Welsh Housing Awards 2024
Read all the shortlisted entries into this award category, excellence in customer service, at the Welsh Housing Awards (WHA) 2024 and find out who won the award on the night.
In a rapidly changing environment, the need to deliver excellent services is more important than ever. This award recognises housing teams who go above and beyond to deliver truly outstanding customer service.
This award was sponsored by Llanw.
Winning project name
Financial Inclusion
Winning organisation
Monmouthshire Housing Association
Statement of support
Customer service excellence in financial support
At Monmouthshire Housing Association (MHA), we take pride in providing innovative, tenant-focused solutions to address the financial challenges our tenants face. Our financial inclusion team recently introduced a new model to build long-term financial resilience among tenants. This approach was developed following a review including the voices of tenants, staff, and partners, through workshops and consultations, which revealed that despite efforts to maximise income through employment support and welfare benefits, tenants continued to face financial hardships. Rising living costs, increased fuel prices, and mounting debt caused many tenants to rely on credit cards to cover basic needs, affecting their ability to maintain sustainable tenancies.
While income maximisation services were effective, they were not enough to ensure long-term financial stability. Tenants were still caught in cycles of debt and financial stress, as evidenced by repeat referrals for financial assistance. We recognised that in addition to increasing income, tenants needed to manage external financial pressures and develop skills for long-term financial independence.
To address these challenges, we remodelled our financial inclusion services with three core objectives:
- Thorough initial investigation: On the first referral, we now conduct a comprehensive assessment of all financial pressures and available resources affecting the household. This ensures a tailored, holistic support plan from the outset.
- Intensive coaching for financial resilience: We moved from transactional services to an intensive coaching model. This approach equips tenants with essential financial management skills, reducing their dependence on external support over time.
- Improving wellbeing and confidence: Financial stress often impacts mental health. Our model empowers tenants by improving their confidence and ability to manage finances independently, enhancing their overall wellbeing.
During this mapping exercise, we discovered multiple employability services were already available to tenants. This allowed us to reform our employability offerings and focus on creating a financial wellbeing service with support from the Money and Pensions Service. The new model helps tenants better understand their financial situation, improve budgeting skills, and develop strategies to reduce outgoings. It also encourages saving for future one-off costs, ensuring financial preparedness throughout the year.
In addition to financial coaching, we successfully secured a Multiply Levelling Up contract, which expanded our support, embedding practical budgeting skills into everyday life. This initiative includes hands-on workshops that align with sustainable living and financial management, such as:
- Cooking on a budget
- Sustainable fashion sewing
- Grow your own gardening
These workshops help tenants develop valuable life skills, making their financial resources go further.
To implement our vision, we ensured that our team was fully equipped with the necessary training. All of our money experts are Institute of Money Advisers (IMA) qualified, ensuring they stay up-to-date with welfare reform changes. Additionally, our financial wellbeing coaches have completed the Money Guiders training from the Money and Pensions Service, giving them the expertise needed to guide tenants through complex financial decisions.
A key innovation of our new model is personalised, one-to-one financial coaching based on the financial resilience model. This service provides ongoing support after working with our money advice experts, helping them build sustainable financial habits and reduce the risk of future crises.
MHA’s financial inclusion team has set a new standard for customer service excellence by shifting to a holistic, tenant-cantered model that builds long-term financial resilience. Through intensive coaching, practical life skills workshops, and ongoing support, we have empowered tenants to take control of their financial futures and achieve greater independence. This innovative approach demonstrates our commitment to improving tenants’ lives and fostering stronger, more sustainable communities.
Feedback:
- 97 per cent said they were very satisfied with the new service
- 96 per cent said the level of advice and support was excellent.
Outcomes and achievements
The new financial support model has seen significant improvements in tenants' ability to manage their finances independently. Tenants have reported increased confidence in handling their financial affairs, reduced reliance on credit cards for essential purchases, and improved overall wellbeing. Our focus on early intervention and personalised, long-term support has enabled more tenants to maintain sustainable tenancies, reducing the need for repeat referrals.
