Program 7Customer Focus-
AnnualPlan and
Budget
2015-16
Including Forward Estimates
2016-17 to 2018-19
Presented and submitted to the Council on
Wednesday, 17 June 2015 by the Right
Honourable the Lord Mayor of Brisbane
(Councillor Graham Quirk)
CustomerFocus
Program Goal
Councilwillbeacustomerfocusedorganisationthatis"DedicatedtoCustomers:Everyone.Everywhere. Every time".
ProgramDescription
As an enabling program, Customer Focus contributes to the achievement of Brisbane Vision. The outcomes and services in this program enable and support Council to deliver services across all customer service channels.
Growth in South East Queensland combined with rapidly changing technologies and increasing service standards have put pressures on Council to continue to deliver services in a cost effective way whilst remaining customer focused.
The Customer Focus program is aligned to the Brisbane Vision goal of a smart and prosperous city and Council's Customer Focus Vision 2016. The Vision recognises the need to provide responsive, accessible and convenient customer service. As a result, customers' perspectives are considered in strategy design and implementation, and in product and service development and delivery.
The program's objective is to support the development of the organisation’s values that are:
•Getting things done: taking responsibility, resolving requests promptly and delivering on our promises
•Value for money: delivering the right mix of customer service products and services
•Passion for Brisbane: employees in every role and at every level of the organisation are energised and proud to serve customers
•Respect for People: valuing customers equally and taking individual circumstances and preferences into account
•Responsive customer service: being transparent to drive improved services and stronger customer confidence
•Working together: one Council working together to provide seamless service to our customers
•Courage to make a difference: recognising customers have strong voices and are key partners in the planning and decision making of the work we do.
The program will continue to monitor and better understand customer satisfaction and actively address customer dissatisfaction by identifying persistent service problems and helping work units to address these.
The program has corporate responsibility for:
•achieving our customerfocus vision
•setting customer service standards
•commitments made in the Customer Charter
•managing and providing guidance to the organisation on how to best meet customers' needs via Council's contact channels
•guiding community engagement.
Program OutcomesandFinancialSummary
Program Outcomes / Anticipated / Proposed / Anticipated / Proposed / Anticipated / Proposed2014-15 / 2015-16 / 2014-15 / 2015-16 / 2014-15 / 2015-16
$000 / $000 / $000 / $000 / $000 / $000
Expense / Revenue / Capital
7.1 - Engagement / 722 / 748 / - / - / - / -
7.2 - Service Delivery / 27,985 / 32,623 / 903 / 518 / 3,218 / 1,412
7.3 - A Council Easy To Do Business With / 1,338 / 1,307 / - / - / - / -
30,045 / 34,678 / 903 / 518 / 3,218 / 1,412
2016-17
$000 / 2017-18
$000 / 2018-19
$000
RecurrentOperationsContracts / 583 / 589 / 607
Outcome 7.1 Engagement
Outcomedescription
Council will engage with its customers to better understand their needs. Council recognises the importance of engaging with both customers and the community to understand who they are, what they want and how they value Council's products and services.
Wherewearenow
Council regularly engages with the community to understand its needs. Through this program, Brisbane residents have access to opportunities to be informed, consulted and engaged on future directions for the city. Both targeted and general information is provided through a range of channels.
Council provides various consultation opportunities for residents through Council's corporate website, digital mediums such as Facebook and Twitter, the Your City Your Say community reference panel and project-specific engagement. Through the Council website, consultation opportunities are provided via discussion forums, open surveys, blogs and short videos.
Council has adopted a Community Engagement Policy that commits the organisation to meaningful engagement with the community on issues affecting the future of the city and on local issues that significantly impact the community.
Wherewewanttobe
Engaging the community and customers will be an integral part of how Council does business. We will be a customer Council where all areas recognise that our customers are key partners in the planning, decision making and work we do.
Information collected through community consultation and research will inform program planning, strategy development, product and service development and customer service delivery across the organisation.
Brisbane residents will be informed, consulted and actively involved in issues facing the city. Council will provide more targeted information and community engagement opportunities for residents. More residents will choose to take up the range of opportunities provided by Council for them to be informed and to participate in setting directions for Brisbane's future. Council will provide clear and timely feedback to participants and the community on how their input influences its decision making.
Engaging with the community will help them understand resource limits, the tough decisions that may need to be made and the mutual obligations of Council and the community. Customer research will provide an understanding of customers' needs in the design and delivery of projects, products and services. The program will assess both satisfaction with and the importance placed on services. This will assist Council to understand what is most critical to its customers across all segments.
Strategy7.1.1 ListenandUnderstand
Maximise opportunities and choices for people to interact with Council, be informed about issues and engage in directions for the city.
Service7.1.1.1Engagement inCityDirectionsandDecisions
The objective of this service is to provide residents with opportunities for engagement on issues affecting the city. To achieve this we will provide opportunities through Neighbourhood Planning and other projects regarding decisions that impact our customers. We will undertake engagement through online and face-to-face forums as well as other activities to target groups.
