County contact centre scoops excellence award

Staff celebrating with the award West Sussex County Council’s contact centre has scooped a prestigious award for the way in which it deals with its customers.

Awarded by The Cabinet Office, the Customer Service Excellence award ensures public services are efficient and effective. It replaces the old Charter Mark.

To qualify, the council had to demonstrate that through its contact centre, it puts customers first by understanding their needs. It also had to prove that the county council satisfies its customers with high levels of customer satisfaction, information and access, delivery of services, timelines and quality of service.

In February, an assessor visited the contact centre at Durban Road in Bognor Regis. He spent the day evaluating the service in line with the set criteria, and complimented management and staff on the ‘very high standards’ being met.

In his final report, the assessor said: “West Sussex County Council contact centre was found to have a deep understanding and a commitment to customer service excellence. This was found from senior management through to operational and front-line staff.”

Lionel Barnard, Deputy Leader of West Sussex County Council said: “It is a real accolade for the County Council, and for our partners, that Central Government has recognised the effective and efficient way that our customers’ needs are being met through our contact centre.”

Operated on behalf of the County Council by Liberata, a business-outsourcing organisation, the contact centre is the first point of contact for telephone enquiries about council services. It handles over 800,000 calls a year and sends out approximately 24,000 pieces of literature.

Carla March, Operations Manager, said: ‘Gaining this award is a real endorsement of the excellent working relationship we have with Liberata and our other partners, such as Adur District Council and Sussex Police.’

The assessor will return in a year’s time to do a ‘health check’ to ensure that standards are being maintained.

West Sussex County Council’s contact centre has been operating since October 2004. It is open between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays.

25 Mar 2009

Filed under Call Centre News