Response 4108963

Response to request for information

Reference

4108963

Response date

14 October 2026

Request

For the purpose of this request, please define an “enquiry” as any inbound request for information, support, or service received and managed through the council’s central Customer Services, Customer Contact Centre, Contact Centre, webchat service, online customer contact channels, or equivalent first point of contact function.

This request does not extend to enquiries sent directly to individual departments, service areas, officers, or councillors where these interactions are not centrally recorded.

Please provide the following information for the most recent 12-month period for which complete data is available, and specify the exact dates covered.

Question 1. Total enquiries. Please provide the total number of enquiries received by the council’s Customer Services/Contact Centre function during the reporting period.

Question 2. Channel breakdown. Where recorded, please provide the total number of enquiries received through each of the following channels:

• Telephone

• Email

• Online form or customer portal

• Webchat

• Virtual assistant or chatbot

• Social media

• SMS, WhatsApp, or another messaging service

• Other (please specify)

If the council records some of these channels together, please provide the information using the categories held.

Question 3. Telephone performance. If held, please provide:

• Average speed to answer telephone calls

• Total number of abandoned calls

• Average call-handling time

Question 4. Service hours. Please provide the standard operating hours of the central Customer Services/Contact Centre function, including whether staffed customer service support is routinely available during evenings or weekends.

Question 5. Complaints. If held, please provide the total number of complaints specifically relating to performance, responsiveness, or accessibility of the central Customer Services/Contact Centre function.

Question 6. Customer satisfaction. If held, please provide the average customer satisfaction score (CSAT) or equivalent customer service satisfaction measure for the reporting period.

Question 7. First contact resolution. If first contact resolution is measured, please provide:

• The first contact resolution rate

• The number of enquiries resolved at the first point of contact, if recorded

Please also provide the council’s definition of first contact resolution.

Question 8. Use of artificial intelligence. Does the council currently use any AI-powered technology within its central Customer Services/Contact Centre function?

If yes, please briefly describe the technology and its purpose. This could include, but is not limited to, chatbots or virtual assistants, automated email handling, call summarisation, knowledge tools, or technology that assists customer service staff.

Question 9. Customer service workforce. Please provide the average number of full-time equivalent staff working within the central Customer Services/Contact Centre function during the reporting period.

If an average is not held, please provide the number recorded at the nearest available data and specify that date.

Question 10. Most common reasons for contact. If enquiries are categorised by reason for contact, please provide:

• The five most common recorded enquiry categories during the reporting period

• The number of enquiries recorded in each category, if held

Response

Question 1. Total enquiries. Please provide the total number of enquiries received by the council’s Customer Services/Contact Centre function during the reporting period. 136,815

Question 2. Channel breakdown. Where recorded, please provide the total number of enquiries received through each of the following channels:

• Telephone - 78,946

• Email - 40,883

• Online form or customer portal - 11,412

• Webchat - Not applicable

• Virtual assistant or chatbot - Not applicable

• Social media - Not applicable

• SMS, WhatsApp, or another messaging service- Not applicable

• Other (please specify) - Face to Face - 5,574

If the council records some of these channels together, please provide the information using the categories held.

Question 3. Telephone performance. If held, please provide:

• Average speed to answer telephone calls - 6.5 seconds advisor time once call presented

• Total number of abandoned calls - 16,219

• Average call-handling time - 4 minutes 10 seconds

Question 4. Service hours. Please provide the standard operating hours of the central Customer Services/Contact Centre function, including whether staffed customer service support is routinely available during evenings or weekends.

Telephones

• Monday 8.30am to 5pm

• Tuesday 8.30am to 5pm

• Wednesday 8.30am to 5pm

• Thursday 8.30am to 5pm

• Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm

Face to Face

• Monday 9am - 5pm

• Tuesday CLOSED

• Wednesday CLOSED

• Thursday 9am - 5pm

• Friday 9am - 4.30pm

Question 5. Complaints. If held, please provide the total number of complaints specifically relating to performance, responsiveness, or accessibility of the central Customer Services / Contact Centre function.  Zero

Question 6. Customer satisfaction. If held, please provide the average customer satisfaction score (CSAT) or equivalent customer service satisfaction measure for the reporting period. 100%

Question 7. First contact resolution. If first contact resolution is measured, please provide:

• The first contact resolution rate- 93%

• The number of enquiries resolved at the first point of contact, if recorded Not recorded

Please also provide the council’s definition of first contact resolution.

An enquiry that is dealt with by the customer services advisor and not passed to the back-office teams.

Question 8. Use of artificial intelligence. Does the council currently use any AI-powered technology within its central Customer Services/Contact Centre function? No

Question 9. Customer service workforce. Please provide the average number of full-time equivalent staff working within the central Customer Services/Contact Centre function during the reporting period. 14.1 full time equivalent

If an average is not held, please provide the number recorded at the nearest available data and specify that date.

Question 10. Most common reasons for contact. Data not held