Residents will be engaged with Council and the direction of the city through Neighbourhood Planning, public meetings, Your City Your Say and Your Say Online initiatives, discrete projects that impact on community or where community input will add value to the outcome of the project. These provide opportunities for individuals and groups to have their say.
The key activities under this service include:
•supporting Neighbourhood Planning with community engagement expertise
•supporting engagement on the application of the Brisbane City Plan 2014, Brisbane Vision, other Council plans and strategies and major projects
•coordinating organisational direction and strategy for community engagement
•designing and developing additional initiatives and methods for obtaining and understanding community and customer perspectives
•maintaining and enhancing Council's corporate engagement policy and guidelines.
Ongoing training will continue to provide Council with staff skilled in community engagement planning and practices.
Operating / Anticipated / Proposed2014-15 / 2015-16
$000 / $000
Expense / 722 / 748
Revenue / - / -
Outcome 7.2 Service Delivery
Outcomedescription
Provide multiple access points to Council to meet customer requirements and manage these contact points for the benefit of business and resident customers and Council.
Wherewearenow
Council currently provides multiple contact channels for customers with the primary contact being through mail, face-to-face, telephone and online, and an increasing number of customers contacting Council through social media. The phone and online channels provide a 24/7 service. Council offers a wide range of payment options, including through third-party providers. Customers report that Council responds well to their needs.
The Contact Centre combines the operations of the Call Centre, the Regional Business Centre counters (as well as the Brisbane Square Customer Service Centre), property record searches and certificates, the correspondence team which manages mail, email and social media enquiries, and the Business Hotline team.
Our research tells us that customers are increasingly using self-service options and online engagement channels. Online use is increasing as customers become more familiar with this channel and as the range of transactions and available information grows. Council provides a range of tailored online information packages through customer and product gateways on the corporate website and offers the immediacy of engaging with Council on several social media platforms. Council will continue to engage with residents in places and methods of convenience to them.
Customer research continues to show that the telephone is still a preferred method of contacting Council and identifies the increasing complexity of enquiries by telephone. Online usage research has been completed to understand how Council's residential and business customers want to interact online with Council. This will be used to help inform and shape Council's online service offerings.
The Business Hotline, 133 BNE, provides Brisbane businesses with a 24/7 priority hotline as part of Council’s Call Centre to receive and manage all business-related enquiries to minimise response time and ensure high-level client management to Council's business customers. This includes queries relating to filming and events that showcase Brisbane as an ideal place to visit and do business.
Wherewewanttobe
As the external face of Council, the Contact Centre will continue to provide world class service. The recently completed implementation of the Customer Experience Transformation program capability will see the Contact Centre continue to be recognised as a leader in customer service excellence.
Customers will find it easy and convenient to do business with Council. The organisation will deliver the right products and services, to the right customers, through the most appropriate channels. To do this, Council will involve customers in product development, packaging and review wherever possible.
Products and services provided to customers will be consistent, reliable and accurate across all channels, and will be provided in a cost-effective way that balances the needs of customers and the city. We will also maximize the benefits from this solution to improve customer service delivery consistently across channels.
Where appropriate, Council will partner with other spheres of government, South East Queensland councils and industry advocates to identify and implement initiatives to provide greater customer convenience.
Strategy7.2.1 DevelopandDeliver
Optimise the design, development and delivery of services to customers through multiple channels.
Service7.2.1.1CustomerServiceDelivery
The objective of this service is to support the Contact Centre, which includes the Call Centre, Regional Business Centre counters (as well as Brisbane Square Customer Service Centre), searches and certificates, the correspondence team which manages mail, email and social media enquiries; and the Business Hotline team.
To achieve this we will provide the systems, people, processes and technology to support a world-class 24/7 call centre that meets the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. This will also support external customer correspondence, the reportingof problems using SMS and MMS, as well as after-hours emergency calls from other local authorities and utilities. The Contact Centre will also respond to customer contact initiated via social media.
Regional Business Centre counters (as well as the Brisbane Square Customer Service Centre) will continue to provide a broad range of face-to-face transactions and services for businesses and residents. Council will continue to provide a range of ways for customers to pay their Council bills including self-service options and through external agencies such as Australia Post. This service will uphold the service delivery promises made in Brisbane's Customer Charter. The Contact Centre will continue to offer residents the opportunity to make enquiries and provide feedback.
The Business Hotline, 133 BNE, provides Brisbane businesses with a 24/7 priority hotline as part of Council's Call Centre to receive and manage all business-related enquiries to minimise response time and ensure high-level client management to Brisbane business.
