Report highlights failings in council's customer services department

EPPING Forest Council's customer services department is failing residents after a new report revealed less than a third of calls are being answered.

The report by EFDC's corporate support services has recommended that a minimum of £500,000 should be spent during the next three years on overhauling the section.

This will include creating a new call centre and one-stop shop in the Civic Offices allowing residents to pay bills and speak to staff face-to-face. A customer services manager would also be employed to take charge.

The report also highlights a number of other problems within the department, including difficulties transferring customer calls between sections.

At Monday's council cabinet meeting, e-government portfolio-holder Stephen Metcalfe (Conservative) said he believed it was the most important decision the council would make for some time.

"Where the real challenge comes is that we move the public right to the centre of our operation," he said. "We are here to serve them, not the other way round."

Robert Glozier (Con) echoed his comments, saying: "I'm sure we all get complaints that letters are unanswered, that telephone calls are unhelpful and that people are hard to find.

"I'm convinced an efficient contact centre will help in this area."

But Liberal Democrat group leader Michael Heavens was sceptical that a call centre would solve the current problems.

"A particular issue when I've had to use call centres is staff don't have accurate information about me," he said. "That's where the problem always lies.

"If something goes wrong you've got a hell of a long trail to go back to sort out the mess."

Jon Whitehouse (Lib Dem) added: "If we don't get off on the right foot there is a danger we won't make the most of it."

Mr Metcalfe responded by assuring councillors all their concerns would be taken into consideration, stressing: "There is no point in doing this if it doesn't improve customer service."

A full council meeting on September 27 will discuss whether to approve the improvement programme.