To achieve maximum performance, Pinnacle prepares its management approach right from the beginning, generating enthusiasm for change and getting staff on side in the early months of a contract. We then follow up with a stream of quick wins aimed at building staff confidence, opening doors to their abilities and encouraging them to stretch towards ever improved standards. Elected members, accountable individuals, key figures in the community and the community at large are also involved from day one, as we help them to develop and apply popular services in line with customer care first principles with the goal of effecting immediate, positive and highly visible changes. At the same time, recognising the importance of customer perception, enormous care is taken to strengthen our front line. How people are treated at first points of contact can radically alter someone’s view of our services, which is why we place great emphasis on receptions, telephone answering, staff responses to queries and general courtesy towards others.
Speed
Doing things promptly, whether answering the phone, dealing with queues at reception or responding to letters.
Keeping our promises
Making sure we always do what we say we are going to do.
Honesty and openness
Making clear what we can and cannot do. Not promising things that cannot be delivered. Sharing problems and solutions with staff, residents, the client and other service providers and then working together to secure improvements.
The final element in Pinnacle’s approach is identifying any obstacles or barriers to better services. Having identified these, we immediately look for the best solutions in consultation with our client, staff and residents and put these into place.
During our projects, we also actively implement the best management practice including in conjunction with our clients:
| • | Promoting a “can do” culture |
| • | Developing the skills of client Managers effectively to manage their teams |
| • | Developing in conjunction with relevant Managers action plans to cover team renewal |
| • | Minimising staff absence levels |
| • | Identifying and supporting client policy changes |
| • | Devising and implementing improved procedures |
| • | Advising on innovative working practices and customer care |
| • | Putting in place systems both to identify priorities and to monitor effectively team progress |
| • | Advising on the most effective methods of managing services (for example in housing; debt, voids and empty homes management, ASB and community engagement) |
| • | Developing systems of local performance indicators to advise customers and their representatives of our performance |
Additionally, we typically see significant improvements in:
| • | Actions being taken at the right time |
| • | Personal contact with customers |
| • | Performance against published Service Standards |
Our most popular community responsive services:
| • | Housing management (including as part of PFI schemes and private developments of social housing) |
| • | Neighbourhood management |
| • | Environmental services > www.pinnacle-essex.com - in eastern England (grounds maintenance, cleansing, refuse management) |
| • | Estate services provision (handypersons, environmental services) |
| • | Maintenance call centre and customer care surveys |
| • | Community regeneration > www.regenter.com |
| • | Repairs contracting (London only through Equipe - Equion joint veture) |
| • | Community facility management |
| • | Enhancing life chances for inner-city youth > www.elevateuk.org |
| • | ASB management |