Customer Service Excellence

At Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council we are committed to putting our customers at the very heart of our work and we are guided by the Customer Service Excellence framework.

Customer Service Excellence is a national quality mark that seeks to reward organisations that demonstrate a customer-focused commitment to all that they do. Certification to the Customer Service Excellence standard is through a rigorous assessment process which includes a review of documents that demonstrate compliance against each element of the standard and an on-site visit to observe practical evidence.

There are 5 criteria that must be satisfied with a number of elements within each with particular focus on delivery, timeliness, information, professionalism and staff attitude. There is also emphasis placed on developing customer insight, understanding the user's experience and robust measurement of service satisfaction. To achieve the Standard, the organisation must achieve full compliance or compliance plus in at least 80% of the elements contained in each of the criteria. Compliance plus is awarded for elements where particular strength is demonstrated.

Accreditation operates on a 3-year cycle, with a full assessment in year 1 followed up by 2 annual reviews to ensure standards are maintained.

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has been accredited with Customer Service Excellence since 2010 and has demonstrated continuous improvement through the assessment cycle.

We are delighted to have achieved the Customer Service Excellence Award. It reflects our belief that all our customers have the right to expect excellent levels of service.