An award-winning qualification for customer-facing professionals in Scottish local government is set to help some of Scotland's 34 planning authorities deliver better services.
The Customer Service Professional qualification is the only local government-led online qualification certificated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). It aims to make customer service more efficient by increasing the ability of staff to deal with service requests and enquiries first time, and to minimise complaints.
The Planning Development Programme (PDP) has now selected the qualification as the cornerstone of a pilot now being run in three planning authorities – Highland, Renfrewshire and North Lanarkshire – that will provide accredited training in customer service and complaints management for planners and staff supporting planning, as well as members' services.
Funding will be provided, through the PDP, for up to 20 staff in each of the three planning authorities to take advantage of the SQA-certificated training to improve their skills, knowledge, confidence and performance and, in turn, provide better service and a lower number of complaints.
The pilots will start in July 2010. Staff are expected to complete the qualification by December 2010, to allow an evaluation to be concluded by March 2011.
Kate O'Hagan, Head of Organisational Development at the Improvement Service, said: "Providing tailored training and support to staff involved in discharging a key public service – planning – is vital not just to the delivery of better quality public services but to the enhanced credibility and reputation of Scotland's planning authorities. The Qualification's proven success will help the Planning Development Programme extend its reach and support to the planning authorities and we welcome and value the lead shown by the three planning authorities involved in the pilots. "
Renfrewshire Council led the qualification's development together with the Improvement Service and a consortium of Scottish councils. Michael Moran of Renfrewshire Council said: "Having been closely involved in the qualification from the outset, both the council and its staff have already begun to reap rewards from delivering the qualification. Being selected as one of the pilots creates a real opportunity to widen access to training to the planning community as well as build on what's been achieved in Renfrewshire through the qualification's adoption."
Martin Brown, Head of Customer Relationship, Improvement Service, added: "The qualification is another practical example of how effective collaboration across and beyond local government is delivering bottom line benefits for employers and staff. In a new spending context for local government and the planning authorities, enhancing individuals' skills and confidence levels can play a pivotal role in resolving service requests first time, in minimising complaints and in reducing costs."
More information
Customer Service Professional: Iain Sloan, Business Development Manager, Tel: 01506 775582, Mob: 07774 765329, enquiries@customerserviceprofessional.co.uk
www.customerserviceprofessional.co.uk
Planning Development Programme: Moira Weir, Project Manager, Planning Development Programme, Tel: 01506 775598, Mob: 07767 641565
