Customer First programme - Annual Report 2025

In 2025, we made big improvements to support foster carers in Buckinghamshire. We worked hard to make the process from first enquiry to approval simpler and more supportive. By introducing clearer digital steps and staying in touch throughout, we helped more people move forward with confidence.

We also launched a new Foster with Bucks website and online application system, making information easier to find and reducing paperwork. These changes mean a smoother, more professional experience for everyone who fosters with us.

We live in a world where people consume information through video every day, on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, we need to align our delivery methods with how people engage with content today.

That’s why we’ve partnered with a specialist video agency to create short, engaging videos that break down complex processes, such as moving in or out of Buckinghamshire, applying for taxi licences, or commenting on planning applications. These videos make it easier for customers to complete their requests quickly and confidently, reducing the need to contact our Customer Services Team for clarification.

Last year more than 60,000 reports were submitted through FixMyStreet for Highways, Waste Services, and Parks.

A new integration between FixMyStreet and the Rights of Way service now gives customers greater visibility of existing Rights of Way reports, helps reduce duplicate submissions, and improves accuracy through map-based locations.

This integration marks a significant improvement in how Rights of Way enquiries are managed, moving from a manual process to an automated one, ensuring faster and more efficient handling.

In today’s fast-paced and ever-evolving world, managing customer service can often feel challenging. This training is designed to equip our staff with the skills and confidence to navigate complex conversations effectively, ensuring positive outcomes for everyone involved. It also emphasizes building resilience and accessing the right support, so our teams can handle these interactions as part of their ongoing work life with confidence and care.

Our team have delivered in-house training to over 600 staff across the council, including training to 25 future trainers who will continue to provide this education and development to their service areas.

In 2025, we completed the move to a single, modern customer relationship management (CRM) platform, Abavus. This brings all customer requests and service information together in one place, making it easier to manage requests and provide a consistent experience for customers.

Over 500,000 service requests were submitted online, reducing pressure on phone lines. For example, calls about Household Waste dropped by 21%, allowing our team to focus on more complex and sensitive cases.

Looking ahead to 2026, having one platform means we can focus all innovation in one place, making services simpler and more accessible.

Recent updates include refreshed online forms designed for better accessibility and fewer barriers. We are also encouraging customers to manage reports directly through the platform to avoid duplication.

Our next steps include working with Household Waste teams to provide clearer information on collections and deliveries, and with School Transport to make student journeys smoother. By using data and resident feedback, we aim to make digital contact the natural choice, creating a faster, easier way to connect with Buckinghamshire Council.

We’re committed to making it easier and faster for residents to get the help they need. To achieve this, we’re introducing new technology that will allow customers to access support 24/7, reduce waiting times, and free up our customer service team to focus on more complex conversations where extra support is needed.

This project will use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to handle routine enquiries through both web chat and voice. The aim is to provide quick, accurate answers to common questions, while ensuring that if a query is more detailed or sensitive, it can be seamlessly passed to a member of our team.

We know that customers expect this level of service because instant, digital support is now a normal part of everyday life now whether booking travel, shopping online, or managing finances.

People increasingly demand quick responses wherever possible, and this technology helps us meet those expectations.

The first phase will launch a new web chat service that can answer simple questions instantly. If the chat service can’t resolve the enquiry, it will connect the customer to a Customer Service Advisor (during working hours) for further help. Soon after, we’ll introduce a voice service that works in the same way, helping with straightforward requests and passing more complex calls to our team.

By using this technology, we can make contacting the council easier and more convenient, while ensuring our staff have more time to support residents who need extra help. Our goal is simple: faster answers, less waiting, and a better experience for everyone.

Following the success of the new fostering microsite, five additional dedicated sites have been launched for Adoption, Registrars, Country Parks, Environmental Records, and Recycle for Bucks.

Moving these sites to one centrally managed platform means they now benefit from improved security, modern technology, and a consistent experience for customers. The next step is to review how these sites are maintained and, where appropriate, manage their content centrally to ensure greater resilience and continuity.

Ahead of introducing a new AI chat service, the website has been redesigned to make navigation simpler and more intuitive.

The updated homepage and menus aim to modernise the site’s appearance, highlight the most popular tasks, and provide clear routes to AI-assisted support.

The new design also offers a lighter, more accessible interface that works seamlessly on mobile devices.

Work continues to make the council’s online services easier to use and more accessible.

This includes reviewing the busiest sections of the website, such as Waste and Recycling and Council and Election services, to ensure information is clear and tasks can be completed quickly.

Each area has been assessed for usability and best practice in content design, helping customers find what they need with fewer barriers.

Our Data Platform project will transform how we manage and use our corporate data so we can deliver better outcomes for residents and communities.

By creating a single, trusted source of information and enabling faster, more insightful reporting, the platform strengthens our ability to identify needs earlier, plan services more effectively, and measure impact with greater confidence.

This foundation of high‑quality, accessible data supports more informed decision‑making across the Council and enhances our capacity to design services that improve the lives of the people we serve.

Throughout 2025, the Resident Panel continued to provide valuable feedback on a range of topics, including the use of telephone as a contact method, the layout of election information on our website, adult social care, and library services.

This feedback helps shape services to better meet residents’ needs and improve the overall customer experience.

We are exploring ways to involve more younger residents and plan to expand membership in this area during 2026.

We’re continuing to roll out improved telephony across more customer-facing services, moving additional teams onto a single platform to deliver a consistent, reliable experience for everyone who contacts us. This ensures customers receive the same high-quality

service, no matter which team they speak to. The platform includes features like voicemail and callback queues, enhanced reporting, and call recording, helping us monitor performance and identify training needs. Customers benefit from clearer wait time expectations, the option to request a callback, and the ability to provide feedback after their call.

In 2024/25, we onboarded seven major service areas and will expand further, improving efficiency and satisfaction while supporting our wider goal of modernising customer service