New out of hours emergency repairs call handling contract

Recently, City West Housing Trust served notice on the current provider of the Out Of Hours Answering Service that customers contact.
As it is important that our customers play a part in choosing a new provider we decided it would be a good idea to involve two customers who had experience of dealing with the current provider and felt they could identify improvements.
The selection panel, involving the two customers, went through a stringent selection procedure involving pre qualification questionnaires, tenders, interviews, site visits and even visiting other clients of the prospective providers. The ultimate decision was to appoint, a North West company, Astraline as the new service provider from October 1st 2010. We feel we have gained an improved service with cost savings of up to £70,000 per annum as the new service also includes disaster recovery and scheduled service centre cover.

Neil Hough, customer, said at the end of the process, "It's been an excellent process and I have enjoyed it. By involving us, it gives us a lot more say. It has exceeded my expectations".

Fellow City West customer Renee Cavanagh added, "It's been brilliant and I've enjoyed being involved, I wouldn't have it any other way! This selection process is making sure City West have the right sort of people to accommodate the customer, at the time they're at the most anxious. Putting the tenant first is what it's all about".

In any service we provide at City West we put the customer at the heart of everything and always try and maintain outstanding levels of customer service. We will expect our new out of hour’s service provider to live up to those standards.