Customer Journey Mapping Complaints Customer Experience Case Study

One Vision Housing

Customer Journey Mapping Case Study

Complaints Quarter One 2025/26

Background

Recognising the difficulties customers can face during the complaint process, we undertook a Customer Journey Mapping exercise to truly understand our customer's full experience, from initial dissatisfaction to resolution. Carried out on by and on behalf of One Vision Housing's (OVH) Customer Experience Team, this deep-dive allowed Officers to accurately map the current, end-to-end customer journey, identifying all touchpoints, pain points, and opportunities to improve our service offer. This includes ease of making a complaint, and the quality of service provided by Investigating Officers. These insights will help us to identify improvements that will enhance efficiency, increase transparency, and significantly improve the overall customer experience.

What is a Customer Journey Map?

A customer journey map visually depicts the entirety of a customer's experience with our company and brand. Rather than focusing on isolated interactions, it maps the complete customer experience, from their initial contact to their ongoing relationship. A customer journey map showcases all interactions a customer has with our organisation, along with the emotions these provoke, plotted against specific touchpoints and processes. It highlights how customers are treated at each interaction and their resulting feelings. This strategic tool provides valuable insights into how customers experience our services, particularly at critical moments – the 'moments of truth' – allowing us to identify areas for improvement and enhance the overall customer experience.

Customer Journey Map Terminology

Journey Steps/Main Touch Points – these are the main steps a customer takes through the process/service we are looking at, it is each interaction the customer has with the company and each interaction the company makes with the customer.

Moments of Truth – these are the points where a customer decides whether or not they are satisfied or dissatisfied with the service they receive. There are usually only a few moments of truth in a journey map.

Our Approach

This project, undertaken by the Customer Experience Team, focused on gaining a deeper understanding of our customers' experience with our Complaints service. The start of the project involved various meetings with the Customer Experience Team Manager to communicate the benefits of the exercise and agree the scope of works.

Following these discussions, in-depth interviews were conducted with customers to gather their feedback on our service. The Customer Experience team then used insights gained from these interviews to guide discussions during a staff focus group, ensuring that customers' perspectives were central to discussions about service improvements.

What Does the Customer Journey Look Like?

Touch Points

Below are summaries of the feedback received from customers for each touch point and the recommendations and outcomes for each step.

1 - Customer Contact

The customer will make a complaint to OVH Most customers found it easy to make a complaint using their preferred contact method (i.e. phone, email, face-to-face, or the online portal). One customer appreciated being able to send details via email to avoid missing anything. However, one had a mixed experience, as they had a complaint about a member of staff which they reported to that same member of staff, and they felt an alternative method should have been offered to report her complaint.

Recommendations

  1. Produce leaflets to provide further information on the process and what to expect. A QR code could also be included, which would take the customer to a webpage with more detailed information.
  2. To avoid a conflict of interest, complaints must be referred to a neutral staff member or the Customer Service Centre who will log the complaint and contact the customer.
  3. A new Customer Complaint Form, which is due to be launched, would prompt the customer or staff member using it to create a tailored service. Recording preferred method of contact, and availability of the customer.
  4. Ensure more information is available to customers on how they can log a complaint, using their preferred method.
  5. Ensure that staff are fully trained on the process, in order to provide information directly to customers if they do not know how to log a complaint.

Outcomes

  1. A Complaints, Appeals and Feedback leaflet is available on the One Vision Housing website. The Customer Experience Team will review the leaflet in Quarter Four of 2025/26, and will add a QR code.
  2. Customers are able to request an alternative staff member to investigate their complaint.
  3. An email address (feedback@ovh.org.uk) is already in use and is used to capture feedback and complaints.
  4. Prescribed questions are now used when a complaint is logged, ensuring continuity in information gathered.
  5. Complaint information is available to customers via the website, telephone, and email, or in-person (e.g., during a staff visit). The Complaints, Appeals and Feedback policy is also accessible to all staff and customers on the OVH website.

