Nottingham City Council is continuing to make progress in transforming the customer experience.

In 2005 a customer services transformation strategy was launched to improve the way in which customers access the Council and how their needs are met. The strategy identified the establishment of a customer contact centre as a core element to radically improve the customer’s experience at the first point of contact, ensuring a streamlined approach and quicker resolution to enquiries about council services.

The transformation of the payments and benefits offices on Burton Street was completed in March 2007, providing a modern, open plan, secure and welcoming one-stop-shop for several of the council’s key services including payment services, free school meals and uniform assistance, Council Tax and housing and council tax benefits. The building is also home to Infopoint – providing specialist service and contact information for all Nottingham City Council services.

A wide range of customer facilities are also available at the Centre, including:

• FREE internet access for council services
• FREE telephone service for council services
• Private meeting rooms
• New toilets
• Waiting areas

The location and facilities available make the Centre an ideal venue to host other services; these include Wednesday afternoon appointment sessions for adult care with professional staff on hand to offer advice and support and drop in sessions on Monday mornings with St Anns Advice centre for anyone requiring debt advice.

Opening hours for the customer contact centre and switchboard were extended in February 2008 to improve access to services. Customers making enquiries about housing benefit, council tax and pupil benefits can now visit the contact centre between 8.15am and 5.30pm and make phone enquiries from 8.15am to 5.50pm.

Lisa Black, Head of Customer Contact said: "Since the project was launched in 2005 we’ve made steady progress; new telephone and customer contact technology has been introduced and extended opening hours is another key milestone in the customer transformation agenda. We hope this will take the organisation forward in helping us to meet the needs of our customers better and improve customer satisfaction levels."

Councillor Eunice Campbell, Portfolio Holder for Customer Services, Consultation and Area Working welcomes the extended opening hours and said: "It allows our staff to be able to meet the needs of our customers and provides better access to our services.

She added: "The Centre has been designed around the customer with many new facilities, including disabled access and a range of frontline services which can be reached at a single point of
contact."”