With a view to providing the best possible customer service, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council has just launched its new Customer Management System (CMS). Serving a population of 112,000, CMS will assist Council to manage its business more efficiently and cost effectively.
Alongside new Customer Service Centres designed to give clients easy, friendly access to Council facilities and advice, the new system provides efficient and timely responses to inquiries, requests and correspondence. Council’s 28 Customer Service Staff currently handle in excess of 600,000 enquiries per annum. These can be via telephone, mail or direct contact at the Service Centre.
CMS allows for the collection of all customer data and provides reports on service standards and contract performance. It allows for analysis of trends and automatically generates service requests. Information can be kept up to date and is readily available. The system also provides valuable data for ongoing programs and strategic planning.
“This system will revolutionise the way Council keeps track of the calls and requests it receives from the community,” said Ralph Kenyon, Council’s Customer Service Manager.
“The information stored in the CMS will also provide Council’s Service Planning Group with sound data on the issues that are being raised by the community, as well as identify areas of need that require longer term solutions,” he added.
Mornington Peninsula believes it is the first Council in Australia to use CMS and the developers, BHA Computers, have been working with Council since its implementation to improve and enhance the system for Local Government needs.
New Customer Service Centres located on opposite sides of the Peninsula at Hastings and Rosebud are the culmination of a commitment to improved customer service. This has been part of Council’s Corporate Plan since 1994, following the amalgamation of the former Flinders, Mornington and Hastings Councils.
The Centres have meeting rooms for confidential discussions and conference rooms for large gatherings. Ralph Kenyon said the new Centres are designed to break down barriers between customers and Council by removing counters which can obstruct interaction.
For further information contact Andrew Kelly, telephone (03) 5986 0236 or Craig Rickard at BHA Computers, telephone (07) 3258 4444.
