Merit award for customer service

Gosford Council has received a merit award for its customer service strategy, which includes its community-based service centre in Woy Woy.

The award was presented at the Local Government Management Excellence Awards.

Council's received the award for its new customer "one stop shop" and call centre in its administration building in Gosford and its three community-based service centres at Woy Woy, Erina and Kincumber.

The main objectives of the awards, which were presented by the NSW division of Local Government Managers Australia, was to increase the standard and quality of local government management.

Gosford Council's general manager Mr Peter Wilson said a new team was formed in 2003 to undertake a comprehensive review of customer service strategies, including 31 action plans to ensure delivery of best practice service.

"Our new strategy focussed on council customers having all their needs met through one point of contact, regardless of whether they were phoning or personally visiting," Mr Wilson said.

"Under this new system, council also places customer satisfaction as the single best indicator of service."

Mr Wilson said the Management Excellence Award officially recognised what "many customers had been telling council about their service experiences".

Mr Wilson said all council's frontline staff were now monitored on a daily basis for their customer service provision.

"From a staff perspective, morale and productivity have improved while customer complaints, waiting times and service delivery expenses have decreased," Mr Wilson said.

Press release, 4 Oct 2007 Marion Newall, Gosford Council