Building trust in our services
Building trust in our services means ensuring every interaction with us shows consistently high standards, is simple, effortless and inclusive. It means our customers always know what to expect and feel well-informed.
We're continuing to transform our services and the way we work as we want to lead the way amongst housing associations and more widely, for the benefit of current and future generations of customers.
"We want everyone to feel valued and supported, knowing that their needs are being met with care and efficiency. We're here to provide advice if needed and otherwise enable you to get on and live your life in a home and neighbourhood you enjoy and feel safe and secure in."
- Alex Nagle, Customer Service Director
The 3 service areas our customers told us to focus on over the last year were speeding up the completion of repairs to their homes, keeping them informed, and our handling of complaints. We've made excellent progress and have more to do.
In summary:
Making it simpler and easier to interact with us
We're pleased that the new and improved contact methods we put in place in 2023 continue to make a positive impact for customers. Over the last year we've seen 4,542 customers create an online account bringing the total of registered customers to 30,027 - we now have 78% of our customers (who use email) registered.
We introduced new and improved contact methods to make our customer service even better. Customer feedback told us that email was the digital contact channel our customers were most dissatisfied with. So implementing a range of online chat tools that allow for threaded conversations and improved functionality on the online account has helped us ensure that information flows freely and reaches all relevant team members, meaning customer enquiries are dealt with more quickly and effectively. We replaced emails and text messages with more efficient channels:
- A new and improved chatbot
- Messaging through a customer online account
- Live chat with advisers
We fed back to customers through our various customer communication channels about the decision made on contact channels and why. In line with our customer Influence strategy, we will continue to involve customers in the development and improvements of our services, being open and transparent about the decisions we make.
Customers can now access our services 24/7 - they can raise cases, pay rent, find important documents, and access key information about their tenancy anytime, anywhere. It has a seamless, fast and user-friendly interface.
Giving our customers the ability to self-serve on our digital channels has had a positive effect on call wait times reducing to an average of 9.45 minutes over the last year. It also means our teams can focus on supporting people who have more complex needs and circumstances in person or by phone.
The most significant measure of success is how our customers are feeling about the service we provide. We're pleased that our approach and ways of working have resulted in customer satisfaction continuing to rise with this year's score being 8.9/10, reinforcing our commitment to delivering a superior customer experience through innovative, customer-centric solutions.
And there's more to come this year as customers will be able to report, schedule and track repairs appointments to their home and communal areas, raise grounds and estates enquiries, and give notice on their tenancy.
Customer contact via digital: the last year at a glance
total registered customers
total logins to the online account
customers set up a direct debit
repairs raised online
notifications viewed
knowledge articles viewed
messages between customers and VIVID
online account chats (sessions)
corporate website chats (sessions)
WhatsApp conversations
Understanding our customers and tailoring our approach
During the year we used data and insight from our customers to gain a greater understanding of their needs and capabilities to help shape our services, communications and ensure what we offer and deliver is inclusive and accessible to all. This research identified common themes and possible solutions to factors affecting customers' daily lives so we can take these into account. These themes were around things like health and wellbeing factors, digital skills and access, and capability in a non-digital world. We take all these factors into account when designing our services and communicating with customers by tailoring the way we interact with them and how we present information to suit different needs and capabilities.
Transparency and inclusiveness of information and communication
Transparency and inclusiveness in communication are vital for building trust and fostering collaboration.
All housing associations are required to collect information from customers on how satisfied they are with their landlord. These 12 perception measures, along with 10 management information measures, make up the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) that were introduced last year and fall under 5 themes: repairs, building safety, engagement, complaints handling and neighbourhood management. You can see our annual performance results on our How we're performing page.
We also measure our performance against our service standards through transactional surveys sent to customers following key interactions with us, whether it be a repair or contact with our customer experience team. We use this feedback, alongside the TSM surveys and complaints, to help us make improvements to our service. We're open and honest about our performance against these measures so our customers can hold us to account. Our progress is scrutinised by our Customer Service Committee, made up of customers, staff and Board members, and a review of our performance is published on our website every quarter.
