HNSW to Introduce Customer Service Standards

Accessibility of offices

Example criteria

Publishing of office locations

• Office locations and phone numbers should be published in White Pages
• Opening hours to be clearly displayed on office door

Accessibility

• All offices should comply with the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)

Privacy

• All offices should have either an interview room or an area which allows visual and auditory privacy for clients when speaking with client service staff

Signage

Example criteria

Office signage

• Adequate signage directing clients to reception or ticketing machine 
• All office signage should have a Housing NSW or FACS logo and be compliant with OH&S
• Offices should have signs or posters giving information on basic services for e.g. “How to apply for housing assistance”

Brochures, Forms, Posters

• Offices should be stocked with printed material associated with services offered
• Posters or signage should provide information on where clients can obtain Fact Sheets (i.e. ask at counter, on web site etc)
• Existing brochure holders should be clean and stocked with commonly used forms
• All offices should display posters for the Rentstart service and 1300HOUSING  

Office Environment

Example Criteria

Seating

• Adequate seating should be provided

Foyer

• Office foyer area should give overall impression of being cared for and maintained, and should be clean and tidy (with some leeway for a full day’s service)

Rentstart kiosk

• Written material should always be available – i.e. application forms, brochures, instruction sheets for operation of fax, and clear advice of ‘next steps’ once client has faxed their application
• All hardware (fax and phone) should be in working order

Service Delivery

Example Criteria

Service wait times

• Once a client has entered the office and sighted a staff person, they should be either –
• Joining a queue within 3-5 minutes
• Taking a ticket within 3-5 minutes (thus ensuring that office is aware of client’s presence)
• Client should be attended to within 30 minutes

Staff appearance

Example Criteria

Name tags

• Staff should wear name tags when attending the front counter or dealing with clients. The name tag should be the first name.

Dress and grooming

• All staff members’ appearance should be clean, neat and tidy at all times

Staff greeting/manner

Example Criteria

Standard

• Staff should greet client warmly and offer assistance (when answering the phone, staff should identify themselves as well i.e.

Manner

• Staff member displayed an engaging and pleasant manner

Approach

• Staff member should present as friendly and approachable

Staff Communication Skills

Example Criteria

Style

• Staff adapted their communication style to different clients and situations

Speech

• Staff spoke clearly and pleasantly
• Avoided overuse of jargon

Awareness/sensitivity

• Staff should demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to client needs
• Where a client wishes to discuss sensitive information with staff they should be provided with an interview room (where available) or a quiet area

CALD and Indigenous clients

• Staff should recognise the need for an interpreter and organise for the client to speak with one if required

Empathy

• Staff should demonstrate empathy where appropriate (maintain a professional approach)

Enquiry resolution

Example Criteria

Forms

• Where a client is seeking information on Housing NSW products and services, staff should provide a range of options –
• Offer to hand the client forms/fact sheets if they attend an office OR
• Advise that this information can be found on our website at (give URL) OR
• Offer to post this information
• Where client attends an office and demonstrates that they need assistance in completing a form, staff should assist them to complete it

Probed Needs

• Staff should ensure they fully understand the client’s need by probing for more information and clarifying issues.

Product knowledge

• Staff should be able to provide clear information readily on a given product or service
• If staff do not have this information to hand, they should be able to source it quickly

Completion of interview

• Staff should provide client with ‘next steps’ information