At a time when many businesses are outsourcing customer service functions, FirstPort is leading a different approach. Until recently, its customer phone lines were handled offshore. But earlier this year, it made the strategic move to bring its entire call service operation back to the UK. The decision, which coincides with FirstPort’s new regional approach, has already led to a sharp drop in repeat calls and an improved customer journey.
FirstPort’s Director of Customer Operations, Cathy Reid, believes that regional expertise is key to meeting the needs of the communities FirstPort manages. She explains: “We’ve regionalised the operation teams, so it made sense to do the same thing for our customer support teams. This creates much more alignment and constructive collaboration when dealing with customer queries.
“We have listened to our customers and recognise that good customer service starts with having the right people in the right places, with the knowledge needed to take ownership at a local level.”
While an offshore call centre model can be an efficient way to manage customer calls, FirstPort found it lacked the crucial local property management knowledge needed to deliver an effective service for its customers. Cathy explained: “As soon as we brought our call service back to the UK, we saw an immediate improvement. Repeat calls dropped, as we now spend more time on the phone initially, having more meaningful conversations with our customers. It confirmed what we already knew – a local service really matters and makes a difference.”
At the centre of FirstPort’s service improvements is the regionalisation of its business, dividing its operations into four separate UK regions – each headed up by a dedicated Director of Operations.
The move means that each local team has greater ownership of the developments they manage and is empowered to respond quickly and effectively while still leveraging the national scale and resources available across the business.
“As we have divided the business into four regions, we’ve also introduced customer service teams based in these regions that work hand-in-hand with our local operations colleagues,” explains Cathy. She added: “By aligning our operational and customer service teams locally, we’re able to offer a joined-up experience that feels genuinely supportive.”
The regional customer service teams have been trained from the ground up in the intricacies of property management, resident communication, and regional development knowledge.
Customer Excellence Manager Gavin Vines was brought into FirstPort in November to head up the southeast customer service team. Gavin has since built a team of 14 call handlers. He said: “Setting up a new customer service team from scratch came with its challenges, but the support from the other regions made a real difference. It’s been brilliant getting to meet colleagues from across the business and build those connections.
“There’s been a real focus on customer training – how to speak with residents in the right way, how to build trust, and how to provide that local knowledge that makes all the difference.
“I’m incredibly proud of how far the team has come in such a short time. Our initial five call handlers have now developed into Property Service Specialists with their own portfolios, and they’re even visiting sites to really understand the developments they support.”
Gavin explained that the Property Service Specialists have weekly conversations with Property Managers, which have helped to get issues resolved much faster, resulting in a more personal and streamlined service.
“We often get asked by customers where we’re based, and being able to say we’re local really humanises our team and the service we provide,” Gavin added.
While FirstPort now spends around 25% more time per call, this is by design, allowing customer service teams to triage more effectively and deliver solutions in the first instance.
Cathy explains: “It’s about quality over quantity. We’re spending more time with our customers, and in doing so, we’re reducing the total number of interactions because issues are being resolved properly the first time around. The feedback we are getting from customers is incredibly positive.”
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Note: This article was originally published in News on the Block.
