Customer service & Access Survey – Greenfields Community Housing
Sector
Charity, Health & Social
Location
Essex
Greenfields Community Housing is a social housing provider in the Braintree district offering a range of affordable properties for rent. Mackman Research was commissioned to conduct a customer service and access survey of their residents.
The questionnaire asked personal questions about access to the internet and their online behaviours. By using a telephone interview, the researcher was able to probe and delve more into the reasons why people are frustrated or disillusioned. The research is one component of an extensive communications strategy for Greenfields, so it was essential that the research identified how the organisation could reach its customers more effectively, categorising who these customers are as individual groups.
Find out more about this research project
Click here to view the design and branding strand of this project and to find out more information about the work we did for Greenfields Community Housing.
Our Process
Supporting residents in affordable housing
Our research methodology guaranteed that the customer service and access survey included people who may not have taken the time to complete a postal survey; customers with special needs for example. This also made sure there were no incomplete survey responses.
The sample size was split proportionally to represent the percentage difference among the age groups, so that it reflected Greenfields overall customer population. Greenfields’ stakeholders were notified that the customer survey would be taking place via their newsletter.
The telephone survey lasted approximately ten minutes with a Mackman researcher. A total of 377 respondents completed the telephone survey, achieving a confidence level of 95% and a confidence interval of +/- 4.95%, from a population of 9660 individual contacts.
The Challenge
The challenge for this study was in engaging with all demographics across the Greenfields community. This is one reason that a telephone interview methodology was chosen as the customer service and access survey.
The Results
The research report provided Greenfields Community Housing with a thorough examination of how satisfied their customers are with communications. This performance data was also benchmarked against comparable data achieved in 2011. The research is one component of an extensive communications strategy for Greenfields, so it was essential that the research identified how the organisation can reach its customers more effectively, categorising who these customers are as individual groups. The research was successful in making a robust judgement on how this can be carried out.
The access survey data was a vital element to this research project and sought to find out how Greenfields can help customers who want to learn more about being online. Data here is instrumental for Greenfields so they can set about making a real difference to the people who need help the most. Access to the internet is lower for people living in housing association properties compared to people who are home owners or private renters: the research report made statistical comparisons (compared to a national average) and attained access levels which Greenfields Community Housing can now act upon and make progress against.
We try very hard to communicate well with our customers and the information we have gathered from the survey will be invaluable in helping us to refine the way we work. In particular we have really key information to enable us to promote and assist with digital inclusion. We also now have information that will help us to communicate differently according to customer preferences.
Ian Evans, Head of Customer Excellence – Greenfields Community Housing