We are committed to the consistent delivery of good customer service. We aim to make services digital by default which are available 24/7, whilst making sure those who do not use digital services can still contact us through traditional methods.
Letters, Emails and Electronic Forms
- When writing to us you can expect a full reply to your letter or email within ten working days or a progress report with timescales. *
- The contact details of the officer responsible for dealing with your query will be included in correspondence.
- Members of the public who correspond in Gaelic will receive a reply in Gaelic.
*Some services have statutory response times which may differ from those identified in these standards. Service specific details will be provided on our web pages where applicable.
Telephone
- We aim to answer telephone calls within 20 seconds. If lines are busy or staff are unavailable, you may reach voicemail to ensure your enquiry is captured.
- We will converse through Gaelic or English in accordance with the customer request. A translation service will be made available as required for other languages.
- When we pass your enquiry to a specialist, we will pass on your personal details and the nature of your query so that you do not have to repeat it to another person.
Face to Face
The Comhairle operates an appointment system for face-to-face services.
When you visit our offices, you can expect:
- Officers to be welcoming, polite and helpful.
- Keep to pre-arranged appointment times and let you know in good time if appointments are running late or have to be rearranged.
- Provide consistent, up to date information on council services.
When we visit you at home you can expect that:
- Visiting staff will identify themselves to you with their Comhairle photo identity badge
- We will inform you where an appointment is running late or has to be cancelled
- We will inform you of the actions resulting from the visit and timescales
- We will give you a clear explanation of the nature of a visit that is made without a prior appointment
Complaints
If we fail you on any of the previous standards and you wish to make a complaint, you can expect:
- Respect for your opinions and empathy for your views
- An acknowledgement receipt within 3 working days
- A full reply in 20 working days, or details of progress and timescales for a further response
Complaints Procedure
You can help us by:
- Letting us know if you have any needs that may affect how we provide your service
- Being patient and polite when you talk to us
- Contacting us early if you need to rearrange an appointment
- Telling us what you think about our service and how we are performing