Nelson Training and South Gloucestershire Council staff collect their 2010 National Training Award

Comedy makes for effective complaints training
... and another National Training Award for Nelson Training

South Gloucestershire Council and Nelson Training used comedy and drama in training that has seen a transformation in the way staff approach complaints. The cost of handling complaints has also fallen dramatically as a result.

South Gloucestershire Council’s (SGC) community care and housing department is the largest department within the Council. It works with partner organisations to help older and disabled people to stay independent.

Its directorate wanted to find a programme to train team leaders and managers from council and its partners in handling complaints. This would improve outcomes for customers, a group likely to feel they should not complain about services that are often vital to their quality of life, or even life itself.

While managers and team leaders knew how complaints should be handled, following Department of Health guidelines, some lacked confidence and consistency in dealing with them or saw them as someone else’s problem. Only through a change in culture could SGC ensure a more customer-centred approach to handling complaints.

The number of complaints had started to rise following improved reporting. If more complaints escalated, or were taken to a higher level, it would cost the department more. Through training, SGC aimed to resolve 75% of complaints locally and within agreed timeframes.

The council appointed Nelson Training to deliver the training. The Malvern-based company uses drama and comedy in interactive sketches and activities that delegates can identify with.

Nelson worked with the council to design a one-day programme that covered issues including the importance of handling complaints early, handling challenging customers, written responses and passing on customer complaint handling skills to their team.

The session, delivered for the first time in 2007, used group discussion, interactive sketches, a live case study and a complaint handling toolkit as teaching methods. Humour and reassurance helped build delegate confidence. A facilitator and two professional actors delivered the training to groups of between 17 and 25.

By April 2010, 150 people had been trained, a high percentage of those targeted. Of those 60 were council employees and the rest were from independent social care providers and the Primary Care Trust (PCT).

From September 2007 seven sessions were held, at a cost of £7,350, while the cost of lost SGC staff time came to £6,750. A budget of £3,000 a year was allocated for the future, allowing for two sessions a year to train new managers.

Three years later, more complaints are handled at a local level. In 2006/7 10% of complaints escalated, reduced to just 2% by 2009/10. In 2006/7 78% were handled within an agreed time, a figure that rose to 88% in 2009/10 88%.

The average cost of an escalated complaint is £3,400, and in 2006/7 this area cost SGC £44,200 a year. By 2009/10, that cost had fallen to £13,600, a saving of more than £30,000, much higher than the cost of the training, which was funded through Adult Social Care Workforce Grant funding.

Those who attended the training have shown a change both in the quality and timeliness of responses to complaints, coupled with a real willingness to get to the heart of a problem and resolve it. More compliments are now received than complaints and partner relationships are excellent.

A Manager from an independent provider service says: “I have a more positive and customer-focused approach since completing the course and I have a better understanding and listen more, which in the long-run enables me to improve the service we provide.”

One service user’s carer, who had complained, said: “I don’t want your head to get too big, but I am really impressed by your customer care and interest and for keeping in touch with me. You have a good customer service ethos.”

The council has also achieved two high standard internal audit reports for complaints handling and has gained BSI 10002:2004 accreditation in this area, possibly the only local or health authority in the South West to do so. The council was asked to attend the South West launch of the Department of Health’s new approach to complaints handling and other authorities regularly ask for information about training.

David Crook, head of operational services at South Gloucestershire Council, says: “The training programme has given real weight to delivering a cultural change both inside the organisation and with our partners. It has exceeded our expectations as the results speak for themselves. It has driven a clear message around expectations and quality standards.

“Complaints are now seen as positive and not something to run from. It’s about solving problems together for our customers, which fosters excellent working relationships and makes the job much more rewarding.”

South Gloucestershire Council has been rated as a four star authority by the Audit Commission’s corporate assessment. The council employs about 1,000 people, is Investors in People accredited and has made the Skills Pledge.

To find out how Nelson Training can improve your complaint handling contact Viv Nelson by emailing viv@nelsontraining.co.uk or ring 01684 311287