Customer service centre annual reports

Customer access channel annual report 2025-2026

Customer service centre contact figures

Our customer service centre answered approximately 171,500 telephone calls in the financial year 2025-2026.

The customer service centre answered 74% of all the telephone calls they received.

The customer service centre also dealt with approximately:

2,400 live chats
32,300 emails and web forms
340 social media contacts

Customer service centre wait time

In 2025-2026 the average time it took the customer service centre to answer a telephone call was five minutes and one second.

Customer service centre annual complaints report 2025-2026

Customer service centre complaint volumes

During 2025-2026 the total volume of complaints (all outcomes) received relating to the customer service centre was 10.

Complaint outcomes

Of the 10 complaints received:

Six were not upheld.
Four were partially upheld.

Customer service centre complaint reasons

If any complaints about a customer service assistant are received, we review the contact in depth with the staff member. We put development plans and service improvements in place as necessary.

The complaints partially upheld was:

Complainant reported concerns highways failed in their duties to adequately assess and issue permits. They were unhappy with the way the CSC handled the initial enquiry. Email should have been passed directly to Complaints Team.
Complaint regarding call answer time. The answer time for the Recycling Centre line was under 10 minutes on the day in question, but the general enquiries line had a longer wait time. The customer did not choose the correct option, but we apologised for delay.
Complainant unhappy with the wait for their call to be answered and believe the message which occurs every 10 seconds it is not good service. Answer time for the Recycling Centre line was under 10 minutes on the day in question, but the general enquiries line had a longer wait time. Likely that customer did not choose the correct option but apologised for delay.
The complainant was unhappy they had to wait an hour before they were able to make an appointment for the recycling centre. Acknowledged there was an impact on the resources available to respond to calls due to absence and planned training which led to a delay in responding to some calls. Information provided on how to make a booking on-line in future to prevent the delay.

Blue badge and concessionary complaint volumes

We received 22,913 blue badge applications and issued 29,393 concessionary bus pass applications in the 2025/2026 financial year.

During 2025-2026 the total volume of complaints (all outcomes) received relating to the blue badge and concessionary was 150.

Blue badge and concessionary complaint outcomes

Of the 150 blue badge or concessionary complaints received in 2025-2026:

142 were not upheld.
Six were partially upheld
Two were upheld.

Blue badge and concessionary complaints reasons

We assessed complaints about blue badge or concessionary customer service assistants. We reviewed the contact in depth with the staff member. We put development plans and service improvements in place as necessary.

The complaints upheld or partially upheld are:

Complainant is unhappy their sibling's blue badge application was rejected. Badge was delayed because we did not send a payment request and as a result, no payment was received and the badge was not issued. Apologised for the delay and advised the applicants records has now been marked as "not for further assessment".
Customer unhappy they did not receive a telephone assessment for a Blue Badge as planned. This was due to an internal IT issue of the contractor who carries out the assessments. Apologised, Blue Badge Unit arranged a new assessment.
Complainant unhappy with the process of renewing their blue badge. Customer was asked for medical evidence in error, they were automatically eligible for a badge, and this was not required. Follow up email sent two minutes later by the Blue Badge Unit stating please ignore our previous email.
Unhappy with the current process to renew their blue badge. The entire process takes up to 12 weeks from receipt of all required information. There are no service level agreements for each part of the process. However, there was evidence we failed to reply to email sent by the customer, so was partially upheld.
Unhappy about the time taken to process blue badge. Applicant did not supply details of the previous badge, so Blue Badge team were unaware that the application had been marked for no further assessment. Apologised for any inconvenience.
Complaint regarding delay in issuing a replacement Blue Badge after the original was lost. Despite payment and repeated follow-ups, the badge was not provided within the stated time frame. Customer completed a new application without linking to current badge or completing a lost/stolen declaration. After this was clarified and the declaration received, badge was sent from printing and dispatched but not received by the customer. Therefore, another badge was issued. Blue Badge Unit could have clarified request sooner, apologised. Issues with the postal service are out of NCC's hands.
Complainant unhappy they were told they would be eligible for a disabled buss pass but are now being told otherwise. The complainant provided evidence that under the terms set out by NCC they would be eligible for a bus pass. The complainant was requested to re submit the application and provide the necessary evidence to the complaints team.
Unhappy that a Blue Badge application has been rejected, despite previously holding a badge and providing evidence of multiple disabilities. Also, unhappy that emails regarding the issue have not been responded to. We acknowledged missing opportunity for review and failed responses to customer emails.