Equality and Diversity mystery shop – what we learned and what we’re going to do What happened… Back in November, we met with customers from different protected characteristic backgrounds. These are in relation to race, age, gender reassignment, disability, sexual orientation.
We looked at YHN’s current commitments around equality and diversity, considered what they meant to customers and how they could make sure YHN are living them in our daily activities. For example, one objective we currently have is too make sure YHN gather, look at and use what we know about our customers from all different characteristics and use that to shape services.
The customers then set off and undertook 11 mystery shopping tasks to test our objectives covering things like: • • •
Checking out the physical environment of some of our housing offices and looking at accessibility in particular for customers with disability restricted mobility issues. Requesting useful information in alternative formats, such as large print material. Talking to staff to learn more about different community groups and how to connect with
these groups • Asking for specific help where English was not the customer’s first language • Finding out about YHN’s commitments to raising awareness, and promoting events like Northern Pride
What we learned… We found that staff were doing a lot of positive things in demonstrating the objectives in their normal, everyday duties. We were thrilled to hear that some great feedback from the mystery shoppers which included: ✓ Awareness from staff, demonstrated by enquiries taken by the Enquiry Centre and the Housing Offices. ✓ Good accessibility at our housing offices, with the benefits of level access and plenty of space to get around.
✓ Excellent customer service from staff talking to customers about different types of community groups and explaining YHN’s enthusiasm for supporting events like Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender history month, and International Day Against Homophobia Transphobia and Biphobia. ✓ Knowledge from staff about why we collect personal information and how we use that to respond correctly to people’s needs.
We also managed to learn a few things about how we can improve, which I’m sure you’ll agree is always a good thing. We learned that we need to have more knowledge in relation to requests for alternative formats of information so that we are on the ball, know the options available and how to get that arranged for the customer. We could also do with shouting out a bit more about the equality and diversity work that we do, and why we do it. We also gained some valuable feedback about our customer service about making sure we always make sure people feel we are helpful and understanding, respectful and recognise personal needs and preferences.
Next steps… We’ve worked with the customers to develop an action plan to highlight the great things we have found, as well as work to improve the areas where we need learn. In completing the mystery shop, the customers have also helped us to develop key equality and diversity customer commitments that will be launched as part of the new equality and diversity objectives later this year. These will make sure that our way of working reflects customer priorities relating to how they want to be treated. Longer term actions are also being worked on, which include revisiting staff training on equality and diversity with a view to making it more work related and practical in terms of the types of enquiries we get and how we respond to these. The customers who worked on this project worked really hard so we also just wanted to say thank you to them for taking part and making a difference!