- Maximised incomes by £1.1 million. This was an increase of 40 per cent on the previous year
- Maximised income by over £820,000 in the first six months of the 2024/25 financial year
- Reduced an additional £70,000 in outgoings by budgeting measures alone
- 65 per cent of participants reporting a reduction in stress and feeling more in control of their finances
- All participants that followed the financial wellbeing model have stop their reliance on external emergency payments
- 35 per cent of participants have now set up savings accounts
- 20 enrolled in accredited mathematical courses
- 120 completed practical numeracy courses since June 2023
- Virtual peer led support groups, to share budgeting tips.
“This service is so good, I would like to do what you’re doing”
“Very helpful service delivered by very approachable individuals (and nothing is too much for them)”
“Amazing team!!”
"Very helpful, the team went over and above to help."
Shortlisted entries
Caredig Ltd - Caredig's Commitment to Exceptional Customer Service
Application entry
- Project name: Caredig's Commitment to Exceptional Customer Service
- Lead organisation: Caredig Ltd
Statement of support
Caredig’s customer service is powered by our dedicated housing services coordinators, a newly established team launched in 2023 with a clear strategic mission: to deliver a reliable, efficient, and customer-centric service for all who engage with Caredig. From day one, our goal was to put customers first by creating a service that not only meets but exceeds expectations.
Over recent years, a number of challenges were identified that impacted customer experience, including:
- Lack of clear ownership: Customer service responsibilities were scattered across various teams, fostering siloed work environments that often failed to prioritise the customer’s best interests
- Inconsistent approaches: Different teams handled customer queries in varying ways, leading to confusion and frustration for customers
- Inadequate systems: The absence of robust customer service performance monitoring limited our ability to assess and improve service quality
- Staff challenges: Frontline staff, frustrated by over-complicated systems, found it difficult to provide the high level of service they aspired to, particularly due to a confusing phone system
- Siloed teams: Handling multiple enquiries efficiently was a constant struggle due to fragmented team structures.
Previously, calls into the Caredig phone system were diverted through a phone IVR with over five options, callers were held in queues and if a customer had multiple queries, they were passed and transferred to other departments. Understandably, customers were giving up and the team were only successful in answering an average of 46 per cent of calls. Frustration was high from customers and staff who felt hindered in their ability to resolve or provide updates all the queries they received.
Recognising these issues, we took bold and innovative steps to transform our service delivery. In collaboration with key departments such as housing, property services, and the Tenant Hub, we developed a customer-first approach designed to resolve queries at the first point of contact.
Key changes that have significantly improved our customer service include:
- Restructuring into one unified customer-facing team, eliminating the previous silos and fostering a more cohesive service delivery
- Investment in the Zoom Contact Centre software for enhanced control and functionality, empowering the team to better manage and track customer interactions
- Streamlined phone system: We removed all IVRs, allowing customers to connect directly with the team, reducing waiting times and frustrations
- ‘Call Back’ feature: Customers can now request a call back without losing their place in the queue, making their experience more convenient and hassle-free
- Targeted recruitment: We sought out team members with a strong background in customer service, ensuring we had the right people to deliver an outstanding experience.
The introduction of a business analyst to the team has also played a crucial role, driving improvements based on real-time analysis. For example, by adjusting the timing of the ‘call back’ option, we immediately reduced abandoned calls by 10 per cent. Additionally, insights into call reasons have allowed us to proactively direct customers, such as rent payers, toward digital services for faster, more efficient service.
In just eight months, the housing services coordinators have transformed Caredig’s approach to customer service, consistently raising the bar and demonstrating that customer satisfaction is at the heart of everything we do. This nomination recognises their unwavering commitment to excellence and the positive impact they’ve had on our customers and staff alike.
Outcomes and achievements
The results speak for themselves:
- Zero service complaints regarding customer service from the team
- An impressive 54 per cent decrease in calls being abandoned by customers
- Four formal compliments logged from customers, where previously there were none
- A reduction in overall call volume, as our first-contact resolution approach prevents the need for follow-up calls
- Decreased failure demand across the entire business, showcasing the ripple effect of improved customer service on overall operations.
Our team’s dedication to continuous improvement has not only enhanced service quality but also built a strong, supportive work ethic. In fact, this month working in partnership with Gower College we welcomed our first housing apprentice as part of our ongoing commitment to developing talent in customer service.
Looking ahead, Caredig is partnering with the Tenant Hub to establish a set of service standards that will empower tenants to hold us accountable, ensuring we continue to deliver the highest level of service and continue to build a trusting relationship with tenants and customers of Caredig.
