded. This includes correspondence received directly by a specific
department and not just via post and scanning services, as well as feedback
received over the telephone and in person. This will be implemented on a
service by service basis between April – October 2011.
4. Feedback Analysis
It should be noted that at the time of completing this report the deadline for
sending some responses has not been reached. The results therefore may
increase.
Complaints
4.1
For the two month period between 1st December 2010 and 31st January 2011
the Council received 11 complaints in relation to a range of services (see
Appendix A). For the same period last year we received a total of 33
complaints, this demonstrates a reduction of 66%.
4.2
Of those 11 complaints there is evidence that 100% were acknowledged in
writing within timescale.
4.3
73% of all complaints were responded to within our target timescale.
4.4
In the same period we also received correspondence on two complaints
referred to the Local Government Ombudsman. One of these has been
responded to within 28 days (our target timescale), one is still within deadline
timescales.
5.
MP Correspondence
5.1
In the period between 1st December 2010 and 31 January 2011 the Council
received 20 letters from Norman Lamb MP 15 of which (75%) were answered
within the target timescale.
6.
Compliments
6.1
A total of five compliments were received across all service areas during the
two month period. These reflected how we met or exceeded our customer’s
expectations and how well our colleagues dealt with an enquiry.
7.
Risks to the Council
7.1
Compliments, complaints and suggestions represent an opportunity for the
Council to reflect on the way it provides its services to customers. Without the
technology in place to ensure timely and effective analysis, it will be extremely
challenging to identify service improvements.
7.2
The organisation has implemented, and will continue to develop, an ethos of
welcoming and encouraging feedback. We need to ensure that we consistently
and continually use this feedback to improve our services and that we
communicate this effectively in order to maintain and enhance our reputation.
7.3
An equality impact assessment was not completed when the procedure was
reviewed during early 2008. However, this will be timetabled in for completion
along with a majority of other Customer Services’ policies, procedures and
strategies.
8.0
Financial Risks
8.1
Some service delivery failures have the potential to lead to claims against the
Council for compensation, damages or restitution. For example, we have
examples of occasions when the Local Government Ombudsman has
recommended a financial remedy to satisfy a complaint. It is important to
recognise that effective complaints management can make a significant
contribution to our risk management strategy.