Customer Strategy 2020 to 2023

Who our customers are

Population 

• Total population - more than 192,000 
• Large university - approximately 8,000 students 
• Garrison - capacity for approximately 4,000 military personnel 
• Businesses - 7,455 

Age of population 

• 20.8% aged 0 to 17 
• 62% aged18 to 64 
• 17.2% aged 65 and over 

Visitors 

Many of our customers are from overseas/outside the borough.

Employment status 

• 68.4% are employed 
• 7.6% are self-employed 
• 3.2% are unemployed 
• 20.8% are economically inactive 

Housing 

• 34.4% live in a property that is owned with a mortgage
• 31.9% live in a property that is owned outright 
• 18.7% rent privately 
• 13.5% live in socially rented homes 
• 1% live rent free 
• 0.5% live in a shared equity property 

What our customers are telling us

Through the most recent surveys and feedback from customers we learnt:

What was most important to them 

• A polite and respectful response 
• To get what they need quickly and efficiently 
• To feel valued 

What we are good at 

• Providing a polite and friendly service 
• Being respectful of customer's individual needs 
• Willingness to go the extra mile to resolve customer queries 

Key areas for us to improve 

• Our communications with them (including emails, letters) 
• Our website – to keep it updated and to make it easier to use 
• Responding to their enquiries in a timely manner 

Data source