Hillcrest continues to celebrate its staff heroes
The customer service team moved quickly to home working and has been successfully set up with no detriment to the service delivered to customers.
Hillcrest is continuing to shine a light on its staff – its Hillcrest heroes – and it would like to introduce a team that provides a positive image when customers contact Hillcrest for repairs and housing related enquiries – the Customer Service Team.
The Customer Service Team moved quickly to home working at lockdown and has been successfully set up at home with no detriment to the service delivered to customers.
The lockdown and changes to life has resulted in an anxious time for tenants and customers, but the phonelines have remained open, and callers are greeted with a friendly welcoming voice, offering reassurance about the services that are available.
The team adapted quickly to the change to services, and they ensure that they are only allocating emergency repairs and are asking tenants key Covid-19 questions to maintain the health and safety of its trades staff.
The team deals with a vast range of enquiries, including repairs, alterations, pets, rent, and tenancy support services and never know what the next call will be about. There has been a rise in callers reporting anti-social behaviour, due to living closely with their neighbours, and the team has been available to offer advice about social distancing, bins, noise and other issues.
The team helped carry out welfare calls to tenants, and, although it was a challenging task, and not something they are used to, it has been a satisfying exercise knowing they were getting help to those who needed it most.
Whilst part of the team has been used to being dispersed from their team members, they have all had to cope with the new reality of having partners, pets and children in the mix when answering calls. Not an easy task!
The reception team may not be there to greet staff and callers with a friendly face at Hillcrest headquarters, but they have helped by providing administration support to other Hillcrest departments as required.
Everyone in the team has experienced challenges moving to this new norm, but, thanks to Yvonne and Jill - the team leaders who have prepared rotas and kept the team motivated through daily contact, the team spirit remains high. It has also been helped along with some laughs through the team’s WhatsApp chat.
Kirsteen Beeching, Customer Services Team Manager, said: “I am proud of each and every one of them for their resilience and the fact that they have continued to deliver a great service to ensure a positive customer experience. Well done to you all.”
Pictured: Customer Service team