Help us to shape services for customers
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. Your voice matters and you can influence decisions to improve our services. We’re committed to delivering excellent services, and the best way to do that is to listen to our customers and learn from their feedback – good or bad.
We’re inviting you to get involved whether it’s through surveys, service improvement groups, the tenant scrutiny panel, events or focus groups – there are lots of ways you can have your say.
- You can influence the services that matter to you
- Make your voice heard on key decisions
- Help us understand what we’re doing well – and where we can do better
- Help make positive changes for Southway tenants
- Meet new people and learn new skills
Recent improvements customers have been involved with include:
- Our new website
- Clearer guidance on what is an emergency repair
- A process for ordering materials which has reduced driving time for the repairs team
- Starting an incentive scheme for our involved tenants
Service Influence and Improvement Groups
These groups focus on service areas such as repairs, complaints, customer access, anti-social behaviour, home improvements and health and safety. They review performance and discuss where improvements need to be made.
Tenant Scrutiny Panel
This group looks at services in detail to make sure they are customer-focused. They make recommendations to our Board and Committee based on insight, colleague and customer feedback and value for money. The group’s work can change services for the better for all Southway customers. You can be as involved as you like in this, for example contribute via email and choose which service areas you want to be involved in. We’re very keen for more people to get involved in this panel and would love to hear from you if this is something you’d like to be a part of.
Customer Voice Panel
This panel looks at how we’re doing on our Customer Voice Strategy which launched in April. It’s a really important group that challenges us on behalf of customers and helps set future priorities for customer involvement.
Customer Voice Community
This is a new group that we’re asking customers to join if you are interested in being involved but might not know exactly how yet. You can tell us which areas you’d like to be involved in and we’ll contact you when an opportunity comes up that you’re interested in. We will also ask you to complete surveys occasionally.
Board & Committees
There are places for customers on our Board and Committees, to make sure tenants are represented at the highest levels at Southway. They work with Southway’s Executive team to shape services, set future goals, and hold staff accountable for delivery of services to our tenants.
Armchair Group
This group of tenants responds to online surveys.
Cosy Mondays
Our weekly social get-together, held at our office, where all members of the community are welcome to unwind in a friendly space. Amongst other things you can also chat with staff from the Customer Involvement Team and share your feedback and ideas you have about our services.
Fun and Feedback Events
These are fun events that bring communities together and all tenants are invited. They provide free activities and the chance for tenants and their families to speak to Southway staff. Check out our website and social media to keep up to date with our events!
Like other housing trusts, we use Tenant Satisfaction Measures surveys with a representative sample of tenants to understand how we’re doing. These focus on key areas like keeping your home in good repair and how effectively we handle complaints. Find out more on our annual performance webpage.
We also run consultations when we are updating many of our strategies and policies. Keep an eye on our website and social media.
We want to recognise and thank our involved customers, and we now have an incentives scheme to give something back as a thank you for your time.
This includes:
- Annual £25 gift voucher
- £50 quarterly prize draws
- Refer a friend to a Service Influence and Improvement Group and both receive a £20 gift voucher
- Training and Certification
- IT equipment
- Taxi provision
- Out of pocket expenses
- Annual celebration event
- Registration to Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS)
As well as the incentives listed on the other side of this leaflet, these are special ones for scrutiny:
- Scrutiny Panel access to handyman service twice a year
- Annual Scrutiny Panel meal
We hope you found this article helpful. We’d love to hear from you if you’d like to be involved or want to find out more about the opportunities we’ve mentioned. You can find out about other ways you can help shape how we work on our get involved webpage.
Whether you have just a few minutes to spare or want to take a more active role there’s an opportunity for you.
If you have any ideas about how you and other tenants can get involved please let us know. We’re open to new ideas.
The more customers get involved, the more our customer voice represents the needs of our diverse communities.
Please email Tina Murphy, Community Development Officer, at t.murphy@southwayhousing.co.uk or call 0161 448 4200 and she will be happy to discuss the options you are interested in.
