Annual Report 2014-15

Corporate Plan Priority 2 – Great Customer Service
It goes without saying that our community expects and deserves great customer service. We aim
to increase the number of online services available to our community. We also aim to respond to
our customers as quickly as possible and to provide personal friendly service.
Key achievements include:
   A significant improvement in the management of our front line phone interface with our customers. At
    the beginning of 2014/15, too many customers were waiting too long on hold to have their phone calls
    answered. The introduction of “call back” facilities, better training for frontline customer service staff, the
    introduction of better information on answering queries, dedicated staff and good management of the
    customer service branch has seen a significant improvement in 2014/15. In July 2014, average wait
    times were above 75 seconds but by June 2015, they were below 45 seconds.
   Council continued to receive outstanding feedback from the community about customer service and
    services provided to the community generally. The two areas that received the most positive feedback
    were Parks and Gardens, and frontline Customer Service.
    “I just wanted to give thanks to the staff who answer the phones at the Council. I've only called a couple
    of times with queries, but both times the women answering were direct and helpful. Large companies
    could learn a lot from them.”
    A Customer called as he wanted Council to know – “how “nice” it is to be connected to a human being
    and not an automated message service and for his enquiry to be dealt with within the call time.”
    A Customer was impressed with Council’s “quick response to a blocked drain. Request was
    acknowledged at 6.29am and staff were knocking on the customer’s door at 8am.”


Corporate Plan Priority 3 – Community engagement and communication
We know that our community wants to be kept informed and we need to provide as much
information as possible via local media and to develop a better online presence. We will involve
the community in decision making on key issues affecting the future of Noosa.
Key achievements include:
   Council commenced a Queensland first for local government with a trial of a Community Jury. The first
    Jury has finished its deliberations and provided its report to Council on the topic – “What is the best
    option for minimising organic waste sent to landfill?” The second Community Jury will have a focus on
    river management.
   Council has undertaken a number of meetings across our region to engage with our community. Formal
    Council meetings have been held at Peregian Beach and Cooran during 2014/15. Councillors and the
    CEO have also held community information night meetings at Kin Kin, Pomona, Tewantin and Sunshine
    Beach.
   A survey of our community was undertaken to assess how they obtain access to information about
    Council. This survey was responded to by over 1,700 people and provided Council with valuable
    feedback on how our community wants to be engaged.
   An e-newsletter format was developed and published. There is more to do with this publication and
    there is an opportunity to improve this in 2016. The Libraries and Galleries have continued their
    excellent e-news publication which has a wide reach.
   Council’s website is still a work in progress. A decision was made in 2014 not to establish a completely
    new website but to re-focus the existing website. While some work has been done in that regard and the
    website is mobile enabled, the structure and presentation of information is still not yet particularly user
    friendly. This will be a focus in 2015/16.
   Council’s social media presence significantly improved in the 2014/15 year. Council’s Facebook
    followers have increased to nearly 2,500 and this medium has been particularly useful during our minor
    flooding events. The Noosa Library Service and The J also have developed strong social media
    presences which assist in the promotion of their services.
   The Your Say Noosa portal on our website became fully operational. This portal provides an avenue to
    undertake community consultation on a range of issues.


Noosa Council Annual Report 2014/15                                                                        Page 6