Customers help shape our repairs service

Thank you to everyone who attended our recent "Help Shape the Tender" workshop as part of the process of appointing a new repairs contractor.

The workshop brought together a group of customers who have expressed an interest in helping us improve our repairs service and influence how it is delivered in the future.

Working Together to Shape the Future

The session began with an introduction from our Head of Assets, Graham Rosenburg, who provided an overview of the tender process and highlighted the important role customers will play in helping to shape the future repairs service.

Customers then worked in small groups to review the key themes emerging from surveys, complaints data and other customer feedback. Through discussion and collaboration, they identified the issues that matter most to customers and considered what expectations should be set for future contractors.

These conversations helped shape two customer-focused tender questions, ensuring that the priorities and experiences of our customers are reflected in the procurement process.

Developing Customer-Led Tender Questions

Working collaboratively, the groups developed and agreed two customer-focused questions that will be included in the tender process for prospective repairs contractors.

The questions are designed to reflect the priorities identified through customer feedback and require contractors to explain how they would deliver the high-quality service that our customers expect.

The questions are currently in draft form, and there is still an opportunity for you to have their say before they are finalised. Here are the questions below:

• Question 1: Customer communication and experience: Describe how you will deliver a positive customer experience throughout the repairs journey, ensuring customers receive timely, accurate and accessible communication from first contact through to completion of the repair.
• Question 2: Respect, dignity and tackling stigma: Describe how you will ensure all customers are treated fairly, respectfully and without prejudice, recognising that every property is a customer's home and safe space.

Have Your Say

We would love to hear your thoughts. Do you think these questions reflect the priorities that are most important to customers? Is there anything you would add or change?

Please share your comments and feedback with us. Your views will help ensure the final questions truly reflect what customers want from their future repairs service. You can share your feedback in the ideas section of our page.

What Happens Next?

The two customer-developed questions will now be finalised using any additional feedback received, before being included in the tender pack. All contractors bidding for the contract will be required to respond to these questions as part of their submission.

As we move into the next stage of the procurement process, we will invite customers to take part in a further workshop. During this session, customers will have the opportunity to review and score the responses provided by the shortlisted contractors against the questions they helped create.

This approach ensures that customer insight is not only used to shape the tender requirements but also plays a meaningful role in assessing potential contractors. By involving customers in both stages of the process, we can make sure that the qualities and standards that matter most to our customers are reflected in the final decision.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed so far. Your time, experience and feedback are helping to place customer voices at the centre of this important project and shape the future of our repairs service.