Mystery Customers

Hello,

I hope you are well and having a good week so far.

I want to start by thanking you for your continued participation and valuable feedback. Each report you submit helps us better understand the customer journey and identify opportunities to raise our standards.

Your observations over the past few months have not only highlighted what we’re doing well but have also guided meaningful changes behind the scenes. We’re pleased to share that several improvements have already been rolled out as a direct result of your insights.

We're also excited to share that our community has now grown to over 110 Mystery Customers. Your contributions are making a real difference. Thank you for being an essential part of this process!

Here is the feedback provided between the 1st of January and the 31st of March:

Our mystery shoppers continue to provide valuable insights into the customer experience, and recent feedback highlights both strengths and areas for improvement in our call handling process.

Several shoppers noted that the contact number was easy to locate and that calls were answered within a reasonable time. Staff were generally described as courteous, friendly, and professional. In many cases, operatives provided clear, jargon-free information and identified themselves with their full name and job title, which contributed to a positive first impression.

However, some shoppers reported mixed experiences. In one instance, while the staff member was polite and attempted to resolve the issue without transferring the call, they did not fully understand the query and were unable to provide a complete resolution. Poor listening and a lack of ownership were also noted.

One shopper described having to call three separate times about a repair. Despite a prior visit, the issue remained unresolved, and during the third call, they were informed that no job report existed. This led to a high level of frustration and dissatisfaction with the overall experience.

These insights help us identify where things are going well and where further training and process improvements are needed. Thank you to all our mystery shoppers for continuing to support service excellence.

Prize draw winner:

This is the fourth time that we have run our prize draw that takes place every three months. We would like to congratulate Dawn who is the winner of our fourth prize draw, and we will contact you directly to arrange your prize. If you’d like to be in with a chance of winning next time, you’ll find all the details on how to enter at the end of this newsletter.

Spotlight on repairs:

Over the past few months, your feedback as Mystery Customers has played a key role in helping us address repair-related issues across several of our properties. Thanks to your detailed observations, we've been able to respond more effectively and make real improvements creating cleaner, safer, and more comfortable living spaces for everyone.

Your involvement truly makes a difference. If you spot anything in your home or shared areas that needs attention, from minor repairs to larger concerns, please report it to us as soon as possible. Prompt reporting allows us to take swift action and prevent issues from becoming bigger problems.

Remember, by taking part in the Mystery Customer scheme, you're not only helping us raise standards across our services, you're also automatically entered into our quarterly prize draw. It's our way of saying thank you for your time and valuable insights.

We're grateful for your continued support in making the community a better place to live.

Our Next Steps:

We'd like to thank all of our Mystery Customers for continuing to share honest and thoughtful feedback. Your input isn't just being heard, it's actively shaping the way we work.

We're pleased to report that several areas you flagged for improvement have already been addressed, and progress continues on others. Each piece of feedback helps us identify what's working and where we need to do better.

As always, your feedback forms the foundation of our improvement plans, and we remain committed to turning your insights into action. We'll be sharing more updates in the next newsletter, so you can see how your contributions are helping to raise standards across our services.

Thank you for being such a vital part of this journey. Together, we're making meaningful change happen!

Training:

We have been collaborating with TPAS, national experts in tenant engagement and we have been exploring the opportunity of offering a Mystery Shopping training session. This would be a great chance to build your skills, learn more about how Mystery Shopping works, and get even more out of your involvement.

If this sounds like something you'd like to take part in, simply vote in the poll on the Mystery Customers platform. To move forward with planning, we'll need fifteen participants to make the session cost-effective so if you're interested, please let us know!

We look forward to hearing from you and hope to bring this opportunity to life with your support.

Focus Group:

If you're eager to dive deeper and provide more in-depth feedback, we'd love to invite you to participate in one of our focus groups. These sessions offer a unique chance to discuss specific topics such as repairs, our website, MyDacorum, or other services in a collaborative setting where your ideas can directly influence improvements.

Interested? Simply head to the feedback section on the Mystery Customers platform and let us know you'd like to join. Feel free to suggest which topic you're most passionate about exploring.

Your voice matters, and focus groups are a powerful way to help shape the future of our services.

Tips for completing the Mystery Customers Questionnaire:

Did you know that every time you interact with us, you have a chance to win in our prize draw? It's simple: just complete the Mystery Customers Questionnaire after any contact, and each completed form boosts your chances of winning. Getting involved couldn't be easier:

• Every Contact Counts: Whether you call, visit our website, attend events, send an email or letter, or reach out on social media, every interaction is an opportunity to share your feedback.
• More Chances to Win: The more you engage, the more questionnaires you can complete and the higher your chances in the prize draw!
• Feedback Across Our Services: You might connect with us for a variety of reasons, including:
  • Reporting anti-social behavior or safety concerns
  • Housing applications, rent queries, or tenancy issues
  • Requesting repairs, adaptations, or updates on planned works
  • Participating in housing events, focus groups, or training
  • Using MyDacorum or supported housing services
  • Providing feedback or resolving complaints

Your experiences and opinions help us fine-tune our services to better meet the needs of everyone in our community. By telling us what's working and what could be improved, you're helping to create a better, more responsive Dacorum.

