Our Vision:
Connected - Sustainable - Creative
Customer Service
Charter
Customer Service Charter
Page 2
Table of Contents
Introduction Page 3
Customer service vision and mission Page 3
Our customer service promise Page 4
Service standards you can expect Page 4
Customer service standards Page 4
Customer service requests Page 6
Internal customer service Page 6
Helping us to help you Page 8
Our expectations of the customer Page 8
Handling difficult situations or abusive customers Page 8
Complaints Page 9
Customer satisfaction counts Page 10
Methods of measurement Page 10
Reporting Page 11
Contact us Page 12
Appendix A – best practice telephone standards Page 13
Appendix B – customer service survey Page 15
Customer Service Charter
Page 3
Our Vision:
Connected - Sustainable - Creative
Introduction
Bellingen Shire Council is committed to providing high levels of customer service. To
emphasise this commitment, Council has created a Customer Service Charter which
details our service commitment to our customers. This Charter will be regularly
reviewed and adapted to meet the changing needs of our customers.
Our Commitment to Customer Service
At Bellingen Shire Council we are committed to providing efficient, responsive and
friendly service that is value for money for those who live, work or visit the Bellingen
Shire. We will work in partnership with our community to deliver excellent service
through dedication, innovation and continuous improvement.
Our Customer Service Charter outlines our commitment to providing quality services
and gives our customers standards by which our performance can be measured. It
provides staff with clear standards to aim for, making our focus on our customers our
main priority
Customer service vision and mission
Vision:
Bellingen Shire Council is focussed on shaping the future by being connected,
sustainable and creative. Through this vision, Council is committed to the provision of
timely, efficient and consistent quality services provided by experienced, knowledgeable
and helpful officers that meet our customer’s expectations.
Mission:
Our mission is to provide excellent local government services to our community that
contribute towards the achievement of Council’s vision for the Bellingen Shire. We
expect that all staff, whether they are at the counter, working in an office, driving a truck
or mowing a park, to be committed to pursuing excellence in their role and be proud
and responsible representatives of the Council.
Customer Service Charter
Page 4
Our customer service promise
Bellingen Shire Council promises to provide a customer friendly organisation,
committed to providing service excellence to our community. We will project positive
attitudes, a focus on solutions and demonstrate a committed, can do approach.
We will work to understand and respond to the needs of our customers both now and
into the future and provide opportunities for community engagement. We will
continuously improve our service by proactively welcoming suggestions and seeking
feedback from the community and actively measuring and communicating our
performance against these commitments.
Service standards you can expect
Our Customer Service Charter is our firm statement of commitment to our customers.
Service Standards help to define how we will undertake those activities involving
customer relationships, in line with the Community Vision and our Customer Service
Charter.
Service Standards set out what our customer service promise means in practice and
will be consistently applied across all contact points within Council.
Customer service standards
1 In all dealings with customers, staff will....
���� Take personal ownership for customer satisfaction;
���� Treat customers courteously and with respect;
���� Act in a professional and helpful manner;
���� Provide accurate, relevant and timely information;
���� Seek to resolve requests/enquiries at the first point of contact;
Focus on solutions for customers with a 'can do' approach.
Customer Service Charter
Page 5
2 When customers telephone, we will...
���� Answer calls within three (3) rings or as quickly and efficiently as possible;
���� Greet customers politely with a smile in our voice;
���� Deal with the call, redirect the call (endeavouring not to transfer the call more
than once) or take an accurate message as appropriate;
���� Provide customers with an opportunity to leave a voice message when calls
cannot be answered personally;
���� Return phone calls immediately where possible but not exceeding one (1)
business day.
3 When customers visit us, we will...
���� Attend the customer service counter(s) promptly;
���� Acknowledge people if there is a queue and apologise if they have been kept
waiting;
���� Give a courteous welcome and offer assistance;
���� Meet with customers within five (5) minutes of the appointed time (if a prior
appointment has been made), or provide customers with an estimated wait
time should they be seeking a meeting with a staff member that has not been
prearranged;
���� Listen carefully to customer needs by asking pertinent questions, taking
notes and confirming details;
���� Ensure all customer service officers are professionally attired and identified
by name badges and/or personal introduction, and our customer service
areas are clean, tidy and aesthetically pleasing whilst also being functional.
