Customer service. Serving the community. Providing the service that the community expects. That’s what public service is all about.
We all expect ever higher standards of customer service. When we are paying for service; we don’t accept being taken for granted any more.
Customer service by John Lewis is legendary, because staff treat their customers with respect. I contacted the BT call centre recently for a problem with my internet connection. I received helpful, accurate, polite support and my problem was fixed promptly. That’s good customer service.
But if you receive bad service, you don’t go back to that provider any more. Unfortunately we can’t do that with the monopoly services provided by our local authority. And the public are saying loud and clear that they are not receiving good service from Ealing Council.
In the recently published authoritative 2012 Residents Survey, residents have said how they are far less “very satisfied” with key services.
Residents were asked if they were "fairly satisfied" or "very satisfied". Of course most people are "fairly satisfied"; but far fewer were "very satisfied" with key council services. Indeed the services have declined so dramatically that only half the number are "very satisfied" on key services, as they were two years ago, immediately after the Conservatives were the administration.
In 2010,
48% were "very satisfied" with Refuse collection, now only 29% are
40% were "very satisfied" with Recycling services, now only 21% are
39% were "very satisfied" with Recycling facilities, now only 20% are
We all know that the Council's introduction of the new refuse, street cleaning and recycling service was disastrous, and now residents are saying this all too clearly.
It is hugely important that the Labour Councillors, stop their complacency, get out of the Town Hall and start improving the services for the people of the borough.
If the people of Ealing put their faith in the Conservatives after the elections next year, and so I become Council Leader, I am determined that Ealing Council will deliver services that the people of the borough deserve. Gone will be the days of bad service. Residents will be treated with respect.
