Nowhere else on the planet other than in the social housing sector is an organisation required by law to serve people irrespective of their willingness to pay or behave. Our colleagues are frustrated and insulted because they believe they have to treat the 'neighbour from hell' as a fee-paying customer - and the 'neighbour from hell' can't believe their luck. They can still order repairs in 24 hours or five days, take part in the neighbourhood's redesign and be courted by the landlord with endless tenant satisfaction surveys!
How would you react if you were able to get away with not paying for a service and still get the same services as people who do pay? Just imagine the bottom line if Asda or Lidl spent 80 per cent of their time dealing with shoplifters?
'Model' tenants, not surprisingly, soon conclude that the housing association is either profoundly dumb or deeply unfair. The policies and practices appear to reward destructive behaviour, poor payment records, and neighbour abuse and ironically most housing front line staff know the name of their worst customers...not their best.
But that was then - and this is now.
Building fantastic customer service into the public sector can only be done with fundamental changes to the regulatory, policy and legislative framework. It's my view that you couldn't run a whelk stall under the conditions that social housing is expected to operate. But even within this ridiculous set up, it is possible to turn some of those contradictions on their head.
Irwell Valley did precisely that in 1998, steering the organisation onto a new course that has raised morale and the aspirations and expectations of both our colleagues and customers. In doing so, we have managed to turn an average service into one that is dynamic and successful on all fronts despite operating in some of Greater Manchester's most deprived neighbourhoods.
Since we launched Gold Service ten years ago, 92 per cent of our tenants have signed up to it. That is 92 per cent of our tenants who are motivated to pay their rent on time, take care of their homes, and be good neighbours. They get their repairs done in three hours or three days and get a huge range of commercial incentives, including retail discounts and tickets to sports and music events. But most importantly, tenants feel valued and they understand the relationship.
Colleagues too are more comfortable with what we accept as our rights and responsibilities and the deal for the public purse is that we collect 100 per cent of the rent each year with less effort and our costs are down 15 per cent. We employ 25 per cent fewer people per property, and our profits are up 250 per cent. Staff sickness levels are below 2 per cent.
There are even more vivid examples - the estates we now manage where the milk delivery has been resumed and the taxis turn up. Crime figures are down, residents can get household contents insurance and the buses run after 6pm - all basic things, which many of us take for granted.
Our basic philosophy for Gold Service is simple - if you want people to behave well, encourage it. If you want a happy motivated, inspired and healthy workforce, encourage it. Reward and encourage good behaviour and recognise that it is nonsense to provide the same service to everyone, disregarding the basis of his or her relationship with the organisation.
Transforming a public sector organisation into one with an up beat, can-do mentality, where people treat each other with dignity and respect and enjoy their rights and fulfil their responsibilities needs fundamental rank and file cultural change.
So to make Gold Service work we have had to radically restructure the organisation.
It's an obvious fact that miserable, mistrusted and mistreated people do not give legendary customer service. So we have simplified and flattened the management and board structures, directed far more resources towards the front line, and put motivation and inspiration at the core of Irwell Valley's culture.
The sun doesn't always shine on Irwell Valley, we still come up against the sort of problems that are inevitable when your customers are at the bottom end of the scale of social deprivation but housing services should not be about reinforcing bad behaviour, waste, negativity and disillusionment. The service should be about giving people hope and the skills and ambition to be successful.
In other words, a housing service should be so good, you don't even notice it - you just get on with your life.
This month we're launching the Gold Service membership card. Click here for details and a sincere thank you to colleagues, residents, partners and friends for helping us to get this far.
27 November 2008
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