NomadE5 hits the road to improve services

The team at NomadE5 Housing Association has taken a personal approach to improving services - every single member of the team took to the streets on one day to talk to the association's customers right across the North East.

The door knocking blitz was aimed particularly at residents who had not answered phone calls or replied to letters for some time - to see how services could be made more accessible and convenient.

Every member of NomadE5 staff was organised into 20 groups of four by managing director Alison Stanners, and went off to every part of the association's estate which stretch from Berwick in the north, down to Stockton 100 miles south - with a list of 495 different street addresses targeted.

Staff who are normally office-based saw the areas where their customers live first hand, and those who do get out and about regularly saw different properties than on a normal working day.

The team found that most customers were happy with the service they received, but the day did throw up some important issues to be addressed - and many which don't normally get an airing - in particular about bin storage and the costs of electric heating.

Alison Stanners, managing director of NomadE5, said: "We are always trying to do something different to keep improving our services, and getting everyone out on the road on one day proved an excellent way of reaching people."

Elaine Anderson, customer service assistant with NomadE5, said: "My job is to resolve telephone enquiries from our customers, so I found it invaluable to meet customers face to face and see for myself some of the issues they call me about.
"I think spending the the day 'out and about' can help us to improve the service we provide."