One in a Million
Bassetlaw District Council receives over a million types of interactions each year. We are constantly looking at ways to improve customer service. We believe that if we improve the quality of service and access to information without driving up overall costs, it will lead to improved customer satisfaction.
We have made improvements to our website for customers to be able to self-serve using our online forms.
Stepping back from these key areas, it is getting the basics right that matters most to customers and that means setting out customer standards. The Council’s Cabinet approved our Customer Standards, many of which we can monitor and ensure progress is being made.
Our standards developed under our Customer First programme are set out below. They define the service customers can expect from us because to us, customers are one in a million.
Our Customer Standards
When you visit
- Council offices for customer face to face enquiries will be open from 9.00am to 5.00pm weekdays. You can visit us in person at either 17B The Square, Retford DN22 6DB or Queen’s Buildings, Potter Street, Worksop S80 2AH. (Please note: Screens will remain in place and customers will be asked to wear face masks and reminded to use the hand sanitiser provided.)
- We will clearly display our opening times and out-of-hours customer access information for emergencies.
- Our two One Stop Shops will provide modern customer facilities, including ease of access, comfort features including WC, clear signage and respect for your privacy.
- All customers will have access to services, regardless of language, disability, gender, religion, age or learning.
- 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.
- We will provide a free phone service at our One Stop Shops for Housing repairs and to contact other Council Departments.
- Our One Stop Shop staff aim to see you about your enquiry within three 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.
- We will not accept abusive, violent behaviour or harassment towards our staff or other customers.
- Customer comments such as feedback, compliments, grumbles and complaints will be recorded and acted upon.
When you telephone
- Council offices for customer enquiries will be open from 9:00am to 5:00pm weekdays. We have an emergency service on (01909) 534999, Emergency repairs line on 0800 590542 and a 24-hour payment line on 0161 621 2990.
- The Voice Recognition System answers 100% of all calls to the switchboard and we aim to answer 90% of all direct dial calls within 10 seconds.
- All callers will be treated in a courteous and helpful manner and you will not be kept waiting by push button automated options systems.
- If we cannot resolve your telephone enquiry there and then, we will arrange for a call back within two hours or first thing the next working day.
When you write by letter or email
- We set out clearly our contact details on all forms of communications we send.
- When you write to us, we will acknowledge your letter within five days and issue a full reply within 15 working days.
- All our replies, by letter and e mail will be/have/include:
- In plain English
- Clear explanation and full answer given
- Courteous
- Professional
- Properly laid out
- Properly addressed including your name
- Name of a contact officer and their job title and department
- Telephone contact details of sender
- You may email enquiries to customer.services@bassetlaw.gov.uk and we will ensure the reply has the same elements as for letters:
- Not in “text speak”
- Replied to within five working days
Keeping you informed and listening to you
- We will operate a complaints and feedback approach, which will make it easy for you to make a complaint or service suggestion/compliment in many ways, including in person, by letter or telephone, by e-mail to a single point or by using the online forms on our website.
- We acknowledge complaints etc. within five days and respond within 15 working days.
- If you are not satisfied with a complaint investigation and reply, you can take it to another stage involving review by the Council’s Chief Executive.
- We will use a number of ways to consult with customers to improve services, including exit and postal surveys and use of Citizens’ Panels.
- Our services will be designed around customer needs, not our needs. We will not pass you around various departments and aim to resolve face-to-face enquiries at the first point of contact.
- We will update our website regularly.
- If you need any help communicating with us or understanding any of our documents, please contact 01909 533 533.
Last Updated on Thursday, April 11, 2024