Folkestone & Hythe District Council is moving with the times by changing the way its contact centre works.
Over the past year – and beyond – there has been a clear shift in the way residents are contacting the council, with the majority now favouring using online services such as the 24/7 user-friendly MyAccount platform.
To ensure all enquiries continue to be dealt with efficiently, the contact centre will be open, weekdays, between 10am-4pm (telephone lines) and 10am-5pm (web chat service) from 1 June 2021.
These times have been selected to coincide with when most calls and enquiries are received, as well as to help improve the service for those unable to use or access online services.
There are no changes to the out-of-hours emergency line should residents need to contact the council regarding an emergency causing a threat to health and safety.
A Folkestone & Hythe District Council spokesperson said: “Most of us have been talking to each other differently in the past year – whether that’s a family quiz on Zoom, a Skype business call, or a friendly catch-up on FaceTime.
“It’s been no different for the council, and this new way of working will enable our customer services team to focus on enhancing and improving the service to our residents during peak periods.”
More than 10,000 people have already signed up for MyAccount since it launched last August.
It is an online service – which can also be accessed on mobile phones and tablets – where registered users can easily see council information and transactions relevant to them all in one place.
Services include finding out about bin collections, council tax and housing benefit – as well as making payments and submitting applications for parking permits. For more details and to register, visit folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/myaccountinfo