Hi, I’m Marie. I lead our Customer Connect Hub, the team tenants speak to when they get in touch with us.
We know people don’t usually contact us at an easy time. It’s often when something isn’t right or they need help with something important. When that happens, being able to quickly reach the right support can make a real difference.
Our focus is simple: understand what each person needs and make sure they can access the right help as early as possible. When we get this right, it reduces delays, avoids frustration, and helps people feel confident that their situation is being listened to and taken seriously.
We want tenants to:
- Access the right support more easily
- Get help earlier, before issues escalate
- Experience a more joined-up and consistent service
- Feel confident and supported when they contact us
- Have a better overall experience when seeking help
To support this, we’ve improved how we manage enquiries at the first point of contact.
This means we’re better able to understand what someone needs straight away and connect them to the right team or partner more quickly. By identifying support needs earlier, we can help reduce repeat contact and make it easier for tenants to access the help they need.
We’re also making more use of feedback and insight, so we can continue improving how we respond based on real tenant experiences. We continue to work closely with internal teams and partner organisations to make sure enquiries are followed through and resolved, helping provide a more joined-up experience for tenants.
These changes are helping to:
- Reduce the time it takes for tenants to access the right support
- Prevent issues from escalating by responding earlier
- Create a more joined-up experience across teams and partners
- Build trust and confidence in our service
- Make it easier for tenants to get the help they need first time
Over the past year, the team has handled more than 167,000 calls, alongside emails, webchats and proactive outreach to tenants. Every interaction is an opportunity to understand someone’s situation, connect tenants to the right support, and help resolve issues as early as possible.
A big part of our role is being there when it matters most.
Recently, one of our colleagues supported a tenant who was struggling with essential living costs. By taking the time to listen and understand what they were going through, they worked with local partners to arrange emergency support.
Because the right support was put in place quickly, the tenant was able to access help at a critical time, reduce immediate financial pressure, and feel more secure about what would happen next.
This is the kind of difference we aim to make every day. Behind every call, email or webchat is a person looking for support, and our role is to help them access the right help as quickly and smoothly as possible.
I’m really proud of the progress the team has made.
We know we haven’t always got this right, but by continuing to listen to tenants and learn from their experiences, we’re improving how we work and making positive changes based on what people tell us.
We’ll continue to build on what’s working well, making it easier for tenants to get the support they need, when they need it most, and ensuring every contact with us is a positive and supportive experience.
