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The Customer Complaints Learning Panel help us to improve our communication

Our Customer Complaints Learning Panel (CCLP) was set up this year to look at our complaints service, tell us what’s going well, and what needs improvement.  

The panel reviewed cases across multiple service areas which all shared one common theme: communication.   

The session left us plenty to get stuck into.  

The panel told us we need to:  

  • Keep in touch- even when there are no updates so you know we haven’t forgotten you. 
  • Reduce disruption caused by unexpected colleague absences- even just making sure there’s an out of office on email inboxes makes a big difference. 
  • Be more prepared for handling new queries around technology- we'd love more guidance and instructions on how to work things like heat pumps to be available in My Home. 
  • Prioritise customers who need more support- make sure you check if we need reasonable adjustments. 
  • Contact customers when we say we will- this is crucial to building and keeping our trust.  

Following this, managers from across Stonewater met to discuss how we could make these ambitions come to life. 

In response we have committed to:  

  • Look at how we can better use IT systems to reassure customers we’re working on their case, even when there are no updates. 
  • Make sure managers complete the necessary steps when a colleague is off unexpectedly so cases are handed over and customers are kept informed. 
  • Look into how we can use technological guides and manuals more effectively, including for customers moving into homes with new technology. 
  • Supporting our Customer Scrutiny Panel to make improvements to how we communicate with customers during the repairs process  
  • Review our customer commitments by April 2025, so we can update and reflect customers’ priorities. You can check out our current customer commitments and how we’re working to meet them right here on the hubb.

We will monitor the implementation of these initiatives over the next six months.  

We’re really grateful to our panel members, this work would not have been possible without their commitment to helping us improve!  

If you would like to see how you could help us improve services, check out our engagement guide and don’t hesitate to drop us a line at customer.engagement@stonewater.org