We’re committed to listening to you
We rely on your feedback to help shape our services, tell us what works well and where we need to improve. So we were delighted to welcome a number of you to our Northampton Customer Care Centre on Friday 26 September for our annual Voice of the Customer event.
This day, along with our regular Customer Scrutiny Panel (CSP) meetings, the surveys we undertake and what you tell us on the phone and on the doorstep, is vital to help us understand what matters to you. Chaired by board member and chair of the CSP, Julia Porter, we shared our latest innovations, heard your views on our services and communications and gathered your feedback to change and improve them.
Customers get hands on with Sage
The day kicked off with a group of shared ownership and affordable rent customers joining our team at our Northampton Customer Care centre. They met with Julia Porter, Lucian Smithers, our Chief Customer Officer, Tim Millns, our Customer Services Director, and leaders from across Sage’s expert teams.
The group got hands on straight away, examining the process by which you raise repairs, understanding the way it works internally and offering valuable feedback from a customer point of view.
Julia kicked off the first session of a busy day
A Sage customer explains his point of view at the Customer Voice event
Knowing your local team and communication
In a session led by Tim Millns, our customers discussed the future of our services. Their feedback on how customers can be better supported, and how our operations could be even more tailored to your needs, included suggestions like:
- making it easier to understand of who your local Sage representative is (there is already work underway to make this clearer)
- considering when our staff engage with customers, and making sure we do so in an accessible way
- and working on our communication to let you know what’s going on in your neighbourhood.
Scrutiny, new technology and conclusions
In the afternoon, the group heard from Karen Chambers, Tpas (Tenant Participation and Advisory Service) Associate, and explored how we could expand our customer scrutiny framework.
The day concluded with an interesting look into the ‘art of the possible’ with a virtual AI technology ‘bot’, and how technology like this could be used in the future to enhance customers’ experience with Sage Homes.
The overwhelming feeling in the room at the end of the day was one of positivity and progress. In the words of one long-standing CSP member: “I can honestly say, having been involved since the beginning, this is one of the best meetings we’ve ever had. I feel like Sage has heard our voices today. It’s been great to see what’s new, and I feel reassured that I can see where going next.”
The Sage Homes team would like to thank all the customers who were present on the day for their valuable input and giving up their time to be involved.
Sage customers shared their insight and experience throughout the day
Getting involved
If you'd like to be involved with future Sage customer events, or are interested in joining the Customer Scrutiny Panel, please contact us at communications@sagehomes.co.uk.
Event photos
You can see a selection of the photos from the day below.