Council report highlights improved customer satisfaction and national recognition
At their meeting next week (Thursday 17 July), Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the local authority’s Annual Customer Feedback Report for 2024–25, which highlights a year of significant progress in customer service, increased compliments, and national recognition for excellence.
The report, covering the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, shows that the Council received 710 corporate complaints — a modest increase from the previous year, but still representing less than 1% of all customer transactions. In contrast, the Council saw a 17% increase in compliments over the past two years, with a total of 660 compliments received in 2024–25 — a 128% increase since 2019–20.
Among the year’s most notable achievements, Telford & Wrekin Council became the first local authority in the UK to receive the ServiceMark accreditation from the Institute of Customer Service (ICS). This national standard recognises organisations that demonstrate a long-term commitment to customer service excellence.
Key highlights from the report include:
- An average response time of 8 working days for corporate complaints, well within the new 10-day target set by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code.
- A Customer Satisfaction Index Score of 74.0, outperforming the public sector average and approaching the scores of leading private sector organisations.
- A Net Promoter Score of 19.4, indicating a growing number of residents would recommend the Council’s services.
- A Customer Effort Score of 4.3, reflecting ease of access to services — better than the national average across all sectors.
The Council also expanded its Customer Insight Programme, with over 235 volunteers participating as Mystery Customers. These volunteers completed 158 assignments, helping to shape service improvements across digital, telephone, and face-to-face channels.
The report also acknowledges that the launch of the Council’s new automated telephone assistant, Ask Tom, experienced some initial teething problems. However, the Council has been actively listening to customer feedback and has already made a number of improvements to the system. Continuous refinement of Ask Tom’s knowledge base is underway to ensure it delivers a smoother and more helpful experience for residents.
Councillor Zona Hannington, Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Governance & Customer Services, said:
“We are proud of the progress we’ve made in delivering excellent customer service across the Council, and proud of the positive feedback we receive from residents too.
“But we also know we don’t always get it right first time and when that happens, it’s important that we listen, learn, and improve. This report shows that we are doing just that. Whether it’s through faster complaint handling, better communication, or more accessible services, we are making real progress.
“Being the first Council in the country to be awarded ServiceMark accreditation is a proud moment for us, but it’s also a reminder that excellent customer service is a journey, not a destination. We’re committed to continuing to work with our residents to keep improving, and to making sure their voices are central in shaping the services we deliver.”