Ready to Get Started? Click here to head over to the Mystery Customers platform where you can:

• Fill out the questionnaire
• Check key dates and FAQs
• Share your ideas and ask questions

We truly appreciate the time and effort you put into sharing your feedback. Every questionnaire you complete not only enters you into our prize draw but also plays a crucial part in improving the services you depend on.

Keep sharing, keep winning, and thank you for being a valued Mystery Customer!

Kind Regards,

Dacorum Borough Council

Hello,

I hope you are well and having a good week so far.

We are very happy to share that your feedback is already making a meaningful impact. Thanks to your insights, we’ve implemented some improvements and would like to continue enhancing the customer experience. The majority of your feedback has been positive, and we’re grateful for this as this lets us know what’s working well.

We have also carefully reviewed your suggestions for improvement and have been actively addressing those areas to make our services better. Your participation is driving some valuable changes, and we deeply appreciate your support. Thank you for helping us grow!

Here is the feedback provided between the 1st of October and the 31st of December:

Face-to-Face Customer Experience:

• The staff member greeted me warmly and made me feel welcomed.

• I felt safe, and their ID badge was clearly visible.

• The staff member introduced themselves with their name and job title.

• They were well-presented, courteous, and friendly.

• Information was communicated clearly and without jargon.

• The staff member didn’t fully understand my enquiry and couldn’t provide a complete answer.

• They lacked attentiveness and helpfulness.

• Their listening skills could improve.

• They didn’t provide contact details for follow-up assistance.

• Ownership of the issue wasn’t taken, and updates on ongoing problems were not provided.

• Follow-up actions, such as checking drains for the source of the pest control problem, weren’t carried out as discussed. As a result, I had to hire my own pest control service due to the urgency of my situation.

• Several individuals expressed dissatisfaction with their experience.

Telephone Customer Experience:

• The contact number for repairs was easy to find.

• Many callers felt the phone was answered within a reasonable timeframe.

• Most found the staff on the phone to be courteous and friendly.

• Some reported that the operative demonstrated professionalism, knowledge, and good listening skills.

• Operatives often took ownership of the issue and provided solutions directly.

• I was able to have a productive conversation with the operative.

• Some callers felt the wait time was too long before their call was answered.

• Opinions were divided on whether information was provided clearly and jargon-free.

• The staff member didn’t always provide their job title or fully understand the enquiry.

• Some operatives transferred calls instead of solving the problem directly.

• Callbacks to explain how the issue would be resolved were often not provided.

• Some felt frustrated by a lack of follow-up or information on the repair status.

• There were instances where callers didn’t receive the information they sought.

• Several individuals expressed dissatisfaction with their overall experience.

Prize draw winner:

This is the third time that we have run our prize draw that takes place every three months. We would like to congratulate Diane who is the winner of our third prize draw, and we will contact you directly to arrange your prize. We have included more information about how you can enter the prize draw at the end of this newsletter.

Spotlight on Pest Control:

Over the past few months, thanks to the valuable insights from our Mystery Customers, we’ve been able to tackle Pest Control concerns across some of our properties. Addressing these issues ensures a cleaner and more comfortable environment for everyone.

Your role is crucial in helping us maintain pest-free spaces. If you notice any signs of pests in your home or shared areas, don’t hesitate to let us know. Quick reporting allows us to act swiftly and effectively. Our officers can treat ants (inside only), bedbugs, cockroaches, fleas, flies, mice, rats, squirrels, wasps and hornets.

As a reminder, participating in the Mystery Customers scheme not only helps us improve but also enters you into our quarterly prize draw - a win-win for all!

We appreciate your continued support in making our community a safer and healthier place to live.

Our Next Steps:

We’re happy to hear that lots of your feedback so far has been positive, and we are committed to continuing doing the things that you have told us are working well. Your insights are key to helping us maintain and improve our services.

Thanks to your feedback, we have identified a few areas for improvement, and they have all been added to the improvement plan.

We will keep you updated on the progress that we make toward these improvements. You will receive an update on these actions in the next newsletter. In the last newsletter, there were four improvements and we can confirm that all four improvements have now been made. Thank you again for helping us to serve you better!

Training:

We are currently working with TPAS, experts in tenant engagement. They offer a Mystery Shopping training session, and we'd like to organise one for anyone interested. If you’d like to join, please complete the poll on the Mystery Customers platform. If we get enough interest, we will arrange a session. We need fifteen people so that the training session is cost-effective.

