Providers launch customer promise

ERSA, a range of providers and Jim Knight launched the new customer promise earlier this week. This acts as an equivalent of the DWP's Customer Charter for providers, with all 42 signatory organisations promising to abide by the customer service standards in the document. Press release follows.

“Our Shared Promise on Customer Care is to be launched today by the Rt. Hon Jim Knight MP, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform. Our Shared Promise represents a sector-wide commitment to participants in welfare-to-work programmes. It sets out what customers can expect and what is expected of customers in return.

It includes commitments from providers to:

• Listen to customers and provide support based on each customer’s circumstances and needs
• Help customers identify and make the most of their strengths
• Make the best use of the customer’s time, taking account of personal circumstances and by being clear when things need to happen

In return, jobseekers are asked to:

• Take responsibility for preparing for and searching for work
• Help providers to understand what is important to them and the help they need
• Fulfil their responsibilities under the benefits system.

Our Shared Promise was developed by ERSA, the representative body for independent providers of publicly funded welfare-to-work programmes and is supported by the Department for Work and Pensions, including Jobcentre Plus, the Association of Learning Providers (ALP) and the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE).

Commenting on the launch of Our Promise, ERSA Director, Amanda McIntyre said:

“Our Shared Promise sets out a consistent message on good customer care, reflecting what customers can expect and what is expected of them in return. We believe that customers need this clarity as back-to-work support becomes more flexible and tailored to meet each customer’s circumstances and needs.

Jim Knight, Minister for Employment at Welfare Reform said:

"I very much welcome this work from ERSA. It is vitally important that customers get the right treatment and the right support to find sustainable work, whether from Jobcentre Plus or our provider partners.

"Both the Shared Promise and the DWP's Customer Charter are a statement of our joint commitment to good quality customer service and I am delighted to be able to launch the promise today."

The press release also included endorsements from a number of representative and campaigning organisations:

“Citizens Advice is pleased to welcome the ERSA promise on customer care. We hope it will be invaluable in ensuring claimants know what support they can expect and what will be required of them, regardless of who is delivering their back-to-work services.”

Lizzie Iron, Head of Welfare Policy, Citizens Advice

“We’re keen to see a commitment to high standards across employment provision, and clear complaint and resolution channels for when things go wrong. We’re pleased that ERSA have taken this a step forward with the customer promise, and look forward to working with them and others to make sure that claimants on the ground see a real benefit.”

Kate Bell, Head of Policy and Research at Gingerbread, the national single parents’ charity

“BASE welcomes the development of ‘Our Shared Promise’ and we will be encouraging our members to adopt and publicise it. The Promise signals the commitment of providers to fully involving customers in the delivery of high quality services”,

Huw Davies, Chief Executive, British Association for Supported Employment (BASE)

“ALP welcomes “Our Shared Promise” as an important move forward in encouraging the spread of good practice, ensuring DWP customers are fully aware of their rights and responsibilities and can receive the best service possible. We would encourage providers everywhere to get engaged and to make the promise.”

Paul Warner, Director of Employment and Skills, Association of Learning Providers

“The CBI welcomes the customer promise and believes it will help establish clear standards on customer care within the employment service sector. It articulates what customers have a right to expect from employment service providers as well as the customer’s responsibilities and how they can make the most of the support they receive.”

Susan Anderson, Director of Public Services, CBI

Here's a handy graphic of the promise, similar to what will presumably be displayed on the walls of signatory providers:

And finally, here's a list of current signatories:

A4e

Avanta incorporating TNG and Inbiz

Calder UK

Campbell Page

Careers Development Group (CDG)

Community Links

Dudley MBC

Employability and Skills Group (ESG)

Enham

FourstaR Employment and Skills

G4S Care & Justice Services

Groundwork

Inspire-2-Independence

Intraining

JHP Employability

Kennedy Scott

MAXIMUS Employment & Training UK

OSW

Peopleserve

Pertemps People Development Group

Pluss

PRIME

Prospects

RBLI

Reed in Partnership

Remploy

RNID

Sarina Russo Job Access

Scope

Seetec

Shaw Trust

SkillsTraining UK

St Loyes

The Papworth Trust

The Salvation Army Employment Plus

The Wise Group

Tomorrow's People

Twin Employment and Training

VTPLC

Wise Abiity

Working Links

YMCA Training

All providers are invited to sign the Promise, whether or not they are ERSA members. It is relevant across all provision, by prime contractors and subcontractors, and fits within each provider’s own commitment and approach to customer care. Organisations wishing to sign up can contact ERSA (amy [dot] keenan [at] ersa [dot] org [dot] uk)