Customer Service systems and Housing Stock
Case reference FOI2022/00509
Published 27 May 2022
Request
Q1. Does the Council Outsource its; Customer Service Phoneline(s) and / or Website Maintenance inc Innovation and Development, outsourcing may include staffing and the actual telephone / computer system(s) used?
Q2. If yes, which company or companies are contracted to provide these services (if multiple please specify each supplier)?
Q3. What is the contract start and expiry date (if multiple contracts exist please specify for each)?
Q4. Is there an extension period within the contract? If yes, what is the period (if multiple contracts exist, please specify for each)?
Q5. What is the value of the contract on an annual basis (if multiple contracts exist, please specify for each)?
Q6. In the past 5 (five) years ie 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 what was the Call Volume per year to the council's; General Enquiries / Housing Benefit / Housing Repair / Adult and Social Care, phonelines (if different numbers or a total number if unable to separate by subject matter)?
Q7. In the past 5 (five) years ie 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 what was the volume of website enquiries per year for each of the following subjects; General Enquiries / Housing Benefit / Housing Repairs / Adult and Social Care or a total number if unable to separate by subject matter?
Q8. Is the council currently and / or in the process of investing in future Technology to interact with its population in more efficient and accessible way(s) e.g. Mobile Phone Applications / System - Voice Recognition / Website platforms? If yes, what is the nature of the Technology and what is the £value of the investment?
Q9. Is the Council partnering / working with any other Local Authorities on developing and / or investing in Technology? If yes, please specify which Local Authority(s)?
Q10. Does the Council have a £% efficiency target for this financial year 2022/23, if yes please specify % and £value?
Q11. Does the Council own any housing stock?
Q12. If yes, please specify level / number of housing stock?
Q13. If the council's housing stock has been transferred, please specify the name of the charity or organisation the stock transferred to and the number of properties it transferred?
Response
Q1. Does the Council Outsource its; Customer Service Phoneline(s) and / or Website Maintenance inc Innovation and Development, outsourcing may include staffing and the actual telephone / computer system(s) used?
No.
Q2. If yes, which company or companies are contracted to provide these services (if multiple please specify each supplier)?
N/A.
Q3. What is the contract start and expiry date (if multiple contracts exist please specify for each)?
N/A.
Q4. Is there an extension period within the contract? If yes, what is the period (if multiple contracts exist, please specify for each)?
N/A.
Q5. What is the value of the contract on an annual basis (if multiple contracts exist, please specify for each)?
N/A.
Q6. In the past 5 (five) years ie 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 what was the Call Volume per year to the council's; General Enquiries / Housing Benefit / Housing Repair / Adult and Social Care, phonelines (if different numbers or a total number if unable to separate by subject matter)?
The data requested is not recorded for Housing Repair.
Adult Social Services did not record the data requested until 01 April 2017, therefore figures prior to this time are not held.
01/04/2017 - 31/12/2017: 7,013
2018: 9,218
2019: 8,753
2020: 9,424
2021: 7,690
In regards to General Enquires, please see below the data held for general calls (switchboard):
2017 : 44,260 calls presented; 42,388 calls answered.
2018 : 42,195 calls presented; 40,446 calls answered.
2019 : 41,393 calls presented; 38,672 calls answered.
2020 : 38,943 calls presented; 37,280 calls answered.
2021 : 32,707 calls presented; 30,859 calls answered.
In regards to Housing Benefit, please see below the data held:
2017: 21,368
2018: 17,754
2019: 12,515
2020: 9,926
2021: 9,182
Q7. In the past 5 (five) years ie 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017 what was the volume of website enquiries per year for each of the following subjects; General Enquiries / Housing Benefit / Housing Repairs / Adult and Social Care or a total number if unable to separate by subject matter?
The data requested is not recorded for Housing Repair.
In regards to Housing Benefit, please see below the data held. Please note that figures are recorded in financial years, rather than calendar years:
2017/18: 11,184
2018/19: 14,690
2019/20: 11,661
2020/21: 12,475
2021/22: 11,184
Below is a list of total web contacts for online council services. We are unable to break the totals down into their service types. Please note that the figures cannot be relied upon as throughout the years there have been system changes for example.
The data is recorded in calendar years.
2017: 11,071
2018: 15,973
2019: 22,926
2020: 40,435
2021: 58,812
Q8. Is the council currently and / or in the process of investing in future Technology to interact with its population in more efficient and accessible way(s) e.g. Mobile Phone Applications / System - Voice Recognition / Website platforms? If yes, what is the nature of the Technology and what is the £value of the investment?
Yes, via a new CRM (Customer relationship management) System at a total investment of circa £100k.
Q9. Is the Council partnering / working with any other Local Authorities on developing and / or investing in Technology? If yes, please specify which Local Authority(s)?
No.
Q10. Does the Council have a £% efficiency target for this financial year 2022/23, if yes please specify % and £value?
No.
Q11. Does the Council own any housing stock?
Yes.
Q12. If yes, please specify level / number of housing stock?
17 properties
Q13. If the council's housing stock has been transferred, please specify the name of the charity or organisation the stock transferred to and the number of properties it transferred?
The Council's housing stock has been retained.
Documents
This is Herefordshire Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.