2 - Acknowledging the Complaint

Communication will be received, acknowledging the complaint 16 customers confirmed receiving an acknowledgement, with nine finding it useful. One felt reassured by the letter, while another thought it provided only minimal information. One customer noted that although they received an acknowledgement this time, it hasn’t always happened in past complaints. Another received it but didn’t find it helpful, and one customer said they didn’t receive an acknowledgement at all.

Recommendations

  1. Any staff member who takes a complaint should verify contact details with the customer where applicable to support clear and timely communications. A new Customer Complaint Form will ensure this is checked each time a complaint is logged.
  2. Ensure that robust checks are in place so that all necessary correspondence is sent.
  3. Given that customer expectations for a quick resolution vary, the acknowledgement wording should be reviewed to clarify timescales, while remaining compliant with Housing Ombudsman guidelines.

Outcomes

  1. All customer details are checked and updated as part of the ‘Making Every Contact Count’ initiative.
  2. Prior to complaint closure, complaint outcome letters are quality checked by the Complaints Co-ordinator to ensure all parts of the complaint have been answered.
  3. Complaint acknowledgement letters comply with the Housing Ombudsman complaints handling code. An annual self-assessment is submitted to the Housing Ombudsman to ensure our on-going compliance with the code.

3. Making Contact with the Customer

The Investigating Officer will make contact within 3 working days

Fifteen customers confirmed they were contacted within three working days and were satisfied, praising the process as well-managed, reassuring, and helpful. One appreciated a follow-up home visit arranged during the initial call. However, one customer experienced a delay due to staff absence, and another found the initial call unhelpful, with the complaint passed to a different officer. Two customers said they were not contacted at all, which they found disappointing as they wanted to discuss their complaint in detail. As this stage was highly regarded by those who were interviewed, it was chosen as the first Moment of Truth, as the handling of this could impact on customer satisfaction with the process as a whole.

Recommendations

  1. To ensure contact is made at this stage, performance should be reported to staff on a continual basis. This would highlight the importance of ensuring that contact is continually made.
  2. If there is a conflict, or annual leave, the complaint should be reassigned for the customer. If this is done quickly and effectively, the contact should still happen in the target timescale of three days.
  3. Investigating Officer monthly training sessions are taking place, so this aspect can be covered during these meetings. Any potential issues can be addressed, supporting staff to meet targets set.
  4. One suggestion was to increase the resources available, with more officers appointed to ensure that contact is always made with the three day target. The bulk of complaints are assigned to Neighbourhood Team Leaders, who find this very time consuming amongst other responsibilities.
  5. The Staff Focus Group thought there should be more involvement from OVH’s Asset Management Team, as they have specialised knowledge of repairs (as they manage this process).
  6. If the issue is complex, appointments could also be attended by surveyors, or staff with specific specialisms, where applicable.

Outcomes

  1. This data is captured in our performance management software, Pentana, and regularly communicated back to the Investigating Officers and line managers.
  2. The Customer Experience Team request annual leave dates in advance from Investigating Officers to safeguard against this happening. When a conflict is identified, the Customer Experience Team will act swiftly to re-allocate the complaint within the set timeframes.
  3. Complaints management is covered as part of monthly training.
  4. Resources have increased, with other teams throughout OVH now investigating complaints. These include the Customer Service Centre, Independent Living, Asset Management, Sales, and Customer Experience.
  5. The Asset Management Team now investigate complaints, and are also assigned to repairs complaints to provide information to assist Investigating Officers when determining the outcome.
  6. Appointment visits are regularly completed for complex complaints, with teams working collaboratively to ensure all relevant information is captured.

4 - Further Contact

Further contact may be made throughout the process

Eight customers received ongoing contact and found it helpful. Two had limited contact but were still satisfied with how their complaint was handled. Four were contacted but felt the communication was insufficient - three wanted more updates, and one felt unheard throughout the process. One customer requested written communication and wished previous calls and emails had been reviewed to avoid repeating details. Another received no contact and felt this was unfair, as they missed the chance to share their perspective. Four others did not receive further contact but did not express dissatisfaction. This journey step was also valued by those who received it, so was chosen as another Moment of Truth.

