Bill Dodds

Assistant Chief Executive - Practice

The Six Keys to Unlocking The Six Keys to Unlocking SatisfactionSatisfaction

1 Information... about Services2 Information... about Standards3 Access4 Putting Things Right5 Professionalism and staff attitude6 Listening to customers

Objectives Objectives By the end of today you will: By the end of today you will:

• Have learned from Scottish Consumer Council’s experience of Customer Satisfaction within public services

• Have learned from other verifiers knowledge of customers

• Have a clearer understanding of the key elements of a customer charter and have an appreciation of the benefits of customer engagement

Information…. About ServicesInformation…. About Services

• Generally users are positive about building standards

• Other evidence however suggests some poor service and dissatisfaction

• Mainly because of a lack of responsiveness to the needs of customers

Customers NeedsCustomers Needs• Building Standard services should

focus on the needs of customers• Only by listening to customers can you

plan services around their needs• Don’t have to be big changes• May be a cultural shift• Others may be procedural and relate

to how services are planned or carried out

Information…. About StandardsInformation…. About Standards

• Managing expectations • Information on what targets services

are using to measure quality and whether these are being met

• Don’t promise too much• Promising too much can raise

expectations and lead to disappointment when these expectations are not met

PerformancePerformance

• People want public services to be honest about their performance

• Don’t use spin• Should be a balanced account of

performance including how complaints are handled

• Don’t hide reasons when standards not met

Performance MeasuresPerformance Measures

• Customer views are better than performance indicators

• Should be able to make comparisons with other Building Standards services

• Building Standards need to get better at celebrating success

InformationInformationThe A-list for information:

• Accurate, up-to-date, useful and practical;• Accessible in language, format and tone;• Adaptable for individual needs and

circumstances;• Available at different levels of detail at

different times;• Aligned and consistent with other sources of

information.

Private CustomerPrivate Customer

Verifiers will have in place by 30 September 2006 a Customer charter which encompasses

• Guidance to Stakeholders• Accessibility of Service• Measurable Performance Targets,

and • Customer Views

Workshop ObjectiveWorkshop ObjectiveInformation Information

• How can meaningful engagement with customers be achieved?

• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the methods outlined?

• How can customer expectations be managed?

• How should customer views be recorded and published?

Putting Things RightPutting Things Right

• Experience of customer is based on outcome - good or bad

• Even in best service complaints are received

• A complaint is “any expression of dissatisfaction that needs a response”

• The “gratitude factor”• Effective complaints system

Professionalism and Staff Professionalism and Staff AttitudeAttitude

• Customer Service Training• Better communication with

customers using e-mail/phones• Manage use of voicemail• Approve smaller warrant

applications without as much bureaucracy

• Dedicated BS enquiry line