Operating / Anticipated / Proposed2014-15 / 2015-16
$000 / $000
Expense / 21,320 / 24,168
Revenue / 903 / 518
Projects / 2015-16 / 2016-17 / 2017-18 / 2018-19
$000 / $000 / $000 / $000
Business Hotline / Capital / - / - / - / -
Expense / 1,413 / 1,426 / 1,459 / 1,499
Revenue / - / - / - / -
Contact Centre Telephony Upgrade / Capital / - / - / - / -
Expense / 1,334 / - / - / -
Revenue / - / - / - / -
Service7.2.1.2CustomerServiceSolutions
OPTIMISE, acustomer relationship management (CRM) system will provide more information about Council's customer segments and will provide the basis for further understanding the products or services that could be developed to address customers' needs.
The Customer Integration Project is a people, process and technology program which delivers OPTIMISE Light to Council work units. This extends the use of the CRM out from the Contact Centre to Council work units. OPTIMISE Light provides one view of the customer and case management in Council, providing end to end approach to the operation of the Council’s customer service. Using OPTIMISE Light, work units are also better able to manage workflow and report on their customer cases.
The objective of this service is to maintain and develop cost effective solutions for the delivery of Council products and services delivered to customers.
To achieve this, we will continue to manage growth in customer contacts to provide a cost effective service whilst offering choice in communication channels and providing consistent, timely and easy-to-understand information across all channels.
The volume of email traffic continues to rise. The program will continue to respond to customer demand and increase the number of online transactions that can be actioned through the corporate website and online channels. Provision of simple information and service requests via the internet is more cost effective for customer service.
This service will continue to work across Council to deliver customer focused and innovative online solutions to help programs meet their customer and community needs. This service will continue to scrutinise the information, products and services Council offers through its channels to ensure customer needs are reflected, and it will continue to make recommendations for improvements where required.
Operating / Anticipated / Proposed2014-15 / 2015-16
$000 / $000
Expense / 5,249 / 5,708
Revenue / - / -
Projects / 2015-16 / 2016-17 / 2017-18 / 2018-19
$000 / $000 / $000 / $000
Customer Integration Project / Capital / 1,412 / 1,968 / - / -
Expense / - / - / - / -
Revenue / - / - / - / -
Outcome 7.3 ACouncilEasy ToDoBusiness With
Outcomedescription
To achieve our Customer Focus Vision by developing across Council customer focused processes and a customer focus culture aligned to customer needs and expectations.
Wherewearenow
This program helps build a customer focused culture across Council to support the achievement of the Brisbane Vision and the Customer Focus Vision.
Council works towards a clearer understanding of product and service delivery requirements by identifying key customer groups, evaluating the needs of these customers and balancing those needs with Council's own business requirements and capabilities.
As an outcome of this customer consultation, the program develops strategies, guidelines, tools and methodologies to support the organisation. These include learning and development workshops, which build customer focus capability within the organisation.
The program also provides specialist support to other areas of Council to:
•assist their understanding of customers
•address sources of customer dissatisfaction
•tailor services to achieve a balance between customer needs and best value for Council
•empower staff to proactively manage customer expectations
•manage the complexity of our organisation and streamline the underlying processes.
The Brisbane Customer Charter documents Council's commitments, values and service standards and communicates clearly what customers can expect from Council.
Wherewewanttobe
Our Customer Focus Vision for the organisation is to be "Dedicated to Customers: Everyone. Everywhere. Every time". There will be no wrong door to Council. As One Council, all employees will understand that their role is to resolve the issue or refer the customer to someone who can. We will have strong partnerships, communication and coordination within and between divisions and business units to provide better outcomes for customers.
Strategy7.3.1 UnderstandandImprove
Develop customer focused processes and a customer focus culture within the organisation aligned to customer needs and expectations.
Service7.3.1.1UnderstandCustomers
The objective of this service is to better understand customer needs, preferences and expectations, including drivers of satisfaction and dissatisfaction. We will be a Council that values customers equally and takes individual circumstances and preferences into account. Our customer research will inform planning, design and delivery of services.
Key activities of this service include:
•undertaking corporate customer research to measure customer satisfaction with service provision and channels and other indicators of program performance
•analysing results to recommend priorities for improvement
•using results to inform other work within the program
•undertaking research to support specific customer focus improvement initiatives
•collecting and analysing data to determine customer service trends
•measuring performance to ensure service delivery targets are met
•reporting results to the organisation.
Key initiatives include undertaking targeted research across channels and services to expand our understanding of customer experience, expectations and needs.
The program will continue to work to develop partnerships to identify, research and address issues impacting customer satisfaction.
Operating / Anticipated / Proposed2014-15 / 2015-16
$000 / $000
Expense / 262 / 166
Revenue / - / -
Service7.3.1.2CustomerFocusCulture
The objective of this service is to provide assistance to the organisation to be a Council dedicated to serving customers. Employees in every role and at every level of the organisation are energised and proud to serve customers.
To achieve this, we will promote proactive customer focused behaviours and build capability within Council. This service:
•will educate and provide tools and methodologies to all of Council to develop a customer focus culture
•will work with areas of Council to develop strategies that balance Council needs with those of our customers
•works to review services offered by work units to streamline processes to provide seamless service to our customers