A mystery shopper exercise at South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Customer Contact Centre found 98% of advisors answered enquiries to a high standard.
Conducted by an independent team of 16 researchers, the exercise involved 400 calls made at various times of day and across the week – at the Council’s busiest time of year. The calls tested the Contact Centre’s responsiveness, professionalism, and knowledge across a wide range of services.
The results show:
- The Contact Centre achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 81% across all service areas. This compares to a benchmark score of 68% amongst other councils.
- It earned a Net Promoter Score of +43, significantly above the scores for other councils, indicating customers are likely to recommend the service to others.
- Every single Advisor gave their name to the customer and nearly every call was classed as ‘jargon free’.
- Customer service advisors were consistently praised for their politeness, helpfulness, and ability to resolve queries effectively.
- The Contact Centre demonstrated strong knowledge across diverse service areas, including Council Tax, recycling and waste, and housing.
The exercise – which was carried out by external provider Insight6 – was a repeat of a mystery shop of the Customer Contact Centre back in 2023. This year’s results were discussed at the Cabinet meeting held today (Tuesday 24 June).
South Cambridgeshire District Council’s Lead Cabinet Member for Resources, Cllr John Williams, commented: “These results are a testament to the dedication and professionalism of our Contact Centre team. We are committed to providing excellent service to our residents and being fit for the future, and this independent review confirms we are on the right track. Remember you can also complete many tasks online using our new website – which is making it even easier to get personalised, local information at a glance.”
Meanwhile, the District Council is now using Artificial Intelligence to ensure that when someone rings, their call is efficiently routed to the most appropriate Customer Contact Centre Advisor - or to provide an immediate answer if the caller prefers. This helps to free-up time for call handlers to deal with the more complicated inquiries where their knowledge and experience is important.
In addition to the phone support praised during the mystery shopper exercise, residents are being reminded they can access a newly redesigned District Council website that makes it easier than ever to find information and complete tasks online. The new site, which was launched back in March, features:
- Personalised local information such as bin collection dates, planning applications, and local events - just by entering your postcode.
- Streamlined navigation and a mobile-friendly design.
- 24/7 support through SAM, the Council’s AI chatbot.
- Improved accessibility and a more sustainable, carbon-efficient platform.
This digital upgrade empowers residents to self-serve quickly and easily, reducing the need to call or visit in person.
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