4 When customers write to us, we will...
���� Respond to letters, emails and faxes within the nominated timeframes for the
type of correspondence or within fifteen (15) working days of receipt if no
previously nominated timeframe;
���� If a full reply is not possible initially, forward an acknowledgement which will
indicate when a reply can be expected and the name of the officer to contact
with queries;
���� Deal with all correspondence as promptly as possible and write in clear,
concise language that’s easily understood.
Customer Service Charter
Page 6
Customer Service Requests
Council responds to service requests relating to activities that are the responsibility of
Council such as road maintenance, tree clearance and town maintenance. Service
requests relating to public safety will be dealt with immediately.
All service requests will be investigated within fifteen (15) working days. Actions will be
determined by the priority of the request, Council work schedules and available
resources.
When handling requests for service by telephone, personally, letter or email, we
will....
���� Complete a Customer Request by entering the details into our computerised
Corporate Information System;
���� Where possible relay the allocated request number to the customer to enable
them to follow up on their request if needed;
���� Ensure the request is referred to the appropriate supervisor/department for action;
���� Respond to the customer within fifteen (15) working days after investigative action
has been completed, if the request indicates a response is required;
���� Ensure all requests are processed in accordance within standard time frames and
documented procedures.
Internal customer service
Regardless of where a staff member works in Council, everyone has a customer and
everyone is a customer. Whether the service is provided internally to a direct team
member, another business unit, to councillors or externally to the community, we all
provide a customer service.
As such we recognise and value the importance of all our customers and will endeavour
to deliver excellent service to both our external and internal customers. We
acknowledge that the same principles of quality customer service for our external
customers apply to every member of staff as internal customers and we will train and
monitor staff customer service delivery provided to each other.
Customer Service Charter
Page 7
All employees will work in partnership with each other to fulfil customer service
obligations with the same Service Standards, regardless of whether the customer is a
colleague or external customer. Each has a responsibility to ensure that a positive and
effective internal customer service culture exists.
When staff are announcing telephone calls, the expectation exists that if the individual
staff member is able to answer the telephone at that time, they are able to talk to the
customer and not expect a message to be taken on their behalf by the staff member
announcing the call.
Quality internal customer service should be managed using the following core set of
assumptions:
� Courtesy – can be demonstrated through a helpful and pleasant manner and
listening carefully to requests and clarifying our understanding:
� Respect – valuing the feelings, opinions and views of all staff and respecting
constructive feedback;
� Maturity – demonstrating a mature and professional approach to our work in a
genuine and friendly manner;
� Confidence – doing our job thoroughly and organising our work and systems so
that they, and we, are reliable;
� Accuracy – developed by implementing and adhering to checking and monitoring
processes.
Customer Service Charter
Page 8
Helping us to help you
Our Expectations of the Customer
To help us to meet these commitments, we ask our customers to...
���� Treat Council officers with respect and courtesy;
���� Not answer or conduct conversations on mobile phones whilst dealing with our
staff;
���� Respect the privacy, safety and needs of other customers;
���� Provide accurate and complete details at the time of the initial contact;
���� Telephone to make an appointment for a complex enquiry or if there is a need to
see a specific officer;
���� Telephone the officer nominated in any correspondence sent to the customer and
quote the reference details noted on the letter;
���� Provide your current contact details and advise us if they change;
���� Work with us to solve problems;
���� Provide us with feedback so we know how we are performing and where
necessary, can continue to improve our service.
Handling Difficult Situations or Abusive Customers
Abusive behaviour is displayed when customers shout, display bullying behaviour, use
abusive or obscene language or make threats to Council personnel.
���� Staff are not expected to tolerate abusive behaviour;
���� Communication may be terminated immediately by staff if abusive behaviour
occurs. If face to face, the officer may walk away. If by telephone, the officer may
terminate the call. If by email, the address may be blocked or not responded to;
���� The Deputy General Manager may decide to limit or cease responses to any
person who is abusive and/or derogative in his/her communication with Council or
who fails to accept that Council has done all that it can to assist. A decision of this
nature will be communicated in writing to the person;
���� If an officer feels threatened by the language or behaviour of the customer, the
Police may be notified.
