EIP Customer Focus Network
The group aims to:
- Work together to raise standards of customer-facing performance in local government based on the experience of what has been achieved to date;
- Build an evidence base for the business case for modernised ways of working through sharing experience and information between each other;
- Develop methods of measuring performance which reflect the needs of customers (including both individuals and businesses) and communities;
- Consider and develop a rational approach to aggregation of resources which can be sensitive to local and regional pressures;
- Plan and develop robust and sustainable ways to support 'following authorities.'
Why has it taken so long to get Customer Focus on the agenda?
This question formed the basis of a workshop session at the first full meeting of the Customer Focus Network. The meeting was attended by senior customer services managers, members of senior managmeent teams and chief executives from the sponsoring authorities. The group concluded that the reasons included:
- Low customer expectations.
- Customer Service boxed in services with insufficient corporate focus
- Mixed messages from ODPM – move forward yet bring everybody to the same level
- Too much concentration on BVPI 157.
- CCT encouraged too much inward looking. Best Value good in principle but the procedure discouraged innovation.
- Professional jealousy protecting status quo and silo-based mentality.
- Lack of clear definition of Customer Focus as against Customer Service.
- Customer/citizen focus was pioneered in 1981 in Walsall. It can now be realised because the technology is there to do it cost-effectively.
- Political organisational structures rather than community needs – "We know better".
- Because the relationship with our customers has been that of a governor and his prisoners.
- Because in the past we thought we were the only service provider for all our customers and they had no choice! Complacency.