We are committed to delivering excellence in customer services at all times. To do this we want work closely with you to ensure that you are able to influence and shape our services and we offer as many means as possible to encourage resident involvement.

We work to identify, understand and take into account the particular needs of groups and individuals and seek to ensure all our customers have easy access to our services.

In order to achieve and maintain excellent customer service we have developed a series of service standards which have been agreed by our customers and staff and are approved by our Board. We will monitor them quarterly with our customers and publish our performance against them in our annual report


The BCHA Objectives

We have four main objectives:

           ·    To put tenants at the heart of our business

         ·    To deliever high quality services based around needs

         ·    To want Beechdale neighbourhood to be a place where people want to
                  work and live

         ·      To pursue value for money and seek to improve and incorporate value 
                 for money principles in all our activities              


Customer Care Standards

 We will:

·         aim to deal with your enquiry at the first contact in our office or over the phone  or by email

·         treat you in a polite and courteous manner at all times

·         give you our full attention and behave in a helpful and professional manner at all times

·         respect your privacy and confidentiality and handle all data in accordance with our data protection guidelines

·         communicate in plain language, providing a translation and interpretation service when required

·         clearly explain any technical terms or jargon

·         provide and publicise our out of hours emergency service phone number

·         provide information in other formats (e.g. large print or audio) if you request this

·         make sure a hearing loop and sign language is available

·         welcome and value diversity, promoting equality of opportunity for all users of our service



When you visit us:

 We will:

·         greet you in a courteous and welcoming manner

·         ensure all our staff wear visible identification

·         ensure that a member of staff sees you within a maximum of ten minutes of arrival

·         deal with your enquiry immediately if possible. If not an appointment will be made for you

·         try to see you immediately if you arrive early for an appointment and the member of staff is available

·         contact customers with appointments when staff are unexpectedly absent  to make arrangements to meet an alternative member of staff or rearrange the appointment

·         respect your rights to privacy, offering private interview rooms if you want to discuss anything confidential

·         help you fill in forms relating to housing wherever possible

·         provide leaflets on our services which are available in other formats such as large print

·        provide a reception area which is safe and clean with adequate seating provision and is accessible to all customers

·         adhere to and display our opening hours at our office and on our website

·         provide a website that is up to date, relevant and interactive where possible


When you phone us:

We will:

·         ensure that your calls are answered quickly and efficiently

·         greet you in a polite and pleasant way

·         give our company name and our own name

·         give you our direct dial numbers

·        call you back within one working day if we are not able to deal with your query immediately 
 
·        take a message if the person you ask to speak to is unavailable or put your call through   to  their phone message service (voice mail) for you to leave a message 

·         check and respond to voice mail regularly throughout the day

·         update our voice mail messages when we are away for one working day or more, which includes details of when we will return  and whom to contact if you need to speak to someone urgently

When you write to us (including by letter, e-mail, text message or fax):
 
We will:

·         send you a written acknowledgement or message within 2 working days

·         let you know who is dealing with your letter,  email, text message or fax and when you may expect a reply

·    send you a full response within 10 working days. Where this is not possible we will keep you fully informed and agree a revised timescale with you as appropriate.

·         give you the direct email address and telephone number of the person dealing with your query

·         have an out-of-office automatic reply on e-mails when we are out of the office for one working day or more, which includes details of another contact number

·    confirm in writing something you tell us verbally if we feel it appropriate or if you want us to


When we visit you:

 We will:

·         make an appointment to come and see you at a time that suits both of us

·         keep to the appointment time. If we have your telephone number and we are unavoidably detained we will call you before the appointment time

·         wear name badges and show our identification when you answer the door

·         treat you and your home with care and consideration

·         ensure our contractors show identification and clean up any mess that they make.

·         leave a calling card if you are out providing a name and contact details

·        ensure that we visit you at reasonable times, during the working day. If it is necessary to visit you out of normal office hours we will arrange a suitable time with you prior to the visit 

·         let you know when staff are absent or unexpectedly absent and make arrangements to meet an alternative member of staff or rearrange the visit


Equal Opportunities and Diversity

We are committed to welcoming and valuing diversity, promoting equality of opportunity and good community relations, and tackling discrimination in everything we do.

We know that individuals can suffer discrimination on the basis of their gender, race nationality, ethnic or national origin, religious, cultural or political beliefs, disability (physical, mental or learning), marital or civil partnership status, social background, family circumstance, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, spent criminal convictions, age or for any other reason

We will use the influence we have to challenge and seek to eliminate inequality and disadvantage, and to create communities where people live well together because diversity is valued and respected.

We will:

·         be fair in all our dealings with you and will not discriminate for any reason

·         work to identify, understand and take into account your particular needs

·         oppose and challenge all forms of discrimination in our services to you

·         challenge all forms of discrimination wherever we may see it in our community and the wider area


Resident Involvement

We want to work closely with you to ensure that you are able to influence and shape the services we provide and the future direction of BCHA.

We will offer as many means as possible to encourage resident involvement.

We will:

·        have clear systems for providing information, ensuring consultation and offering opportunities for you to be involved in the housing management and community based issues  that affect quality of life in Beechdale 

·         provide a wide range of involvement methods that are accessible, creative and effective

·         ensure that all of you who wish to be involved have the opportunity to do so

·         tell you about the outcome of tenant consultation and how we have used the information


What we expect from you:

·    be polite to our staff and contractors or anyone representing BCHA

·         attend appointments that you have made with us

·         let us know in advance if you are unable to attend

·         allow us to visit you in your home when required at a mutually convenient time

·         be at home when you have either requested a home visit or have a repair appointment or any other kind of appointment

·         give us all relevant information that we need to help you

·    adhere to the non-smoking legislation at our office and when we visit you in your home

·         be considerate to your neighbours

·         tell us when we do not meet expectations and give us your views and suggestions


Monitoring and Maintaining Customer Care Standards:

We measure our performance against these standards by the use of customer surveys/informal feedback and mystery shopping exercises undertaken by trained tenant auditors. This information is used to assess the success of our services. It will also identify any problem areas so that we can take action to improve our service to you.

We have a customer feedback procedure to ensure your comments and suggestions are recorded and a complaints procedure to ensure that complaints are dealt with efficiently and effectively. We will keep you informed of the outcomes of customer feedback and throughout the complaints procedure.