At Honeycomb Group, we believe the best decisions are made when customers have a seat at the table. Over the past month, I've had the chance to be involved in some great conversations and activities that are helping shape our services. Here's a quick roundup of what's been happening.
Q: How was the last CAG meeting, and are there any key updates?
A: The Customer Assurance Group (CAG) met this month to discuss a range of important topics, including complaints performance, customer voice feedback, the Renters' Rights Act, allocations and lettings, tenancy reviews and updates from neighbourhood services.
The group continues to play a vital role in influencing decisions and making sure services are shaped through a customer lens. One of the key discussions was around the future of the CAG itself. I've put forward a number of ideas and best practice suggestions that could help modernise the group, encourage more proactive conversations and support us in continuing to represent customers effectively.
Q: The Repairs Scrutiny Group is meeting today. What's on the agenda and are you looking forward to attending?
A: I'm always looking forward to these sessions because they're a great opportunity for customers to understand performance and challenge where needed.
We've got updates on repairs performance, customer satisfaction, complaints, damp and mould, void inspections, health and safety and call waiting times. We'll also hear about progress against the repairs contract and discuss what improvements have been made.
I'm particularly pleased that Vice Chair Wendy is chairing the meeting. One of my priorities is helping involved customers develop their skills and confidence, and opportunities like this allow people to take a leading role in shaping services.
Q: Call waiting times have fallen to under four minutes. What are your thoughts on that improvement?
A: It's really positive news and shows that customer feedback is being listened to. Customers told us they wanted services to be easier to access, and reducing waiting times is a big part of that.
The Customer Hub team deserves a lot of credit for the work they've done to achieve this. The introduction of a call-back service is another welcome improvement because it gives customers more flexibility and means they don't have to wait on hold if they're busy.
Of course, there's always more we can do, but it's encouraging to see real progress being made.
Q: We recently celebrated a year of customer-led Void Inspections. Why is this initiative important?
A: It's been fantastic to see involved customers helping inspect homes before they're re-let. Customers bring a unique perspective because they know what they would expect from a home and can help identify where improvements are needed.
Over the last year we've seen the programme evolve, with improvements made to inspection processes and how work is raised with contractors. It's also helped customers better understand the work that goes into preparing homes for new tenants.
Most importantly, it's another example of customers directly influencing services and helping us maintain high standards across our homes.
Q: You recently attended a Volunteer Scrutiny Group meeting. What were some of the key discussions?
A: One of the main topics was how we can continue to support the incredible work of Glow and Concrete through fundraising and community partnerships.
We also spoke about the upcoming Volunteer Thank You Event, which is a chance to recognise the contribution volunteers make across Honeycomb Group. Our volunteers give their time to support customers, communities and services, so it's important that we celebrate everything they achieve.
Do you have something you'd like Honeycomb Group to discuss?
I'd love to hear from you. If there's something you think we should be discussing, please get in touch. Your feedback helps influence conversations and decision-making across the Group. cag.chair@honeycombgroup.org.uk
Want to get involved?
There are lots of ways to have your say and help shape our services. To find out more, contact Customer Voice Specialist Jayne Tilolo:
🌐 www.honeycombgroup.org.uk/involved
📞 01782 744533
📧 Jayne.Tilolo@honeycombgroup.org.uk
