Agenda item

Witnesses (those present varied throughout the day):

Marie Snelling, Director of Transformation

Sue Grizzelle, Head of Customer Services

Sarah Bogunovic, Customer Relations and Service Improvement Manager

Louise Halloway, Web and Digital Services Manager

Rachel Bearman, Contact Centre IT Projects/Systems Lead

Claire Thomas, Contact Centre Social Care Operations Manager

Rik Jackson, Digital Project Lead, Customer Services

Dr Lisa Bursill, Assistant Director, Early Help & Hubs, Children’s Services

Key points raised during the discussion:

1. It was agreed that the scope of the review should focus on future aspirations, plans and direction of travel for Customer Services and the Customer Experience programme, rather than usual operational or business aspects.
2. It was emphasised that it was a review of the Customer Experience program within Transformation, rather than the operational Customer Service function.
3. It was clarified that the review focused on Customer Experience through a ‘two-way’ lens: how customers interacted with Surrey County Council through Customer Services, and the ways the Council (including, but not limited to, by Customer Services) interacted with residents (such as through the Residents’ Survey).
4. A former Cabinet Member indicated that his experience was that, as a Cabinet Member, he was much more informed than as an ordinary member. As a result, he felt that consideration should be given to improving the general knowledge of Members; in this instance in relation to all aspects of the Customer Experience.
5. This could be achieved through Councillor Training, in particular around the ways in which residents could interact with the Council, but also through information sharing and more regular formal and informal interaction with the customer Contact Centre.
6. Officers explained that learning and improvement was ongoing and largely iterative.
7. The model of customer interaction being used was considered to be the most efficient and effective because it focused on enabling those residents that could self-serve to do so and channelled customer enquiries through a ‘single front door’, in this way freeing up capacity and resources for those residents with significant and complex needs.
8. A primary focus for the Council’s website was ease of access, with significant work being done to test improvements and changes with various user groups. It was suggested that Members be included as a user group.
9. Good connections with the wider business across Council departments was central to the success of the Contact Centre and it was worth considering the existence of any blockages and how these might be dealt with.
10. The highways digital experience, which had recently undergone a significant re-design, was considered to be very positive.
11. Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) was being incorporated into the single front door model, in the form of an ‘Extended Local Offer’, which would result in freeing up capacity within the service. Lessons learned from setting up the Children’s Single Point of Access (C-SPA) would be applied. The possibility of Surrey Fire and Rescue Services being incorporated into Customer Services was also being explored.
12. It was important to take into account how a customer’s first contact experience could shape how they view an organisation, impacting its reputation. The single front door model was especially effective at ensuring a high quality and consistent customer service experience at first point of contact.
13. It was commented that the single front door model would lead to a better experience for the customer. Members remarked that it might be interesting to see evidence of an improved experience; for example, whether having more services being brought into the single front door led to a better customer experience.
14. The libraries transformation project currently underway also offered opportunities. A key question for customer engagement and the Customer Services transformation overall was how to have more direct presence in local communities. Local engagement with communities based on encouraging independence and self-help were important aspects to consider. It was felt that this type of “culture change” could be achieved through local community engagement, possibly leading to the development of a new face-to-face customer service offer.
15. Members present felt that the carbon reduction agenda could suggest important lessons to be applied in changing behaviour.
16. The value of Customer Services satisfaction data was questioned. It was, though, considered valuable because it offered a feedback channel for disgruntled customers and could also be used to suggest areas for training based on recurrent issues.
17. Technology underpinned the success of the digital transformation of Customer Services with the emphasis being placed on digital interaction with customers. In relation to officer experiences with technology, the only challenge experienced was in relation to third party provision. In-house provision of technology was good.
18. The web and digital services approach was developed through user-testing, and data analytics tools were used to show how people used the website; for example, they identified where customers dropped out of a transaction.
19. Recent developments included the introduction of webchat (live chat rather than automated chat bots) on some website pages. One of the aims of webchat was to keep as many customers as possible in the digital space.
20. In relation to feedback, a Councillor emphasised the importance of the link between customer insight, customer experience, and improvement/transformation.
21. Feedback from a wide range of sources (e.g. regulators like Ofsted), in addition to that provided directly by customers, also provided useful feedback for Customer Services.
22. There were automated customer surveys at the end of telephone calls with customers. Customers were able to rate their interaction and make a comment which was captured verbatim. It was noted that there was relatively low uptake of this survey, but that it could provide useful feedback for service areas, and be beneficial for staff morale and training purposes.
23. The possibility of using sentiment analysis tools in the future was mentioned.
24. The importance of looking at feedback together, rather than in isolation, was also highlighted.
25. Continued compliance with the Customer Excellence Standard (CSE) was a significant achievement for the service.
26. The importance of the link between Customer Services and other departments in the Council was emphasised. Feedback and insight could (and should) be two-way.
27. The strategic value of Customer Services’ expertise for other Council services and sharing intelligence, data and insight gathered from interactions with customers across the organisation, including with Members, was emphasised.
28. Having regular training sessions for Members and including demonstrations of how residents could interact digitally with the Council would be useful, as well as sharing this information with Members and local area committees.
29. Having access to service area expertise as part of the single front door model made a significant difference to being able to effectively manage enquiries and requests at first point of contact. For example, there was a social worker present in the Children’s Request for Support Team.
30. There was partnership working with Districts and Boroughs; for example, through the Surrey Contact Group and the Surrey Web Managers’ Group meetings, where information, challenges and learning was shared.
31. However, there was a lack of commonality with the Districts and Boroughs, particularly with regard to systems and technology and the nature of services being delivered, which led to limited opportunities for joint working.
32. Customer Services had benchmarked online up-take against other councils e.g. Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Kent, Lincolnshire, and West Sussex.
33. It was noted that interaction and joint working with partners such as Surrey Police, Surrey Fire and Rescue Services was a key part of the work of Customer Services.
34. The model of co-location where all Contact Centre staff worked together in the same space was important to the success of the team and this, coupled with effective working across departments in the Council, should be preserved as far as possible whilst still exploring opportunities for agile working where possible.
35. It was emphasised that all being located in the same office (co-location) was a key part of the Customer Service team’s strength. For example, co-location enabled instant feedback regarding the website, and ‘live’ changes to it in response, as well as being able to react quickly to evolving situations through the fast sharing of information; for example, ‘huddles’ with telephone agents.
36. Members asked about the potential impact of the move of Customer Services to Leatherhead on the delivery and quality of customer service.
    1. There was uncertainty regarding the impact on staff numbers and a potential for staff attrition. It was noted that this could have an impact on delivery of customer service due to the time required to fully train staff (up to 8 months).
    2. While there was scope for some teams and staff members to work an agile way, it was not as feasible for other parts of the service at this time.
    3. There was a question about whether agile working would reduce the benefits of co-location.
37. Financial efficiencies needed to be achieved in 2020/21; the FTE reduction based on increased digital uptake and a reduction of calls would make this achievable.
38. Members requested a detailed breakdown of finances in terms of costs and savings against the transformation programme, including savings commitments for this year and next. They wanted this in as much detail as possible and wanted to be clear on any changes that had taken place from previous commitments. They also wanted to know if the transformation programme contained a contingency budget in case it was needed.
39. A staff survey was currently being carried out to scope potential attrition as a result of the impending move of Customer Services to Leatherhead and how this might impact on overall service delivery.
40. In relation to the move, any sudden loss of staff was a risk. Members wanted to know what the budget contingency was for Customer Services transformation.