Focus Group:

For those who want to offer more detailed feedback, we would be happy to invite you to join a focus group. This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts and directly shape our improvement efforts. Focus groups explore a specific theme, and this could be repairs, the website, MyDacorum or another service that we provide. If you would be interested in this, let us know through the feedback section on the Mystery Customers platform, and tell us what theme you would be interested in discussing.

Tips for completing the Mystery Customers Questionnaire:

Did you know you could win a prize every time you interact with Dacorum Borough Council? Completing the Mystery Customers Questionnaire is quick and easy and each completed questionnaire increases your chances in our prize draw!

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Any Interaction Counts: Whether you contact us via phone, visit our website, meet face-to-face, or connect through email, post, or social media, every interaction is an opportunity to provide feedback.
• Multiple Entries: You can complete the questionnaire as often as you interact with us. Each submission is an additional chance to win!
• Wide Range of Services:Here are some examples of services you might use or reasons to reach out:
  • Reporting anti-social behavior or community safety concerns
  • Submitting a housing application or inquiries about rent and tenancy
  • Requesting repairs, adaptations, or updates on planned works
  • Attending housing events, focus groups, or training sessions
  • Accessing MyDacorum or supported housing services
  • Resolving complaints or providing feedback on any aspect of our service

Why Your Feedback Matters

Your insights help us improve and shape the services you rely on. By sharing what works well and where we can do better, you’re directly contributing to a better experience for everyone in our community.

How to Get Started

Visit the Mystery Customers platform to:

• Access the questionnaire
• Find key dates and FAQs
• Share feedback, ideas, or ask questions

A Big Thank You!

We deeply value your time and input. Every completed questionnaire not only enters you into our prize draw but also plays a vital role in shaping the future of our services.

Make your voice heard - thank you for being one of our valued Mystery Customers!

Kind Regards,

Dacorum Borough Council

Hello,

I hope you are well and having a good week so far.

We are very happy to announce that over 100 of you have already signed up to Mystery Customers, so thank you to everyone who has registered. Your feedback has been very insightful and most of it has been positive, so thank you for letting us know what works so that we can continue doing those things. We have also heard your suggestions for improvement, so we will actively work on those areas to make the experience better for you when using our services. Your participation and feedback is helping us to improve, so we are very grateful for your support!

Here is the feedback provided between the 1st of July and the 30th of September:Prize draw winner:

This is the second time that we have run our prize draw that takes place every three months. We would like to congratulate Keith who is the winner of our second prize draw, and we will contact you directly to arrange your prize. We have included more information about how you can enter the prize draw at the end of this newsletter.

Spotlight on Building Safety:

Thanks to feedback from our Mystery Customers, we have been able to identify and address key repairs to enhance Building Safety over the past few months. We are pleased to say that the reported issues have now been resolved, and we want to thank everyone who helped bring these to our attention.

Your input is very important as it helps to keep our buildings safe. If you spot anything that needs repairing, whether in your home or communal areas, please report it as soon as possible. Don’t forget, by completing the Mystery Customers questionnaire, you’ll also be entered into our quarterly prize draw!

Your reports make a real difference, so thank you again for helping us improve Building Safety for everyone!

Our Next Steps:

We’re happy to hear that most of your feedback so far has been positive, and we are committed to continuing doing the things that you have told us are working well. Your insights are key to helping us maintain and improve our services.

Thanks to your feedback, we have identified a few areas for improvement, which we have added to our improvement plan:

• Ensure staff always introduce themselves with their name and job title at the start of each call.
• Explore the possibility of allowing you to update your email address through MyDacorum.
• Add relevant contact details to the web pages that you visited.
• Investigate delays into communal repairs.

Dacorum Borough Council is overseeing the enhancements to the website and MyDacorum, whilst Cardo is leading the improvements to the repairs service. We will be collaborating closely with them to ensure upgrades are successfully delivered.

We will keep you updated on the progress that we make toward these improvements. You will receive an update on these actions in the next newsletter. Thank you again for helping us to serve you better!

Training:

We are currently working with TPAS, experts in tenant engagement. They offer a Mystery Shopping training session, and we'd like to organise one for anyone interested. If you’d like to join, please complete the poll on the Mystery Customers platform. If we get enough interest, we will arrange a session.

Focus Group:

For those who want to offer more detailed feedback, we would be happy to invite you to join a focus group. This is a great opportunity to share your thoughts and directly shape our improvement efforts. Focus groups explore a specific theme, and this could be repairs, the website, MyDacorum or another service that we provide. If you would be interested in this, let us know through the feedback section on the Mystery Customers platform, and tell us what theme you would be interested in discussing.

