Contact and communication

We will ensure that we understand who is contacting us, and why, so that we can design our service delivery systems to respond to what you want, in the way you want it, as easily and as quickly as possible, with the aim of dealing with all demands at the first call.

Our commitment:

If you phone us we will:

  • Aim to answer your call on average within 30 seconds.
  • Greet you, giving the name of the organisation and the person to whom you are speaking.
  • Ensure we have enough people to answer your calls efficiently, even at the busiest times.
  • Try to answer most queries at the first contact.
  • Minimise passing you onto to someone else.
  • Take personal ownership and responsibility for your queries & concerns.
  • If you are not able to speak to the person you want to, another member of staff will offer to help you or take a message and pass it on.
  • Return messages within one working day. If the person you need to speak to is away from the office for longer than this, another staff member will return your call.
Measure Target Method
Average and predictable number of phone calls into the Trust, broken down by service area No target Quantitative analysis via weekly telephone reports
Analysis of when calls come in (to measure peak times) No target Quantitative analysis via weekly telephone reports
Average predictable waiting time for calls to be answered Within 10 seconds Quantitative analysis via weekly telephone reports
Number of abandoned calls Less than 5% Quantitative analysis via weekly telephone reports
Number of calls dealt with first time 85% customer satisfaction Quantitative analysis via weekly sample reports
Customer satisfaction with their experience when they last contacted the Trust 85% customer satisfaction Mystery shopping, customer satisfaction surveys (postal, telephone and web), STATUS and complaints/feedback

If you write to us:

  • We will answer your letter or email within 10 working days.
  • If we are unable to provide a full reply within 10 working days we will explain the reasons why and give you a timescale for a full response.
  • We will respond taking into account individual preferences such as Braille, large print or different language.
  • We will ensure we use plain language that is understandable and free from jargon.
Measure Target Method
Customer satisfaction with their experience when they last contacted the Trust 95% customer satisfaction

100% response within 10 days
Mystery shopping, response monitoring, customer satisfaction survey and complaints/feedback

If you visit our offices:

  • You will find an accessible and welcoming reception.
  • We will wear badges that identify who we are and what we do.
  • We will deal with your enquiry at once or let you know how long you will wait if you do not have an appointment.
  • If the person you want to see is not available we will offer you an appointment or an alternative member of staff.
  • We will provide confidential interview rooms.
  • We will respond to different types of communication needs wherever possible.
Measure Target Method
Customer satisfaction with their experience when they last contacted the Trust 95% customer satisfaction Mystery shopping, customer satisfaction survey and complaints/feedback 
Number of queries dealt with first time 75% of queries Quantitative monitoring and recording

If we visit your home:

  • We will try to give you at least 48 hours notice of our visit.
  • We will usually agree an appointment time with you.
  • If we are unable to keep the appointment we will advise you in advance and tell you the reasons why. We will arrange another appointment.
  • We will wear identification that tells you who we are, including clearly displayed photographs.
Measure Target Method
Customer satisfaction with their experience when they last contacted the Trust 95% customer satisfaction Mystery shopping, customer satisfaction survey and complaints/feedback

Meeting the TSA standards for:
• Tenant involvement and empowerment

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