Alan answerable to council callers

AN experienced customer services manager has been appointed to improve the contact centre at Oldham Council.

New director Alan Wenham spent 20 years leading customer services at high street retailer Woolworths.

The council’s contact centre, which receives over half a million calls each year, has started to improve its service with significant increases in performance levels since March, 2009.

But almost 10 per cent of phone calls to the council weren’t answered in the three months to December, 2008, a six-fold increase out of almost 60,000 calls, or 100 per working day.

Now new technology gives callers a choice to either hold for a customer service representative or hold a place in the queue and receive a call back when an agent is available.

Mr Wenham said: “I am passionate about what makes good customer service and am pleased to be working with a local team which is equally earnest about achieving the standards of service that local people expect.”

Cabinet member for customer services and partnerships, Councillor Jackie Stanton said: “I’m pleased with the recent progress in the way we handle calls and I’m confident that Mr Wenham will ensure we maintain our momentum and give the citizens of Oldham the high quality service they deserve.”

The contact centre is managed by the Unity Partnership which provides the council’s switchboard and handles a range of calls including benefits, council tax, refuse and recycling, welfare rights and free school meals.