We are disappointed to see that customer satisfaction levels have decreased from last year. We are committed to improving customer satisfaction through the implementation of our new Customer Experience Strategy. We have built this strategy with significant input from our customers and so are confident that it focuses on those areas that matter most to them and uses language that is meaningful to them. This strategy will continue to drive improvement through a dedicated Customer Experience action plan.

To make it easier for our customers to access our services we introduced a new telephony system into our Customer Service Centre which enables us to direct calls to the people best able to deal with their enquiries. We have also made some significant progress in enhancing our digital services to customers; launching a Riverside app and live chat in response to customer demand and building a new digital strategy with our customers that will deliver further improvements over the next 3 years.

Here are some examples of the way we have changed digital services with your input during 2022/23.

Our digital offer

• 36,000 customers are now registered on our self-service digital services, and new customers can now complete their application and tenancy digitally through My Riverside.
• We’ve added the ability for Riverside colleagues, including Customer Service Advisors to log and appoint repairs on behalf of customers fully within Salesforce; removing the need to use complex housing applications and reducing call times for new repairs by 50%.  This provides better and more efficient customer service and frees up valuable advisor time to spend with more customers
• Our colleagues can now also use Salesforce to log shared space repairs on behalf of customers and later this year customers will be able to report repairs themselves through the portal and app without the need to call or email us
• We have also added business processes for Riverside colleagues to record and fully manage Safeguarding and Anti Social Behaviour within Salesforce enabling improved and safer services to customers
• The next year will see greater focus on digital services for customers and will include reviewing payment options and servicing a wider range of enquiries and requests through My Riverside.