Customer Service Charter
Page 9
Complaints
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction with a decision, level or quality of
service, or behaviour of an employee or agent which can be investigated and acted
upon. Bellingen Shire Council acknowledges the individual's right to make a complaint if
it is considered Council has been remiss in its service provision or actions.
What is not a complaint?
���� A request for service (unless there was no response to a first request for service);
���� A request for information or an explanation of a policy or procedure;
���� Disagreement with a policy of Council;
���� An expression concerning the general direction and performance of Council or its
Councillors;
���� Reports of damaged or faulty infrastructure;
���� Reports about neighbours, noise, dogs, nuisances, unauthorised building works or
similar issues that fall into the regulatory aspect of our service.
Many of the issues mentioned above are called “complaints” when a customer contacts
us. They are called complaints because a customer is unhappy about a situation and
wants something done. The actions we take to resolve many “complaints” are often an
everyday part of the services we provide and will be dealt with apart from the formal
complaints management process.
A complaint lodged in person, by telephone, letter or email may be responded to in the
same format. Irrespective of the manner in which the complaint was received, a
response to the complaint can be expected within ten (10) working days. There are
times when it is not possible to meet this timeframe eg where a complaint is a complex
one requiring investigation, however we will keep the customer informed of progress via
an interim update.
Council is confident that it can resolve the majority of complaints received, however we
understand that we may not be able to satisfy every customer on every occasion. If a
complaint remains unresolved or a customer is dissatisfied with our process in dealing
with a complaint, other avenues remain for the customer to explore which may include
referral to the most appropriate external complaints handling body.
Customer Service Charter
Page 10
Customer satisfaction counts
Service Standard Performance Management and Reporting
Bellingen Shire Council is committed to managing its business in a transparent manner.
Council will develop realistic service performance measurements and report our
progress to the community. As we strive to deliver better customer service we
encourage you to provide feedback.
Council has a Customer & Business Support team in place specifically employed to
deliver a range of customer service functions. In addition, there is an expectation that
all staff across the organisation will demonstrate the common set of Service Standards
outlined in this document when dealing with our customers.
Methods of Measurement
It is important that our customer service delivery and initiatives are regularly and
appropriately monitored and assessed. This allows us to know at any given time,
where we are performing well, what needs attention and any patterns or trends which
may need to be addressed.
Customer satisfaction will be the most appropriate measure of compliance with our
Service Standards. The following tools will be used from time to time to gauge the level
of customer satisfaction:
���� Call backs - random customers may be telephoned and asked a series of
questions relative to recent contact with Council;
���� Focus groups - where Council needs information concerning a particular service;
���� Customer Service Surveys – available from Council’s website or in hardcopy from
Council’s Customer Service counters;
���� Mystery Shopping - whereby our service is assessed for efficiency and quality.
Customer Service Charter
Page 11
Reporting
A range of significant performance indicators relating to customer service and service
delivery will be used within Council. These will be regularly monitored and reported to
gauge our level of performance and to assess opportunities for improvement.
Results of Council’s performance measures will be reported to Councillors and the
community on an annual basis via appropriate communication mediums. The reporting
format will include the Service Standards already in place, how performance has been
measured, whether standards have been achieved and the next steps in the customer
service improvement process. Where Service Standards have not been met, we will
identify how it is intended to meet those standards in the future. Reporting will include
the results of all customer surveys and the level of customer compliments/complaints
received.
Future Development
Council is committed to implementing information and corporate systems to track
customer requests and provide the ability to measure customer service standards.
Provision will be made in Council’s Operational Plan for this to occur on a continual
basis.
The Customer Service Charter and the Service Standards contained in this document
will be reviewed at least every two (2) years. Performance management targets will be
reviewed and developed in accordance with the implementation of appropriate systems.
