This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Stirling Council makes contact
09/12/2002
Stirling Council's new customer contact centre offering
local people improved access to public services was
officially opened today.
The Stirling Contact Centre received just over £1
million funding from the Executive's Modernising Government
Fund.
It is just one part of the Council's wider
Access Stirling strategy, which aims to
deliver improved services.
Minister for Finance and Public Services Andy Kerr
said:
"I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the
delivery of a very ambitious centre which provides better
access to essential services based on the needs of the
people of Stirling.
"Modernising government is all about people - it is
about improving the delivery of top-quality
customer-focussed public services. The people of Stirling
wanted better delivery of public services - and that is
exactly what this centre, which received just over £1
million from the Modernising Government Fund, aims to
deliver."
The Contact Centre offers:
- A contact centre for phone and e-mail
enquiries
- Extended opening hours: 8am-8pm Mon-Fri and
10am-4pm on Sat
- A single number to improve service for the 75% of
locals who prefer to phone
- A new website and single e-mail address
- Target services - services that can be delivered
through the contact centre are Cleansing, Pest Control,
Housing, Road and Street Lighting
Benefits to the customer include:
- One-stop approach
- Consistent standards at headquarters and local
offices
- Work-in-progress can be tracked
- Complaints are logged
- Customer Services have a system for escalating
problems
Mr Kerr added:
"This innovative project is about improving the
experience for customers and making the business processes
and technology smarter. It will deliver better services to
the people of Stirling including a single telephone number
and single e-mail address for all enquiries. In addition
the centre will have extended opening hours and a new
website giving local people greater flexibility and easy
access to services.
"It is also impressive that the people of Stirling - who
asked for this type of service - are now using it. There
have been some 65,000 calls since the centre opened. As
well as listening to residents, Stirling Council worked in
partnership with others including Community Planning
partners and other councils to share their experience and
learning.
"The improved delivery of customer-focussed public
services is our top priority and this centre is and will
continue to make a real difference to real people."