Mystery Customers Newsletter 3

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