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Customer standards
To ensure Sevenoaks District residents get the best possible service, the Council has adopted customer standards that set out the level of service residents can expect from the Council.
The standards include Council-wide standards that apply to the whole organisation as well as more detailed ones that apply to specific services.
All the standards are regularly monitored and will be presented to the Council's Cabinet on an annual basis to ensure they are being met.
As part of the Council-wide standards, we will:
- be courteous and helpful
- listen to you and make every effort to help
- always try to help you at your first point of contact
- promote equality irrespective of race, religious belief, disability, gender, sexual orientation or age
not discriminate nor permit discrimination against anyone
- encourage you to comment on our services
- identify ourselves by wearing name badges and telling you our names
- provide information in clear and simple terms
- keep any information you give us confidential unless we have your express consent that we may share it. While we will not normally share your information with a third party there are exceptions to this, for example where we must give information to the police or where we have to act in an emergency
- welcome feedback and investigate any complaint made about our services
When you telephone us:.jpg)
- we aim to answer 80% of calls within 20 seconds and to ensure you are put through to the right person
- we aim to deal effectively with 80% of all telephone calls at the first point of contact
- if your call needs to be transferred, we will tell you who you are being connected to
- once transferred to the correct service, if we cannot help you there and then, we will offer to call you back by a time agreed with you
- once transferred to the correct service, if you leave a message, we will return your call within a working day
When you visit us:
- the receptionist will try to see you as quickly as possible
- we aim to respond to 75% of personal callers within five minutes
- if we have to keep you waiting we will explain why
When you send us a letter, fax or email:
- we will acknowledge we have received your letter, fax or email within two working days
- we will give a full response within 10 working days
- if we need longer to give you a full response we will contact you and explain why
We ask that you:
treat our staff with respect - provide all the relevant information to help us deal with your request efficiently
- do not verbally or physically abuse Council staff
- do not attend the Council offices under the influence of alcohol or drugs
There are also customer standards that relate to specific Council services. Click on the links below for more information:
For more information about the Council's Customer Service Standards, contact the Customer Service Team by calling 01732 227000 or e-mailing information@sevenoaks.gov.uk
06 January 2009
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