Council contact centre: Missed targets as staff handle 260,000 calls in first quarter

That was the message to councillors on the region’s environment, finances and communities scrutiny committee as they considered the impact of COVID-19 on call volumes and response times across Fife Council over the past two years.

A report confirmed suspicions that the summer of 2021 was particularly problematic, with customers experiencing long waiting times - particularly on the environment and repairs lines.

Almost 260,000 calls were made to the Contact Centre in the first quarter of 2021/22, more than three times the near-75,000 calls over the same period the year previously, while the second quarter of the year saw just 70.9% of calls actually answered - falling well below the 88% target set.

Calls which were answered were also taking an average of six minutes 45 seconds to be picked up last summer, compared to just 49 seconds in 2020/21.

However, additional resources were added to the centre thanks to a one-off £300,000 investment agreed by Fife Council in September which meant both temporary and agency staff could be brought in to deal with the additional work.

That has made a huge difference in recent months, and the most up-to-date performance figure relating to calls answered stands at 83.3% - with calls taking an average of between three and four minutes to be addressed.

Diarmuid Cotter, head of customer and online services at Fife Council, noted: “These have been unprecedented times for everyone, and the Contact Centre has had to adapt due to various demands and changing circumstances.

“At times call answering performance has been impacted but with the addition of resources this has improved.

“Post-pandemic it is hoped that improvement will be stabilised, and we can continue to offer a quality service from the Contact Centre.”

Mr Cotter praised staff for adapting to new types of work and a new working environment over the last two years in particular, with most working from home.

The Contact Centre team also had a responsibility around test and protect which saw staff carry out outbound calling on behalf of the government and led to a backlog in housing access, housing repairs and passes and concessions which increased call volumes.

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