Building Control hit the mark (25/10/06)
Charter Mark is the national standard of customer service excellence and its holders have to demonstrate that they offer choice to their customers and that a wide range of needs are catered for.
Building Control Manager, Gary Worth said: "The team have been working extremely hard to deliver the best possible service to our customers. I am delighted that this has been recognised with this achievement.
As part of the rigorous assessment, the team had to provide written evidence and were interviewed by an independent assessor. Customers and key partners were also interviewed.
The assessor’s report highlighted that:
- customers have a clear idea what to expect and know who to contact;
- communication from the team, both in hard copy and on the website, is well balanced;
- the customer panel is used well for consultation and feedback is positive;
- analysis on consultation is good and followed up in a timely fashion;
- there is a good rate of customer feedback; and
- customers know that officers will respond promptly at all times.
The team cannot afford to sit back and take things easy. Charter Mark is about continuous improvement and must be ongoing. Gary Worth said: "Charter Mark is not just about winning a trophy but achieving a change in culture. We will be working hard to put in place systems and procedures to ensure our service continues to surpass customer expectation."
Charter Mark is valid for three years and the team will have to undertake an annual review to make sure improvements are being made.
The council’s first Charter Mark was awarded to the Environmental Health Service in 2005.
For more information contact the communications team on 01582 474014
