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

2. 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
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3. 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

4. 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

5. Pathway to Success

6. 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!

7. 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

8. 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!

9. 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!

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. ‘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

15. 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!

16. 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 !!

17. 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!

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

19. Any Questions? Intro slide Text
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