Busy time for Housing’s new Customer Service Team

James Qualtrough | October 16, 2012 | 0 Comments

Over 16,000 customers have already benefited from the improved reception facilities at the Housing Department’s offices on the Esplanade. Statistics recorded during August and September show that the team of 4 dedicated customer service staff have handled over 12,000 telephone calls and dealt with almost 4,000 personal customer visits. The Team handle a wide range of enquiries including, maintenance requests, rent enquiries and payments, parking and other general landlord enquiries.

The Customer Service team had previously been located at Cyril Le Marquand House but has recently moved back to the Department’s offices at Jubilee Wharf.

Talking about that decision to relocate the Customer Service Team, Minister for Housing Deputy Andrew Green MBE said, “Even before I became Minister I was concerned about the customer service function being provided remotely from the Department’s main offices. I have been determined to resolve that and to re-establish the customer at the very heart of the Department. Housing is a very people oriented business and having an appropriate base to service customers is vitally important. Officers also work out in the community with our customers, with residents groups and associations and we have a Tenants Forum which plays a key role in our customer engagement strategy.”

Engagement with customers will be increasingly important for the Housing Department as the Minister brings forward his proposals for the incorporation of the Department as a wholly States owned Housing Association. This will include proposals for customers to play a bigger part in the governance, management and delivery of social housing services, particularly given that the board of the proposed new Housing Association will have 6 members, 2 of whom will be Tenants.

Moving the team back to Jubilee Wharf has meant relocating other services run by the Economic Development Department and Deputy Green expressed his gratitude to the Minister for Economic Development and Assistant Treasury Minister Deputy Eddie Noel for their support.

The Customer Service Centre is on the ground floor of Jubilee Wharf, 24 The Esplanade, just opposite the Tourism office. The doors are open between 9am to 5pm from Monday to Friday.

The team can be contacted on the same numbers for general housing enquiries 445510 and maintenance enquiries 445570 or emailed at HSGCustomerServicesJubileeWharf@gov.je

Housing customers can also go to www.gov.je/home to access the departments’ online maintenance request system and for other information about their tenancy or general housing services.