Agenda item

To receive the Customer Strategy for 2025 – 2030.

Councillor Z Hannington, the Cabinet Member: Finance, Governance and Customer Services presented for approval by Cabinet, the new Customer Strategy 2025 to 2030, which built on the success of the 2021 to 2025 strategy, which culminated in Telford and Wrekin Council becoming the first local authority in the UK to receive the Institute of Customer Services’ ServiceMark accreditation in April 2025, that recognised excellence in customer service.

It was reported that the new strategy set out a bold and inclusive vision for the next five years, which reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to putting residents at the heart of everything it did and getting the basics right while embracing the transformative potential of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) in meeting the diverse needs of all of the borough’s residents.

The strategy also outlined how the Council would continue to deliver excellent, accessible, and responsive customer services across digital, telephony, and face-to-face channels to ensure that all residents were able to access Council Services. The Strategy also expanded the Council’s customer focus to include local businesses, tourists, and users of commercial services, which recognised their vital role in the Borough’s vibrancy and resilience.

Councillor Hannington said that the Administration took great pride in this achievement, which reflected a shared dedication to innovation, continuous improvement and genuine care for the borough’s community.  She added that the progress made was testament to the hard work and forward-thinking spirit of everyone involved, which set a strong foundation for the future.

Councillor Hannington set out some of the accomplishments from the previous strategy, which included:

• 68% increase in positive customer feedback since 2021.
• A UK customer satisfaction index score of 74, well above the national average for Councils, which was 64.4.
• Successful implementation of the Ask Tom digital assistant, which had exceeded expectations by handling 30% of customer enquiries by providing access to an automated telephony system 24/7.
• Development of a pool of mystery volunteers who had played a pivotal role in testing the customer experience and helped to develop action improvement plans.
• Early adoption of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code, which achieved new, reduced complaint response timescales.
• 33% reduction in calls to call centres due to increased digital engagement.

Councillor Hannington said that the new Strategy was focussed on enhancing access to Council services for all residents and actively responding to customer feedback.  She said that this commitment to continual improvement and adaptability was vital in this ever-changing world.

Councillor Hannington said the Strategy emphasised making services accessible to everyone and delivering these across multi-channels, listening closely to customer feedback, supporting workforce development and building strong partnerships.  She said that these priorities helped guarantee that services were not only excellent but also inclusive and adaptable to the needs of all residents.  She said that, above all, the strategy was anchored in ensuring communications and service delivery through a variety of channels and residents were being offered a variety of ways to connect from traditional phone lines and face-to-face services to innovative, digital platforms and automated assistance.

Councillor Hannington  said that the Council would ensure that every individual, regardless of circumstance or preference, could access the support they needed.  She said this approach not only enhanced accountability in inclusion but also enabled more efficient handling of enquiries and allowing resources to be directed where they were needed most.

Councillor Hannington said the integration of digital tools alongside established channels would empower residents to engage on their own terms, fostering trust and transparency.  She said that as the Council continued to adapt and evolve, multi-channel service delivery would remain essential in meeting the diverse needs of the borough and driving improvements in customer service.

Councillor Hannington expressed her thanks to officers for all their dedication and hard work, which had been instrumental in developing and delivering this strategy.  She said their commitment to innovation, accessibility and service excellence had and would make a meaningful difference to the borough’s residents and the wider community.

Members spoke on embracing the use of AI but not to lose sight of the requirement still to provide face-to-face contact for service users where there was such a need.

Whilst it was acknowledged there was still work to do, Members highlighted the high level of satisfaction amongst front facing service users (90%) and recognised that as technology advanced the Council’s service delivery would improve further.

RESOLVED that:

(a)  In noting the progress delivered to date, the update to the Customer Strategy be approved and the refreshed action plan be endorsed.

(b)  The Council’s commitment to providing multi-channel access to services, with the continuation of telephone and face-to-face services where appropriate, alongside the development of digital contact channels, be confirmed.

(c)  Authority be delegated to the Director of Housing, Commercial and Customer Services, in consultation with the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance and Customer Services, to take the necessary steps to implement these recommendations and to agree on future updates to the action plan, with an interim progress report to Cabinet in early 2028.