Repairs have always played an important role in shaping how customers experience Abri, and we know how important it is to make sure we’re getting things right. So, we wanted to host some sessions to hear directly what our customers’ think of the service we are providing. Holding these as in-person sessions was important to us, as it allowed customers to share their feedback face-to-face and helped us better understand the real experiences behind the comments they made.
Myself and the senior members of our repairs and maintenance team held the sessions at our Yeovil and Bracknell regional offices. We hoped this would allow us to gather insights that would help us continue improving the customer experience.
We reached out to customers who had received a repair within the previous six months and who lived within a short distance of our three regional offices. Our aim was to ensure that those who attended were representative of customers who had recently experienced our repairs service, while also making it practical for people to travel to the events.
So what did we learn?
We heard not only positive feedback from customers but also real life examples of areas where we need to improve. The theme across both sessions was that while we are managing day-to-day repairs effectively, responding both quickly and efficiently, it’s the more complex jobs that require greater focus. This mirrors the findings from last year’s sessions, where similar issues were highlighted. We know that challenges are more likely to arise when multiple operatives are involved or when several different repairs are required within the same property. These scenarios continue to be the situations where our processes occasionally fall short.
“Normal repairs are excellent. When it’s a straightforward job, everything runs smoothly and gets sorted quickly.”
“Customer service is always lovely. Every time I call, they’re helpful and genuinely want to assist.”
“When they put the bathroom in, Holly was absolutely amazing. She gave me constant updates and kept me informed every step of the way. She deserves a medal—she’s a real star and a credit to the team.”
“I think 9/10 you guys do get it right. When I do have issues, they are resolved. Really pleasant, really helpful, and I’ve found that the people who come out do care.”
“When it comes to out of hours, it is a quick response. When I had to call someone, they were here in a couple of hours and we’ve definitely seen the improvements.”
“The operatives are very pleasant.”
So what’s next?
We’ve already begun to streamline the process for moving work from the Repairs team to the Planned Works team, reducing delays and helping ensure jobs reach the right specialists faster. To help us understand the cause of more complex work, we have increased the number of qualified Surveyors and we’re also developing Minor Works teams in each region, with the first trial already underway in the South West. We’re hoping these changes will enable us to deliver a better level of service in the types of cases mentioned above.
Myself and the team really appreciated the opportunity to engage directly with customers about their thoughts on our repairs service, and we welcome further feedback at future sessions.
Colin Gallaugher, Commercial Services Director