“Count Me In” ! Mobilising Customers Kevin Scarlett 12th June 2013 ,

Session Brief Intro slide Text Using the Salix Homes experience: Drivers for Customer led Scrutiny Maximising Customer Involvement What does Scrutiny Look Like ‘So What’ Intro slide Text Second level text

Drivers at Salix Homes Business Plan: Vision: ‘customer at the heart of everything we do’ customer focused strategic outcomes i.e. to provide an excellent customer experience Leadership: Board, senior team Culture: customer focus, performance driven, importance of customer feedback Regulation: new ideas, co-regulation

Key Driver… Customers wanted a different kind of customer involvement: We value TARA’s but lets get more, new people involved Makes a difference to services Can answer the ‘so what’ test That gives customers more responsibility

Pathway to Success

Generating interest Lots of cynicism! Challenge to Tenants and Resident Associations? Customer led ‘Count Me In’ Working Group Board member involvement TARA’s involved Supported by TPAS ‘Count Me In’ campaign and ‘Getting to Know You’ Campaigns Festivals / Carnivals – involvement can be fun!

Generating interest New ways of getting involved developed: Salix 600 and ‘Arm Chair’ Critics Communications Panel Leaseholder Forum / Neighbourhood Forums B&ME Forum (World Food) / Older Persons Forum (History Book) / Youth Senate / LGTB Forum (Pink Picnic) ‘Walkabout’ programme Customer Inspectors

Generating interest Customer Panels: Complaints Panel People / Place / Property SIP’s, service standards, policies Complaints Panel customers now consider stage 3 complaints! Decisions made by a Customer Panel comprising 3 x customers from another local RSL! Ombudsman very supportive!

Customer Led Scrutiny The Salix Homes Senate: Establish something that would give customers sufficient ‘clout’ with the Board Be able to set a challenge to the Board Be able to tell the Board that through proper research and scrutiny services had to improve – and tell them how services could improve!

Senate Details 12 members / be representative / appointed by other customers Cannot be a Board Member Terms of Reference and Code of Conduct Training / involvement of TPAS as a critical friend Reporting directly to the Board

Scrutiny in Practice Senate decides what services it wants to look at / average 3 service reviews a year Acts like a parliamentary committee Calls officers / partners (such as the council) / service providers (such as contractors)… to give evidence and answer questions Senate members then agree what improvements need to be made based on evidence Prioritises the improvements that can be made Looks at what is reasonable Makes its recommendations directly to the Board

Board Commitment Commits to examining the recommendations / senior team must respond Response considered by Committee Feeds back to the Board Recommendations incorporated into service improvement plans Committee monitors delivery of the recommendations

Scrutiny Reports Produced by customers Confirms the evidence Interviews Site visits Customer feedback Best practice visits and performance information Has a set of recommendations / an action plan

‘So What’? Customers have set service standards Has led to improved performance / upper quartile performance for range of services: Repairs Customer Contact Centre Complaints Increased customer satisfaction / 72% to 88% Efficiencies in excess of £250k

Performance Role The Senate now acts as the Performance Committee for the Board Officers report to the Senate Senate considers actions for improved performance Senate reports to the Board!

Has led to… Customers Making a difference Learning new skills Increase employment potential Meet new friends See improvements put into place Holding their landlord to account !!

Has led to… Landlord Commitment to their customers Fresh pair of eyes from someone who receives services Customer satisfaction Value for Money Empowering local communities Quality assurance Makes Sense!

Sustaining Involvement Know your customers Find out their interests Track engagement Use your intelligence effectively Make it fun! Promote outcomes

Any Questions? Intro slide Text Second level text