Consulting Customers Under 35
Over many years, Accent has tried to involve customers from all walks of life in decision-making – but we have typically struggled to elicit participation from young people.
We consulted with customers under the age of 35 to find out what would encourage them to 'get involved'. You can see the full results to the survey here and find out how we are responding to the feedback below.
You said: Quick polls and surveys appear to be the most convenient way for younger people to provide feedback.
We did: We would encourage customers who wish to be consulted on the full range of services that Accent provides to join our online community, the Accent 1000.
Accent 1000 is a collective of customers who we consult with on a regular basis to better understand your needs and priorities and to find out what you think about the services we provide. You can subscribe by completing the form below.
You may already have received text message and email surveys following correspondence with the Contact Centre or following the completion of repairs. You can expect to receive similar satisfaction surveys on a wider range of services in the future; such as estate services and complaints handling.
You said: Younger people are more concerned with how their feedback will be used and are less motivated by personal gain (incentives and rewards).
We did: We aim to make it very clear why individuals have been selected to take part in surveys and consultations – it’s not just a random sample.
We always try to notify customers about how their feedback has been used to improve services. Please check the 'You said, We did' page regularly for updates.
You said: Family friendly events and knowing other people taking part could encourage more young people to attend meetings and events.
We did: Family and household members have always been welcome at meetings and events – but we have not made this clear in our event invitations.
We will call all customers who have expressed their interest in attending an event to explain its purpose and the benefits of taking part. We want you to feel familiar with the event coordinators so you can be comfortable giving your views.
You said: ¼ of respondents would consider taking part in online discussions via Skype or Zoom. 30% of respondents would be interested to find out how their experience compares with customers living elsewhere in the country.
We did: We will soon be inviting customers to shape our next 5-year plan. Given the current circumstances, we will holding meetings using Zoom. Holding meetings online means that we are not bound by regional constraints. We hope that it may be more convenient for customers with work or family commitments to engage with us in this way.
You said: Some respondents indicated that incentives and rewards would encourage them to participate in surveys, discussions and events.
We did: Under our ‘Rewarding Quality Engagement’ initiative, individuals who provide insightful, considered and detailed feedback could soon be eligible for rewards. Read more here.
