Managing the customerManaging the customer

Fred BowenFred Bowen

Employer ConsultantEmployer Consultant

Workshop aims and objectivesWorkshop aims and objectives

Identify the customersIdentify the customers Meet their different expectationsMeet their different expectations Deliver an effective and reliable serviceDeliver an effective and reliable service To work effectively with partners To work effectively with partners Provide a quality serviceProvide a quality service Strive for continual improvementStrive for continual improvement

The customersThe customers

Who are the customers?Who are the customers?– EmployersEmployers– Clients, families and carersClients, families and carers– Funding agencies: local, national, EuropeanFunding agencies: local, national, European– EmployeesEmployees– Partner agenciesPartner agencies– Others?Others?

The employer experienceThe employer experience

Previous experiencesPrevious experiences Understanding differenceUnderstanding difference Public/privatePublic/private Organisation sizeOrganisation size SectorsSectors Staff structuresStaff structures Responding to requestsResponding to requests Going the ‘extra mile’Going the ‘extra mile’ Identify needs/offer support Identify needs/offer support

EmployersEmployers

ProductProduct ServiceService Entering into the mutual agreementEntering into the mutual agreement The business caseThe business case Financial benefitsFinancial benefits

Employer expectationsEmployer expectations

Customer careCustomer care Quality serviceQuality service Respect corporate confidentialityRespect corporate confidentiality Deliver agreement promisesDeliver agreement promises Business benefits Business benefits Long term employeesLong term employees

The client experienceThe client experience

Dignity and respectDignity and respect Involve the customerInvolve the customer Be friendly, approachable and politeBe friendly, approachable and polite Respect privacy and confidentialityRespect privacy and confidentiality Avoid confrontationAvoid confrontation Meeting and understanding the needs of the Meeting and understanding the needs of the

client/disability/medicalclient/disability/medical Financial status/benefits etcFinancial status/benefits etc Respond quickly and efficientlyRespond quickly and efficiently

Family/carers expectationsFamily/carers expectations

Concern for their family/clientConcern for their family/client Sometimes too protective/negativeSometimes too protective/negative Gain their confidenceGain their confidence Protecting financial benefitsProtecting financial benefits Encouraging their supportEncouraging their support Involve them in the processInvolve them in the process

Funders experienceFunders experience

Value for moneyValue for money Maintaining dataMaintaining data Providing accurate reports and dataProviding accurate reports and data Meeting deadlinesMeeting deadlines Achieving outcomesAchieving outcomes Conducting project evaluationConducting project evaluation Encouraging/protecting future funding Encouraging/protecting future funding

opportunitiesopportunities Customer return Customer return

InterdependencyInterdependency The integrated supply chainThe integrated supply chain PartnershipPartnership Joint responsibilitiesJoint responsibilities Individual responsibilitiesIndividual responsibilities Awareness of partners targetsAwareness of partners targets Solutions to problemsSolutions to problems Shared goals and common targetsShared goals and common targets Conflict with targets-compromiseConflict with targets-compromise

Partners Partners multi agency workingmulti agency working

Jobcentre PlusJobcentre Plus Connexions/careers serviceConnexions/careers service FE CollegesFE Colleges Training providersTraining providers Learning and Skills CouncilLearning and Skills Council OthersOthers

Managing riskManaging risk

Service delivery – what if ?Service delivery – what if ? Poor employee participationPoor employee participation Provider reliabilityProvider reliability False promisesFalse promises Maintaining reputationsMaintaining reputations Future funding Future funding

Managing risk cont.Managing risk cont.

Hide the connecting wiresHide the connecting wires Seamless serviceSeamless service Service level agreementsService level agreements ResponsivenessResponsiveness CommunicationCommunication Trust and understandingTrust and understanding Regular partner meetingsRegular partner meetings Sharing dataSharing data

Service Level AgreementsService Level Agreements

ProposalProposal BackgroundBackground Additional workload – admin etc.Additional workload – admin etc. Financial implicationsFinancial implications Legal implicationsLegal implications Partnership agreementsPartnership agreements Development plansDevelopment plans ReviewsReviews

Responding to problemsResponding to problems

Effective communicationEffective communication Rapid responseRapid response Acknowledgement of problemsAcknowledgement of problems Corrective actionCorrective action Notification of actionNotification of action Next stepsNext steps Customer feedbackCustomer feedback

Customer Relationship Customer Relationship

Management ‘CRM’Management ‘CRM’

Staff structures and responsibilitiesStaff structures and responsibilities Identify the right personIdentify the right person Friendly approachFriendly approach Body languageBody language Listening skillsListening skills Simple languageSimple language Develop a relationship of trustDevelop a relationship of trust Maintain the relationshipMaintain the relationship

CommunicationCommunication

Personal touchPersonal touch Diary managementDiary management TelephoneTelephone LetterLetter EmailEmail Face to faceFace to face Avoid confrontationAvoid confrontation Complaints and complimentsComplaints and compliments

Staff trainingStaff training

Employee skills requirementEmployee skills requirement Customer careCustomer care Industry knowledgeIndustry knowledge Labour Market Information (LMI)Labour Market Information (LMI) Cultural differenceCultural difference Disability awarenessDisability awareness

Customer surveys and Customer surveys and questionnairesquestionnaires

Encourage feedbackEncourage feedback Corporate/service levelCorporate/service level User friendly processUser friendly process What methods are effectiveWhat methods are effective How accurate are theyHow accurate are they Act on the information you receiveAct on the information you receive You said this… we did this…reportYou said this… we did this…report Involving customers/focus groupsInvolving customers/focus groups Remember…be brave!Remember…be brave!

Case studyCase study

What went well?What went well? What went wrong?What went wrong? How was it dealt with?How was it dealt with? What was the outcome?What was the outcome? What have we learned?What have we learned? What if anything could have been done What if anything could have been done

better?better? Seek testimonialsSeek testimonials

Service ratingsService ratings Kite marks for all! Kite marks for all! IIP, Charter Mark, two ticks symbolIIP, Charter Mark, two ticks symbol Star ratings, where are you? Star ratings, where are you? 1* 2** 3*** 4**** or 5*****1* 2** 3*** 4**** or 5***** Would you make the Michelin guide?Would you make the Michelin guide? Ofsted: satisfactory, good, outstandingOfsted: satisfactory, good, outstanding Poor, average, good, very good, fantastic? Poor, average, good, very good, fantastic?

Or……………Or…………… Maintaining your quality status Maintaining your quality status

Thought for todayThought for today ResponsivenessResponsiveness Treat everyone as a customerTreat everyone as a customer How would you expect to be treated?How would you expect to be treated? The customer is always rightThe customer is always right Where does the buck stop?Where does the buck stop? Solutions not problems!Solutions not problems! Word of mouthWord of mouth Customer satisfactionCustomer satisfaction High customer returnHigh customer return

Managing the customerManaging the customer

Question and answer sessionQuestion and answer session

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