As part of being transparent about all aspects of our operations, we maintain a clear approach to complaints and more about our complaints performance is on the annual complaints handling tab of this microsite. We also publish our policies online and we're continually working with customers to make sure they're clear and fit for purpose.
VIVID Plus
VIVID Plus, our charitable arm, is dedicated to helping our customers and communities thrive. We provide tailored tenancy support and back community initiatives that foster local pride. This includes improving personal safety, supporting youth activities, and tackling health issues like food and fuel poverty. This year our work spanned 86 community partners and projects.
From the moment someone moves into one of our homes, they can access ongoing support if needed to help them stay on track.
We also fund activities that create places where people feel proud to live. We empower communities to take action on issues that matter to them, making a positive difference in their surroundings.
Our approach addresses immediate needs and promotes long-term community pride and sustainability. We work closely with our customers and partners to use our joint expertise effectively. We invest in areas that need it most, ensuring our efforts add value and make a positive impact.
We value the diversity of our customers and communities, aiming to create inclusive environments where everyone feels valued, heard, and supported. Here are some examples from the past year.
Ensuring accessibility to services and information
Feeling and being included is so important, everyone should be considered. Providing British Sign Language (BSL) services for our customers can make a huge difference. We offer a live sign language service through SignVideo for customers who use British Sign Language. This allows our customers to communicate with us whether that's in person or online.
With BSL interpreters, customers can easily understand their rights, responsibilities, and the services available to them. This means they can fully participate in meetings, appointments, and even handle emergencies with confidence. BSL services also help customers with important tasks like applying for housing, reporting issues, and accessing support.
Walk and talk for wellbeing
Being able to stay independent and self-sufficient in your home is something that we all strive to hold onto. Our over 55s accommodation provides our customers with the freedom and confidence to live independently, knowing that they and their home are secure.
Feeling part of your community, taking the time to get to know people and ensure you don’t feel lonely or isolated, is important. We launched a new ‘Walk and talk’ session at one of our sheltered living blocks.
This initiative has so many benefits for our older customers, walking and socialising helps keep you active, reduce loneliness and you feel a boost in your mental well-being. Starting with a step and a hello it’s created friendships and a sense of belonging, and the groups are growing and becoming more popular.
Turning young lives around
We’ve supported various community initiatives, including the Fighting Chance Foundation. This foundation works with young people who are at risk, helping them turn their lives around through engagement and support programmes. They hold structured martial arts training and engagement sessions to break the cycle of abuse and poverty, tackle knife crime and intervene in a wide range of social crisis points.
It’s about removing the barriers that hold people back and starts with feeling better. That first step can help young people thrive, and create safer, more supportive communities.
Making customers' money go further
It’s been over a year since we launched the Housing Perks app for our customers, to help save money on everyday expenses. The app offers discounts of up to 20% at over 100 supermarkets, high street shops and online, helping save money on groceries, fuel, clothing and more.
When the chance to save money on everyday costs is free, it's an opportunity our customers have embraced. 5,024 people have signed up, saving £29,373 to date. At a time when the cost of living is still a worry, these savings can add up significantly over time.
In the last 12 months customers spent £593,000 and saved over £25,400.
Howard Road and Matapan Road engagement day
It was mentioned that more presence was wanted from us in the Howard Road and Matapan Road area of Portsmouth so that local issues could be addressed in person. Responding to that, we organised a community engagement day in the neighbourhood, attended by various teams, where we knocked on every door to give as many customers as possible the opportunity to voice their views and raise anything they wanted to discuss.
Our operatives completed repairs as they were reported during the event. And for those needing advice, our Money, Advice, and Benefits team was present to answer questions with individual customers.
To address worries with anti-social behaviour, we joined up with the police and local community wardens to provide Ring doorbells to anyone who wanted them in the area. And to help with the difficulty of getting rid of unwanted items, especially larger ones, we brought two skips and clearance trucks to the day to clear gardens and communal areas.
It was a great success. One by one people came out into their gardens to have a chat, and find out more. Our goal is to ensure that we're visible, accessible, and above all approachable to our communities addressing their questions and concerns effectively and promptly.
