Customer Inspectors

The Customer Inspectors have been playing an integral role in the services that SARH deliver since they formed in 2008.

Estate Walkabout Inspection

The Customer Inspectors are a group of customers who have been trained to inspect the way SARH work and how they deliver services to customers.  They do this by interviewing and surveying customers, mystery shopping, holding focus groups, shadowing staff and through other techniques.

The Customer Inspectors have inspected various areas of the business so far:

• In 2008 and 2011 The Lettable Standard was inspected.  This is the condition that a property should be in before you move in.
• The Responsive Repairs Service was inspected in 2009 and at the beginning of 2012.  The responsive repairs service  is the service that you receive when you report a non-emergency repair.
• In 2010 Aids and Adaptations (alterations that can be made to a persons’ home to make living there easier for them if they have a special need or disability) were inspected.
• 2011 saw the Estate Walkabouts (regular tours around the estates that our Neighbourhood Services Officers make alongside customers and partner agencies like the Police and Staffordshire Highways) inspected.

Each of these areas were chosen because SARH and the Customer Inspectors were aware that improvements were required.  At the end of each inspection a report is produced that contains:

• How the inspection was carried out
• What the Inspectors found
• Recommendations for improvement

The report is presented to the Leadership Team (which is made up of the Chief Executive and the Directors of SARH) who then respond to the recommendations with information on how the these will be implemented.  Over time the recommendations that are accepted are put in place and the Customer Inspectors will revisit those areas to make sure that things have actually improved as a result of them.

The reports of these inspections can be downloaded using the link to the right.

If you are interested in joining the Customer Inspection Team or taking part in a focus group or survey please contact the Community Involvement Team on 0800 111 4554 or on cp@sarh.co.uk.