Customer Service Charter
Page 12
Contact us
If you would like to suggest ways in which we can serve you better, you can:
� Contact our Customer Service Team on 02 6655 7300;
� Email [email protected];
� Complete a Customer Service Survey Form available from our Customer Service
Centre or from the web site www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au; or
� Write to the:
General Manager
Bellingen Shire Council
PO Box 117
BELLINGEN NSW 2454
Customer Service Charter
Page 13
Appendix A – best practice telephone standards
1. Telephone Operation
� Make sure you are familiar with the telephone system i.e. how to put
customers on hold, transfer them etc;
� Always have pen and paper ready to record the callers details/messages;
� When absent from your work area for a long period of time, arrange to have
your calls answered by team members, voicemail etc;
� Never transfer a call more than once. Get the callers details and ask the
appropriate person/department to return their call.
2. Answering Calls
� Answer within 3 rings, don't let the phone ring out - our customers are our
priority over any other activity;
� Use a friendly tone with a smile in your voice - your voice is the first
impression the caller has of Council (make it a positive one);
� Welcome the caller by using a standard greeting:
"Bellingen Shire Council, <Department>, this is <Name>"
� Request the caller’s name and the nature of their enquiry so you have this
information to hand to announce the call when transferring it. Ask the caller:
"May I ask who's calling?"
"So I can best transfer your call Mr/Mrs Customer may I ask what it's in
regards to?"
� Always put the caller on hold prior to transferring calls or while you are getting
back to the caller with information. Advise the caller that's what you are going
to do:
"I'll just place you on hold while I transfer the call / find that information for
you."
� Announce the call to the recipient and give them the details you have
obtained from the caller to alleviate the need for the customer to repeat
themselves;
� Thank the caller for waiting if you have them placed on hold and then return
to the call:
Customer Service Charter
Page 14
"Thanks for waiting Mr/Mrs Customer. So and So is not available at the moment / all the lines in the rates department are busy at present, would you
like me to take a message and I’ll have them return your call? Or I can put
you through to their voicemail if you prefer?"
� Action the call as requested by the customer (i.e. take a message and pass
on or put them through to voicemail).
3. Listening
� Use the caller’s name throughout your conversation;
� Concentrate on what the caller is saying;
� Don't make assumptions or interrupt unnecessarily;
� Act in a professional manner and be courteous, respectful and polite;
� Focus on finding solutions for the customer;
� Have a "can do" attitude.
4. Take Action
� Provide customers with relevant and necessary information or make
arrangements for the enquiries to be addressed;
� Deal with enquiries directly in the first instance (if able to) without
unnecessary referrals or transfers – you take the call, so you own the call;
� If unsure of who to refer the caller to, assure the caller that you will locate the
most appropriate department and have them return their call - then find out
who to pass the message on to;
� Don't transfer the call inappropriately or in haste - our customers deserve to
be valued and their needs met;
� Do what you say you will - deliver on your promises to meet customers' and
Council's expectations.
5. Thank and Farewell
� Farewell the customer:
"Thanks for calling, goodbye."
Customer Service Charter
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Appendix B – customer service survey Dear Customer Our goal is to provide our customers with the best service possible. Please take a few minutes to complete the following customer service questionnaire. Your comments will enable us to see how we’re doing overall and find out how we can improve.
Customer Service Survey
Date and Type of Enquiry (please specify):
Excellent
Good
Average
Fair
Poor
Staff were available in a timely manner
Staff smiled, greeted you and offered to help you
If kept waiting, staff acknowledged you and apologised for keeping you waiting
Staff answered your questions/enquiry
Staff showed knowledge of Council services and procedures
Staff farewelled you pleasantly
Staff were friendly, cheerful and courteous throughout
If your enquiry was referred to another staff member, please indicate the level of service the new staff member provided as per the above service indicators
If contact was by telephone -
Call was answered within 3 rings
Call was transferred only once
Call was directed to the appropriate department
Reason for your call was satisfied
Overall, how would you rate our customer service (face to face or by telephone)?
Comments: What did you like best about our customer service?
How could we improve our customer service?
Is there a staff member you would like to commend? Why?
Thank you for taking the time to complete our customer service survey