Recommendations

  1. Staff in the Focus Group felt that this should be a necessity for all customers who were receptive to this approach, as it shows a caring approach to dealing with complaints.
  2. A suggestion was to have more conversations with the customer at Stage 2 of the complaint handling process, to ensure that everything has been addressed, and it will not be escalated any further.
  3. The new Customer Complaint Form should ask the customer about the frequency of contact they would like, so this would help tailor the approach, and lead to a more personalised service.
  4. A customer suggestion was for more communication throughout the process, which would increase the understanding for both parties.

Outcomes

  1. Investigating Officers have the opportunity to keep in contact with customers throughout the complaint process.
  2. An Action Tracker is in place with actions assigned to colleagues throughout the organisation, to ensure actions agreed as part of a complaint are tracked and completed.
  3. The frequency of contact and preferred method of contact are captured.
  4. Investigating Officers have the opportunity to keep in contact with customers throughout the complaint process.

5 - The Final Letter

Final Letter will be received, outlining the decision, and resolution

Four customers received the final letter and were happy with its clarity and tone, feeling their complaint was taken seriously. One thought it lacked detail. Seven others received the letter, with three saying it was detailed enough, but they were unhappy with the outcome - two felt unheard. Five customers advised that they did not receive the letter at all. One respondent felt the letter lacked sufficient information, and another said it was delayed due to missing evidence that had to be reviewed after the complaint was closed. This was chosen as the third Moment of Truth, as it is crucial to ensure that customers understand the resolution, and do not feel that they have to escalate to Stage 2.

Recommendations

  1. To manage customer expectations during delays caused by necessary repairs, the OVH Asset Management Team should receive training on the information required by Investigating Officers, so they can include this in their final letters.
  2. Implement robust checks to review Investigating Officers' letters and provide improvement feedback. Letters must be concise, including an apology, transparent insight into what went wrong, and an explanation of actions to be taken.
  3. There is a Complaint Tracker in place to ensure that any problems have been resolved, though the Staff Focus Group was informed that this could be improved upon. An online Collaboration Group is being created to help with communication of this, and the effectiveness of this should be reviewed following its launch.
  4. The Staff Focus Group asked if an investigation can be extended past the target time of 10 working days, to provide more time to resolve the issues before closing the complaint.
  5. Ensure that resources in place are matching the demand of customers, to get the root cause of why customers are complaining about the services they receive.
  6. Robust checks should be in place to ensure that letters are reviewed, and any improvements are fed back to Investigating Officers.

Outcomes

  1. Bespoke complaints training has been delivered to the Asset Management Team which outlines expectations when providing information. Weekly complaint drop-ins are also held and are attended by Investigating Officers, the Asset Management Team, and Sovini Property Services.
  2. Letters are quality checked by the Complaints Co-ordinator to ensure consistency with information provided and also the tone of the letter.
  3. Outstanding actions are tracked through our performance management software and assigned to colleagues to ensure completion.
  4. Where necessary, a complaint extension may be utilised in agreement with the customer. The Housing Ombudsman Complaint Handling Code allows the use of extensions where appropriate.
  5. Lessons Learnt are tracked in our performance management software. Reasons for complaints are captured and trends identified.

6 - Customer May Escalate to Stage Two

Customer may escalate the complaint to Stage Two

Two customers escalated their complaint due to dissatisfaction with their Stage 1 outcome - one felt no action was taken, and the other believed the severity of their complaint was overlooked. One customer remained unhappy with the final outcome but was satisfied with the Stage 2 Investigating Officer’s service. Two others, who escalated their complaint, were disappointed that expected repairs were still incomplete at the time of interview.

