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Putting the Customer First...

Our aim is to put YOU, the Customer, First. This means that we will strive to provide services in a way that our customers want.

We will continue to improve access to our services and information and we will work closely with residents to shape services around the needs of our customers. This will involve engaging with customers and attention to fairness and equality. What you can expect as a level of service will be measured through improved customer standards.

Our key customer standards include:

When you visit:

Council offices for customer enquiries and payments will be open from 8.40 am to 5.00 pm weekdays, except Bank Holidays. This applies to your One Stop Shops at Worksop and Retford and to Harworth Information Office (closed 1.00 pm – 2.00 pm).

Our One Stop Shops provide modern customer facilities, offering ease of access, toilets, clear signage and respect your privacy.

All customers will be greeted and treated in a courteous manner by staff who will give you their full attention.

All front line staff will wear a name badge so that you will know who is advising you.

Our staff aim to see you within 3 minutes of your arrival at reception. If you need to see another specialist advisor, we aim for you to see that person within 10 minutes.

With our network of Help Points in rural villages, we offer you access to video link or face-to-face help from council staff. Help Points are for your convenience, we aim to offer access to council services, much closer to where you live.

When you Write:

We set out clearly our contact details on all forms of council communication we send.

When you write to us, we will acknowledge your letter within 5 working days and issue a full reply with 15 working days.

When you telephone:

Our direct dial numbers will be stated in all correspondence and leaflets e.g. Council Tax leaflet will list all key telephone numbers.

We aim to answer 90% of all direct dial calls within 10 seconds and 94% of calls to switchboard within 20 seconds.

All callers will be treated in a courteous and helpful manner.

Wherever possible, calls are answered in person – not by an automated telephone system (within the opening hours stated)

Keeping you informed and listening to you:

We will make it easy for you to make a complaint including, in person, by letter, telephone, e-mail or on line.

We acknowledge complaints within 5 working days and respond within 15 working days.

If you are not satisfied with a complaint reply you can take it to another stage involving review by the Council’s Chief Executive.

We will improve services based on the lessons we learn from your complaints and satisfaction levels. We will publish general feedback on complaints and satisfaction levels for our services in our One Stop Shops and on our website.

We will use a number of ways to consult with customers including personal and postal surveys and use our Citizens’ Panel.

Our services will be designed around customer needs, not our needs, e.g. if you need to report a death, we will not pass you around various departments.