Southwark Council is aiming to significantly improve customer satisfaction with council services by 2030.

The council's Environment, Community Safety and Engagement Scrutiny Commission heard that the Customer Experience Plan (CEP) 2025-2030 aims to increase residents' satisfaction with their interactions with the council by at least one third. The plan also targets an increase in the proportion of residents satisfied with their local area as a place to live to at least three quarters, and a 30% reduction in complaints and member enquiries.

Currently, two thirds of residents who took part in council research are satisfied with their local area as a place to live. The council intends to measure the success of the plan by conducting further research to understand the views of customers engaging in council services and how they have changed. This research will be conducted 18 months after the launch of the Customer Experience Plan, and then every subsequent year until 2030.

The CEP was developed following a review of the previous Customer Access Strategy (2020–2024) and shaped by feedback from residents, businesses, and staff. The review found that while universal services are generally well-received, non-universal services often require repeated contact, with concerns around responsiveness, especially for high-stakes issues like housing. Councillor Stephanie Cryan, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Democracy & Finance, said residents want clarity on what will happen next and when when requesting a service. She added that younger people prefer online tracking, older people prefer phone contact without being passed around, and those with complex requests want more face-to-face services.

The Customer Experience Plan will be driven by four key pillars:

  • Transforming Customer Experience
  • Enhanced Digital Experience
  • Responsive Customer Experience
  • Supporting our Vulnerable Residents

Specific initiatives under each pillar include:

  • Transforming Customer Experience: Customer Journey Reviews into key service areas, development of a new customer standards-based training package for front-facing staff.
  • Enhanced Digital Experience: Process mapping digital engagement, identifying opportunities for improvement, reviewing how technology could improve access to services and internal processes.
  • Responsive Customer Experience: Developing more readily available information about council services, producing new directories of services, working with services to deliver a consistent aftercare process.
  • Supporting Vulnerable Residents: Reviewing and piloting the face-to-face offer across key services, exploring options for a hub-based approach to face-to-face services, building on Cost of Living and Neighbourhood Touchdown events.

The council will review current training packages, looking to develop a new customer standards-based package for all front-facing staff. The plan will also ensure that information and communications are tailored to individual needs, and by further training staff to effectively support individuals with diverse requirements. Where appropriate, staff will be empowered to make reasonable adjustments, with particular focus on creating an environment where customers feel valued, respected, and supported.

The progress on the delivery of the action plan will be monitored by the already established Customer Experience Plan Project Board, chaired by the Director of Customer & Exchequer Services. The Customer Experience Plan and CEP Action Plan will be going to Cabinet in September 2025.

The Public reports pack for the meeting contains more information.