Tips for completing the Mystery Customers Questionnaire:

Did you know that every time you use our services, you have a chance to win a prize? You can complete the Mystery Customers questionnaire anytime you interact with Dacorum Borough Council or use one of our services. Whether it's through a phone call, website visit, face-to-face meeting, post, social media, or email, every interaction counts.

The Mystery Customers questionnaire can be completed as many times as you like, and each completed questionnaire earns you another entry into our prize draw. Here are some of the reasons that you may need to contact us, interact with us or use one of our services:

• Anti-social behaviour & Community Safety
• Building Safety
• Cleaning
• Complaints
• Dacorum Online Training
• Homelessness Prevention
• Housing Applications
• Leaseholder Services
• Planned Works & Adaptations
• Rent
• Repairs
• Supported Housing
• Temporary Accommodation
• Tenancy Sustainment & Welfare
• Using MyDacorum
• Visiting a Housing event (e.g. Committees, Focus Groups, Forums, Open Days, Scrutiny Boot Camps)
• Your Tenancy

If you do interact with us, contact us or use one of our services, then please complete the Mystery Customers questionnaire so we can enter you into the prize draw. Your feedback is crucial to improving our services, and it is a simple way to help us understand what we are doing right, and where we can do better.

You can find more information, key dates, FAQs and the questionnaire on our Mystery Customers platform. You can also use the platform to ask questions, give feedback and share ideas.

Thank you for all of your feedback so far and being one of our valued Mystery Customers.

Kind Regards,

Dacorum Borough Council

Hello,

I hope you are well and having a good week so far.

We recently started our new initiative called Mystery Customers and we would like to thank you for signing up. So far, all of the feedback that we have received is positive, so thank you for letting us know what works so that we can continue doing those things. Your participation and feedback has been incredibly valuable to us.

Here is the feedback that we have received so far:

• The layout of the website is attractive and professional.
• The information on the website is displayed clearly, correctly and all of the links were working.
• The information on the website is jargon-free, written in Plain English and easy to understand.
• The website is user-friendly, easy to use and navigate.
• Contact details were easy to find on the website, in case further help is needed.
• It is easy to find a full and comprehensive answer to a query using the website.
• Information can be found quickly and easily on the website.
• There have been no problems using the website, and it is easy to report issues.

Prize draw winner:

Each time you complete the Mystery Customers questionnaire, you will automatically be entered into our prize draw that takes place every three months. We would like to congratulate Darren who is the winner of our first prize draw, and we will contact you directly to arrange your prize.

Spotlight on Rubbish Clearance:

So far through the Mystery Customers scheme, we have been able to identify areas where there are problems with rubbish being dumped, litter and fly-tipping in communal areas. These issues that have been reported by our Mystery Customers should now be resolved, so thank you to those of you who have brought this to our attention. Your reports have helped us take swift action, so a big thank you to everyone who contributed!

Next Steps:

As all of the feedback that we have received so far has been positive, there is nothing for us to add to the action plan on this occasion. We will make sure that we continue to do the things that you have told us work well. Your insights are crucial in helping us maintain and improve our services.

Looking ahead, we may host focus groups for those interested in providing more detailed feedback in person. This will be a great opportunity to dive deeper into your thoughts and ideas, directly influencing our action plan and helping us to serve you better.

Additionally, we also work with TPAS, who are experts in tenant engagement. They offer a Mystery Shopping training session, and we are considering organising a session for anyone who is keen to participate.

Stay tuned for more details, and thank you for being an essential part of our community!

Tips for completing the Mystery Customers Questionnaire:

Remember, you can complete the Mystery Customers questionnaire anytime you interact with Dacorum Borough Council or use one of our services. Whether it's through a phone call, website visit, face-to-face meeting, post, social media, or email, every interaction counts.

The Mystery Customers questionnaire can be completed as many times as you like, and each completed questionnaire earns you another entry into our prize draw. Here are some of the reasons that you may need to contact us, interact with us or use one of our services:

• Anti-social behaviour & Community Safety
• Building Safety
• Cleaning
• Complaints
• Dacorum Online Training
• Homelessness Prevention
• Housing Applications
• Leaseholder Services
• Planned Works & Adaptations
• Rent
• Repairs
• Supported Housing
• Temporary Accommodation
• Tenancy Sustainment & Welfare
• Visiting a Housing event (e.g. Committees, Focus Groups, Forums, Open Days, Scrutiny Boot Camps)
• Your Tenancy

If you do interact with us, contact us or use one of our services, then please complete the Mystery Customers questionnaire so we can enter you into the prize draw. Your feedback is important to us, and your opinion matters.

You can find more information and the questionnaire on our Mystery Customers platform. You can also use the platform to ask questions, give feedback and share ideas.

Thank you for all of your feedback so far and becoming one of our Mystery Customers.

Kind Regards,

Dacorum Borough Council