Customer Service Standards

Our new Customer Service Charter is now in effect.

Our promise to communities and customers is to:

• be open, honest and transparent in everything we do
• treat customers politely, fairly and with respect
• get things right first time

The updated charter has been modernised to reflect what customers expect from us today. All enquiries will now be answered within five working days, or within 15 working days for the most complex queries.

Our Customer Charter

Our promise to you

• We are committed to being open, honest, and transparent in everything we do.
• We treat you politely, fairly, and with respect and we listen to you.
• We aim to get things right the first time.

How we help you

• We provide clear, accurate, and timely information about our services.
• We respond to your enquiries promptly and let you know if more time is needed.
• We acknowledge and apologise if we make mistakes, learn from them, and take action to put things right.

Making it easy for you

• We offer options for accessing our services and contacting us in the way that suits you best.
• We provide digital tools like our website and the MyPKC customer portal for quick and easy access.
• We ensure our communication is clear and accessible.

Learning and improving

• We take responsibility when things go wrong and use feedback to improve.
• We are committed to continuous improvement and learning from our mistakes.
• We strive to be transparent about how we're making things better.

Working together

If you can:

• please treat our staff with courtesy and respect
• use our digital services to help us assist you more efficiently
• be patient while waiting for a response and avoid repeat contact within the specified timescales

Our commitment to you

We will play our part by:​

• being open, honest and transparent
• treating you politely, fairly and with respect - and listening to you
• providing options for accessing our services and contacting us in the way that suits you best
• providing clear, accurate information about our services
• responding to your enquiry promptly and letting you know if more time is needed to provide a full response
• aiming to get things right first time
• acknowledging and apologising if we make mistakes, learning from them and taking action to put things right
• being a visible, approachable and valued presence in our communities by actively engaging with and responding to your needs

What we want from you

We're committed to delivering a high standard of service promptly and professionally, and you can help us by:

• treating our staff with courtesy and respect
• using our website and the MyPKC customer portal to access the information and services you need
• being patient while waiting for a response and avoiding repeat contact within the specified timescales
• giving us the opportunity to put things right if something goes wrong

How you can help us improve

We're always looking for ways to do better. You can support us by:

• providing honest, constructive feedback on letting us know what's working well and what could be improved - so we can learn and improve our services
• getting involved and having your say through the following channels:
  • submit a complaint if we fall short of our standards
  • share a compliment if you've received outstanding service
  • take part in consultations via We Asked, You Said, We Did on the Perth and Kinross Council Citizen Space

Customer service

We are committed to providing quality customer service - that's our pledge to you.

Response timescales

• If we can't resolve your enquiry at the first point of contact, we aim to respond within five working days.
• For more complex enquiries requiring detailed information, we aim to provide a full response within 15 working days and will keep you informed of progress.
• There are some enquiries that have statutory timescales that are longer and we aim to meet these or let you know if we are unable to.
• In exceptional circumstances, such as severe weather, or other emergencies, response times may be affected as staff are redirected to support urgent community needs. We appreciate your patience during these times.

What you can expect when you call us

• We will answer your call politely and provide you with our first name along with our department or team name.
• If you are telephoning an individual directly, the call will be answered promptly or there will be an option to leave a voicemail.

Contacting our Customer Service Hubs

• We'll let you know the estimated wait time when you are in a queue, so you have a clear idea of how busy we are and how long you may need to wait. Monday mornings and post-holiday periods usually mean a longer wait time.
• We aim to answer your enquiry without passing you to another team or officer. 
• If we need to pass on your call, we will make sure they know what your enquiry is, so you are connected to the right person before we transfer you.

What you can expect when you email or contact us online through MyPKC

• We will let you know when to expect a full response. This may be through an automated message confirming that your enquiry or request has been received.
• We will reply using clear plain language, avoiding jargon to ensure our response is easily understood.
• If you contact a staff member directly who is away, you will receive an automatic reply giving their return date and the name and number of an alternative contact who can assist you.

What you can expect when we visit you or you visit us

• We will meet and greet you politely.
• If you have an appointment, we will keep to the appointment time and kindly ask that you do the same.
• We will see you as quickly as possible but if there is a wait we will keep you updated and explain any delays.
• We will offer a confidential space for a private discussion, when needed.

Your views and opinions are important in helping us improve our customer service. If you have any comments about our level of service, please contact us:

• telephone 01738 475000 (8.45am to 5pm)
• email Enquiries@pkc.gov.uk
• write to Customer Service Centre, Perth and Kinross Council, Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD
• visit any of our offices

We also have a comprehensive complaints procedure - complaints can be made in writing, by telephone, in person or online.