Hobsons Bay City Council is using its Customer Service Team as an in house “temp” agency, placing highly skilled and well trained officers into temporary positions throughout the organisation.
Council’s Director Organisational Development, Helen Anstis, said that in the past, the City managed a small team of casual staff that assisted with backfilling of positions when permanent staff went on leave, resigned or were seconded.
“Council was investing a lot of time and energy in developing members of the casual pool,” she said. “These casual members tended to be very transient in nature and were not necessarily committed to the organisation.”
Helen Anstis said Council commenced a pilot in late 2004, allowing the Customer Service Team to investigate the use of permanent Customer Service Officers (CSOs) to provide backfill to the organisation.
“Customer Service Officers are already organisation savvy, know the majority of frequently asked questions relating to Council services, and understand the organisation’s structure,” she said. “Council then employed and trained casuals to fill in for the CSOs. They were provided with two weeks training in how to use various systems and understand the frequently asked questions.”
By acting as the temp agency and using permanent Customer Service Officers, Council has been able to develop its frontline customer service capability as officers return from assignment motivated, better able to deal with more complex questions relating to services where they have been placed, and refreshed from the change and a break from frontline duties.
For further information contact Helen Anstis on (03) 9932 1000.
