Customer service standards

We have developed and implemented 25 customer service standards to help improve the service we provide to you.

We use these standards to measure and report back on cleansing services in Belfast and to help us identify areas where improvement is needed.

They cover five different areas:

Street cleansing

1. To maintain a minimum city-wide cleanliness index of 70 (67 is recognised as a good standard by Tidy Northern Ireland).

Our target: 72
Results for year to date: 75

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
City-wide cleanliness index 76 76 75 74 74 74 75 75 74


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


2. Where commitment to remove graffiti is given, non-contentious graffiti will be removed within four working days from the signing of an indemnity form.

Our target: Four working days
Results for year to date: 1.53 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 13 7 10 9 11 8 11 7 2
Average number of working days 1 1.57 1.70 1.67 1.81 1.62 2.36 1.00 1.00


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


3. Where commitment to remove graffiti is given, contentious graffiti will be removed within one working day from the signing of an indemnity form.

Our target: One working day
Results for year to date: 1.08 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 16 17 15 18 24 23 17 13 8
Average number of working days 1.06 0.88 1.13 1.17 1.08 1.47 0.94 1.00 1.00


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in May, October, November and December 2011. We fell slightly below our target in April, June, July, August and September 2011.


4. Removal of flyposters within four working days of receipt of notification.

Our target: Four working days
Results for year to date: 1.51 days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 1 3 2 1 0 6 4 1 0
Average number of working days 1 1 1 4 0 1.33 1.25 1.00 0


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, September, October and November 2011. There were no reports of flyposting in August or December 2011.

5. Level of customer satisfaction with the service provided(quarterly survey of customers).

Our target: 85%
Results for year to date: 89.33%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Satisfaction rating % 89% N/A N/A 88% N/A N/A 91% N/A N/A


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, July and October 2011.

Enforcement

6. Within two working days of an offender to a littering offence being identified by way of an Article 20 notice, a fixed penalty notice will be issued, where appropriate.

Our target: Two working days
Results for year to date: 1.54 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 10 4 22 10 8 9 14 9 5
Average number of working days 1.60 2.75 1.77 1.40 1.00 1.22 1.28 1.33 1.40


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011. We fell slightly below our target in May 2011.

Community awareness

7. Contact will be made with all schools at least once per year with a view to delivering a litter awareness message.

Our target: 100%
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage of target reached 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


8. To deliver a Cleansing Advisory Forum meeting in each area of the city (north, south, east, west and central) at least once per quarter.

Our target: 100%
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage of target reached 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.

Waste collection

9. Domestic bins will be collected on the designated day 100 per cent of the time, provided they have been left out for collection at the appropriate time.

Our target: 99%
Results for year to date: 99.93%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 99.94% 99.92% 99.92% 99.83% 99.93% 99.93% 99.93% 99.94% 99.92%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


10. Bulky waste will be collected on the designated day 100 per cent of the time, provided the items have been left out for collection at the appropriate time, where access permits.

Our target: 99%
Results for year to date: 99.83%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 99.88% 99.62% 99.84% 99.88% 99.91% 99.89% 99.79% 99.84% 98.72%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


11. Commercial waste will be collected on the designated day 100 per cent of the time, provided it has been left out for collection at the appropriate time.

Our target: 99%
Results for year to date: 99.44%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 99.42% 99.29% 99.19% 99.50% 99.43% 99.48% 99.48% 99.48% 99.65%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


12. All bins will be returned to their collection point after emptying.

Our target: 99%
Results for year to date: 99.997%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 11 11 4 8 7 17 10 22 15
Percentage achieved % 99.998% 99.998% 99.999% 99.998% 99.998% 99.997% 99.998% 99.996% 99.997%


We met or exceeded our agreed targets for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


13. Customers will be advised annually of their refuse collection holiday schedules.

Our target: 100%
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


14. Domestic bins which have been left out on time and have been missed by our squads will be collected within two working days of a customer request.

Our target: Two working days
Results for year to date: 1.32 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 359 483 482 476 435 416 439 353 520
Average number of working days 1.38 1.65 1.25 1.22 1.43 1.37 1.08 1.16 1.13


We met or exceeded our agreed targets for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


15. Commercial waste which has been left out on time and has been missed by our squads will be collected within two working days of a customer request.

Our target: Two working days
Results for year to date: 1.30 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 157 153 174 127 120 109 136 128 88
Average number of working days 1.35 1.56 1.35 1.23 1.19 1.35 1.14 1.19 1.10


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


16. Bin spillages will be rectified within one working day of being reported.

Our target: One working day
Results for year to date: 1.11 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 0 1
Average number of working days 0 0 0 1 1.33 0 1 0 1


There were no reported bin spillages in April, May, June, September or November 2011. We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in July, August, October and December 2011.


17. All customers will be provided with an agreed date for the collection of bulky household waste.

Our target: 100%
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


18. A bulky household waste collection will be made on average within 5 working days of a customer request, provided the items for collection have been properly identified, presented and left out for collection at the appropriate time.

Our target: 4.5 working days
Results for year to date: 3.28 working days

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Number of occurrences 3,327 3,424 3,932 3,356 4,017 3,844 3,425 3,813 2,900
Average number of working days 3.46 3.85 3.11 3.35 3.05 3.35 2.89 3.15 3.15


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


19. A 'no admission' card will be left for our bulky household waste customers 99 per cent of the time where appropriate.

Our target: 99%
Results for year to date: 99.37%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 98.40% 99.35% 100% 100% 99% 100% 99.12% 99.08% 99.68%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011. We fell slightly below our target in April 2011.


20. Level of customer satisfaction with the service provided (quarterly survey of customers).

Our target: 85%
Results for year to date: 90.50%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved 90% N/A N/A 94% N/A N/A 87.50% N/A N/A


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April,July and October 2011.

Customer support

21. Calls will be answered within 20 seconds of being connected to our cleansing call centre (91 per cent of the time).

Our target: 97%
Results for year to date: 99.42%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 99.20% 98.50% 99.60% 99.70% 99.20% 99.60% 99.60% 99.50% 95.90%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November 2011.


22. Calls will be resolved at the first point of contact with cleansing staff (90 per cent of the time).

Our target: 97%
Results for year to date: 99.36%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 99.35% 99.20% 99.17% 99.47% 99.43% 99.45% 99.62% 99.54% 99.00%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


23. An acknowledgement to a corporate complaint will be sent to our customers within one working day of receipt of the complaint.

Our target: One working day
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October and December 2011.


24. An investigation into a stage one corporate complaint will be carried out and a response provided within five working days.

Our target: Five working days
Results for year to date: 100%

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%


We met or exceeded our agreed target for this service standard in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December 2011.


25. An investigation into a stage two corporate complaint will be carried out and a response provided within ten working days.

Our target: Ten working days
Results for year to date: N/A

April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 August 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011 December 2011
Percentage achieved % 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0


There were no stage two complaints in April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November or December 2011.