Customer Connect outlines how we'll engage with you and work with you, what standard of service you can expect to receive, and the different ways you can get involved with us.
It's how we 'connect' with you and ensure that you feel cared about and respected, and treated fairly and honestly at all times.
Getting involved
Involving you in our shaping our services and plans, ensures we get things right. We want to be a reliable, fair and caring landlord for all our residents.
When you want to talk to us and engage with us, we want you to be able to do so in a variety of ways.
The Customer Services Committee is a committee of the YHG Board which will oversee that our strategy for our customers is carried out and review and monitor our performance in relation to customer experience. It will also input into areas such as value for money, compliance with regulation and recommend service improvements. It will comprise four customer members, together with four non-executive members of the YHG Board, one of whom will Chair the Committee.
The Committee will meet approximately eight times a year either online, or in person, whenever possible in Warrington.
I have been a resident with Your Housing Group (YHG) for a year and I applied to be part of this committee because I am passionate about diversity and inclusion. I want YHG to be a place where colleagues feel safe to bring their whole selves to work and where customers are valued for their diversity.
They should all feel supported in accordance with their unique needs and live in YHG homes that are part of our thriving communities. I have worked in the housing sector and am currently an accountant for a large FTSE 100 company in Yorkshire.
I am both a qualified General Nurse and a qualifiedSocial Worker and still retain my Social Work Registration.My forty years’ experience in health and social carehas been invaluable in my current role as a SpecialistProfessional Advisor (SPA) for the Care Quality Commission (CQC).I have also managed residential care settings and workedas an area manager for local authorities, as well asdomiciliary care agencies.
Until my recent retirement, I was Regional Director inHealth and Social Care and Emergency Response for a large international charity, and was responsible for a large partof the North of England. My wife Yvonne and I have been a Your Housing Group residents for approximately seven years and have livedin the Stockport area since we married forty years ago.
I have been a resident for Your Housing Group for over 15 years. For the past 16 years, I have worked within the homelessness arena, helping vulnerable people to lead independent lives by supporting them practically, as well as providing emotional support. Prior to this, I worked as a Disability Employment Advisor enabling people to overcome health barriers to gain suitable and sustainable employment.
I am very passionate about communication development and setting up projects and activities in the local community and have been successful in the past applying for funding for things like road safety projects, youth activities and health and wellbeing programmes
.
The Customer Connect Panel meet formally approximately every 6 weeks. Each meeting follows a formal agenda, led by the Chair. A key part of their role is to ensure that business engages with and listens to our customers on YHG service. In their role they liaise with different service areas across YHG to listen, challenge where necessary and influence policy and practice. If you enjoy participating with others, are interested in getting to know more about your landlord and housing and want to make sure the customer voice is heard, then a role on the Customer Connect Panel may be for you.
Members:
Andrea Hampton (Chair), Alison Piddington, Pam Moores, Philip Webb, Tracey Lawson, Charles Fishwick, John McCormack and Mary Doveston
There’s a requirement by the Regulator of Social Housing for us to work with and provide support to our customers, by ensuring we thoroughly examine, or scrutinise, the services we offer. This is where the Customer Scrutiny Panel comes in.
The panel is about much more than just fulfilling a regulatory requirement. Good customer scrutiny holds our promises to account, gives a platform for your voice to be heard, and provides assurance to our Board. Where issues are found, it also provides solutions from customers for positive change to take place.
We have an established history of working with residents to really dig deep into our services and see them from your perspective.
The Customers Scrutiny Panel carry out 2 to 3 reviews a year. Each project runs for approximately 12 weeks and may have 6 or so meetings in this time. They look at one service area in detail, speaking directly to customer and sometimes staff. They also review policies, procedures and other documentation as part of this process. They may also carry out their own survey or rely on data held by the business to find out what customers think about YHG. If have an eye for detail and a keen interest helping YHG improve their services, then a role in the Customer Scrutiny Panel may be for you.
What does the panel do?
In some ways, panel members are a bit like secret shoppers, but so much more too. They’re trained residents – tenants or leaseholders – who offer their time to review our services. They listen to the 'lived' experiences of residents, and then, from a customer perspective, offer conclusions and recommendations for change.
Can I join the panel?
Absolutely, if you’re a tenant or leaseholder with us, get in touch as we regularly recruit throughout the year.
There’s an interview process as this is a more formal role. But we’ll support you through the process with guidance and advice. We also provide training throughout the year to panel members to make sure they have the skills to carry out their role.
Current members
Joanne Doyle, Bev Holt, Cheryl Ballan, Catherine Farr and Richard Hadfield
Out & About is part of our Customer Connect promise to be more visible and available to you, and spend more time meeting with you and talking to you face to face.
In 2024, we will visit areas across all of your neighbourhoods.
Where have we been and where will we be?
2024
- Thursday 18 January, St Helens ✅
- Wednesday 21 February, Lancashire ✅
- Wednesday 20 March, Manchester ✅
- Wednesday 26 June, Leeds ✅
- Wednesday 24 July, Crewe ✅
- Wednesday 21 August, Kirkby ✅
- Wednesday 2 October, Merseyside
- Wednesday 23 October, Manchester
- Wednesday 27 November, Yorkshire
Further details about each exact location and times will follow, so keep an eye on this page!
Who'll be there?
You'll be able to talk to colleagues who work in areas covering*:
- Housing
- Money advice
- Customer engagement
- Rent
- Your Home Hub
- Home improvements
- Repairs
- Building safety
For more information and to see what we get up to on our Out & Abouts, please follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
*Please note that not all colleagues may be available at all locations, but we will take any and all questions back to the right people.
Are you a Your Housing Group resident and would you like to speak to your local Tenancy Management Officer (TMO)?
Come along to one of our Housing Drop-Ins to chat with your TMO about any concerns, ask any questions, or simply just have talk about your tenancy.
No appointment is needed, just pop along. Find out where & when below:
St Paul's Centre, Hightown, Crewe, CW1 3BY
10am until 1pm, first Tuesday of every month
Cheadle Community Firestation, Ashbourne Road, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST10 1HF
12.30pm until 2pm, Wednesday 23 October 2024
The Learning Curve, 85, St Johns Road, Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST8 6LL
10am until 12pm, Thursday 14 November 2024
The Haregate Community Centre, 46 Queens Drive, Leek ST13 6DJ
10am until 12pm, Tuesday 22 October 2024
10am until 12pm, Tuesday 26 November 2024
Live in one of our high-rise buildings? Read more here.
Other ways to get involved
Other ways, such as walkabouts and attending residents’ groups are less formal, but just as vital to getting your voice heard. They all enable us to better understand YOUR experience and we engage with you through a variety of means, including face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, emails, texts and digital forums.
We also use social media, newsletters and surveys to talk with you – all of which help us to shape our services. There are also specific groups such as the High Rise Forum. This forum helps us to better understand how we can enhance resident safety in multi-occupancy buildings.
To find out more, email [email protected]
If you want to have a say, and have something raised by either the Customer Services Committee or Customer Scrutiny Panel, contact Chris Quigg, Customer Scrutiny Manager on 07785 405427 or email [email protected]
Related pages
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Find out more
Your Service Standards
Our Service Standards explain what we will do with you and what we ask of you in return.
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Find out more
Grounds maintenance
Looking after gardens, outdoor spaces, and the nature in them.
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Have your say
Contact Chris Quigg, Customer Scrutiny Manager on 07785 405427 or email [email protected]