Recommendations

  1. Investigating Officers receive monthly training, including one-off hot topics. As part of this, they could be provided with more detailed instruction on answering all points in the complaint. This would ensure that there are no outstanding issues which may lead to a customer escalating their complaint to Stage 2.
  2. In the final response letter, encourage the use of bullet points, to make it clear to the customer that each point has been considered. Again, this would make sure that there would be no unanswered questions, which may prevent complaints being escalated.
  3. Repairs account for the majority of complaints, and presents an issue to customers. The Localz system - a digital platform for operatives - was discussed as something which could help, as this is designed to enhance repair communications.
  4. It is important to ensure that robust checks are in place so that letters are reviewed, and any improvements are fed back to Investigating Officers.
  5. As the Complaint Form will capture more information from the customer on what their expectations are, this may help with providing a more personalised service at Stage 1, and avoid an escalation.

Outcomes

  1. Monthly training is delivered to Investigating Officers and is tailored.
  2. Letters are quality checked by the Complaints Co-ordinator to ensure consistency with information provided, and the tone and format are correct.
  3. The Localz system has now been rolled out, and the service continues to be implemented across all trades.
  4. Letters are quality checked by the Complaints Co-ordinator to ensure consistency with information provided, and the tone and format are correct. Feedback is provided to Investigating Officers when updates are required, enabling them to continuously improve.
  5. Information gathering is an important exercise for Investigating Officers, ensuring customers preferred outcome is asked and expectations are managed.

7 - Customer Satisfaction Survey

Complaint Feedback Survey is carried out

On our Complaint Feedback Survey, the most common issues raised were lack of communication, quality of information and support, and problems not being resolved. Despite these challenges, customers shared positive feedback, noting that complaints were generally well handled, Investigating Officers were helpful, outcomes were appreciated, communication was described as excellent, and customers felt their views were listened to.

Recommendations

  1. Outbound Survey Assistants should ensure that issues are flagged, so that problems can be resolved and lessons can be learned. This will also assure customers that we are looking into any problems.
  2. Positive feedback could be publicised from the satisfaction survey, and shared with the Marketing and Communications Team. It should also be shared with Investigating Officers, so that the right lessons are learned.
  3. Call backs should continue to be undertaken by staff to ensure that feedback from customers is listened to and acted upon.
  4. A Customer Experience page could be used to promote best practice, and any work which is being undertaken to improve the process.

Outcomes

  1. Outbound Survey Assistants, who carry out survey calls for One Vision Housing, continue to gather customer satisfaction of the complaints service.
  2. Results are published on the One Vision Housing website.
  3. Service areas continue to monitor feedback and contact customers who have given permission to discuss their feedback in more detail and address any outstanding concerns.
  4. The Customer Experience Team will continue to explore the introduction of a webpage in Quarter Four of 2025/26.

In Summary

The customer journey mapping exercise delivered invaluable, actionable insights into the strengths and weaknesses of our service delivery. By visualising customer interactions and responses, we successfully identified where customer expectations fell short. This analysis has highlighted opportunities to streamline processes, improve communication, and personalise interactions, paving the way for enhanced customer satisfaction.

We extend our sincere thanks to our customers, Staff Focus Group and colleagues across the organisation for their invaluable contributions to mapping the customer journey for Complaints. This collaborative effort has highlighted both the strengths of the service and areas requiring improvement. A comprehensive action plan is in place to track agreed actions, and we will continue actively monitoring customer feedback to drive further enhancements.

About One Vision Housing (OVH)

We are an award-winning housing provider offering high quality, affordable housing across the Liverpool City Region, Cheshire, Lancashire and Greater Manchester. We currently manage over 14,400 properties across the region.

We provide a range of rental options from Social Housing and Private Rent, to Rent to Buy and commercial lettings of shops, creating equal opportunities for all. We were formed in October 2006, following a successful stock transfer from Sefton Council, and operate as a not-for-profit organisation, regulated by the Regulator of Social Housing.

As a member of The Sovini Group, One Vision Housing believes in providing good quality, affordable homes for rent and to buy, helping to create thriving and inclusive communities. We work closely with partner organisations to build a better future for our customers, supporting thousands of beneficiaries each year.

Externally recognised as a leading provider of homes and services, One Vision Housing is graded G1 for Governance and V1 for Viability by the Regulator of Social Housing.

CREATED BY
Shanna Woolsey