Residents who find it easy to access information, services and support
The data for this measure
comes from the countywide 'What Matters to You' survey. The survey runs every 2
years and residents are asked how easy they found it to access information,
services and support from West Sussex County Council. The survey due in 2020 has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic and
has yet to be rescheduled.
December 2019 performance
48% of respondents said they found it easy or very easy and 26% finding it neither easy or difficult. These results are the average of two questions asked ‘overall how easy was it to contact West Sussex County Council’ and ‘overall how easy was getting what was requested of West Sussex County Council’. Respondents found it easier to contact the council (58%), than to get the help they needed (40%).
Actions
To make it easy for our customers we need to remove some of the barriers they face, and provide them with other channels to contact us at a time that is easy to use and convenient to them. Progress includes:
- Customers who wish to raise a compliment or a complaint can now do this on line at a time that is convenient to them. This can be done from a PC or Smart phone device.
- A new on-line claims form is now available on our website for customers who wish to make a claim against WSCC for vehicle damage. Customers can complete the form at a time convenient to them. This can also be done from a PC or Smart phone or device.
- We continually work with services to improve their top volume areas, and we are also deploying and testing new digital capability across 10 customer journeys, this solution will then roll out across the organisation.
- In order to make the information available quickly and easily, we have published the frequently asked questions on our website reducing the need for you to contact us.
- Moving the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub calls into the Customer Service Centre has enabled a reduction in hand-offs, connecting our customer to the right person first time.
- Right Service Right Place are deploying digital capability that will enable customers to self-serve with the council 24/7.
- To help reduce the need for our customers to ask the same questions multiply times we now publish frequently asked Freedom of Information requests on the WSCC website. Information about claims relating to vehicle damage and potholes are listed in an easy to read format. This enables customers to access the information they need without submitting a request and waiting up to 20 days for a response. When requests are received the Highways teams can direct customers to the information on the website reducing effort.