Customer service
Communicating with Defence members
Every day DHA interacts with Defence members and their families, maintenance providers, builders, agents and lessors. These people and organisations are DHA’s customers and DHA’s success is measured by their levels of satisfaction, especially those of the Defence members and their families who rent our properties.
DHA communicates with Defence members in a variety of ways with modern electronic communications available to support the delivery of our services. There is no substitute, however, for a personal level of case management which is facilitated by staff in our HMCs across the country.
DHA staff members in the HMCs are regular participants in briefings to Defence members in the lead up to the peak posting period. These briefings encourage ongoing contact between HMCs and Defence units and formations in relation to housing matters. DHA also maintains a portal to provide online access to the full range of its housing management services. Communication and marketing materials are used to inform Defence members and their families of the services available and how to use them.
DHA maintains hard copy publications and online information products to help customers understand and access our services. These are distributed through the HMCs and stakeholder groups such as the Defence Special Needs Support Group, Defence Families of Australia and the Defence Community Organisation.
DHA understands the difficult circumstances Defence families can face when being posted. In response, during 2011–12, DHA provided training to frontline staff on customer service and conducted workshops to improve personal resilience during the stressful peak posting period.
Customer Service Institute of Australia
DHA first sought certification with the Customer Service Institute of Australia (CSIA) in
2005–06 as part of a broad strategy to improve its performance at the customer interface. The CSIA offers evaluation and certification by independent assessors against 29 International Customer Service Standards. Certification is a recognised benchmark in both the public and private sectors. In addition, CSIA offers valuable insight and coaching in customer service. Since 2005–06, DHA has been recertified three times, in 2007–08, 2008–09 and 2010–11.
DHA is scheduled for reassessment in July 2012.
Satisfaction with customer service
DHA’s quarterly housing survey measures satisfaction with overall customer service experienced while vacating, and in finding and occupying DHA-managed properties. Results in customer satisfaction remain above the target of 80% with 92% of 3,636 participants indicating that they were satisfied with their experience of DHA’s customer service. Sample sizes in past years ranged from 3,719 to 5,739.
Figure 4: Defence member satisfaction with DHA’s customer service overall while vacating or occupying DHA properties, 2006–07 to 2011–12
Complaints management
The majority of customers are satisfied with the services DHA provides, especially with the quality of our new housing. They tell us so through regular surveys. However, DHA also receives complaints, mainly in relation to outstanding maintenance, neighbourhood disputes and the application of Defence housing policy. Complaints can be referred directly to DHA by tenants, other Defence personnel and lessors, or via the Defence Ombudsman or Ministers. All DHA staff members are able to log complaints and may request assistance from Customer Relations Officers (CROs) in their region to handle complaints. DHA’s objective is to manage complaints at the point at which customers first express dissatisfaction. Once a case has been logged in the complaints management system, material relevant to the case cannot be altered. One of the roles of the CROs is to monitor and close cases in the complaints management system. Logged complaints are reported to Defence on a monthly basis.
During 2011–12, 858 complaints were received nationally by DHA. This was a 14.5 per cent reduction compared to 2010–11. The four main reasons generating complaints were repairs and maintenance (291), customer service (126), housing condition (90) and neighbourhood disputes (71). Primary contributing factors were DHA processes (227), contractor performance (139) and inadequate explanation or information provided by DHA (84).
| Region | Offices | Client Services Delivered | Highlights |
| Northern Territory | Darwin Katherine |
2,440 properties managed 867 allocations 5,315 inspections 4,963 RA processed 957 leases managed 7 Customs properties managed 37,293 maintenance work orders raised. |
Larrakeyah development Tindal upgrade program Muirhead development Nine staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration or Diploma of Management. |
| North Queensland | Townsville Cairns |
2,195 properties managed 903 allocations 5,392 inspections 5,721 RA processed 1,663 leases managed 21 Customs properties managed 36,611 maintenance work orders raised. |
Relocation of 3RAR to Lavarack Barracks Rasmussen development 2011 HMC of the Year One staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| South Queensland | Brisbane Ipswich Toowoomba |
3,013 properties managed 1,249 allocations 7,437 inspections 6,702 RA processed 2,198 leases managed 30,386 maintenance work orders raised. |
Completion of Gordon Olive Estate Acquisition and tenanting of 46 singles apartments New on-base residential development Eight staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| Sydney | Parramatta | 2,997 properties managed 1,091 allocations 7,519 inspections 13,844 RA processed 1,913 leases managed 31,354 maintenance work orders raised. |
AE2 Ermington development Kellyville development. Caringbah development Riverview Nursery development Two staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| Hunter | Raymond Terrace | 1,046 properties managed 377 allocations 2,966 inspections 1,760 RA processed 855 leases managed 14,553 maintenance work orders raised. |
Five staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration Reduced RA by 2%. |
| ACT | Canberra | 2,014 properties managed 793 allocations 4,912 inspections 2,844 RA processed 1,652 leases managed 3 Customs properties managed 22,400 maintenance work orders raised. |
Acquisition and tenanting of 45 singles apartments Two staff completed Diploma of Management. |
| Nowra | Nowra | 363 properties managed 155 allocations 1,050 inspections 857 RA processed 307 leases managed 4,359 maintenance work orders raised. |
HMAS Creswell upgrades program One staff member completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| Riverina | Wagga Wagga Wodonga |
709 properties managed 341 allocations 2,187 inspections 1,355 RA processed 497 leases managed 9,987 maintenance work orders raised. |
Activated disaster planning in response to major flooding in March 2011Responded to 8% increase in the Defence Housing Forecast for Wodonga and a corresponding 8% decrease in Wagga Wagga Four staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration or Diploma of Management. |
| Victoria Tasmania | Melbourne Puckapunyal Cerberus Sale Hobart |
1,433 properties managed 570 allocations 3,383 inspections 1,870 RA processed 579 leases managed 15,537 maintenance work orders raised. |
Puckapunyal upgrade program Yallambie upgrade program Blackburn redevelopment Five staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| South Australia | Adelaide | 1,017 properties managed 396 allocations 2,935 inspections 2,105 RA processed 777 leases managed 2 Customs properties managed 16,186 maintenance work orders raised. |
Bayriver development Relocation of the Adelaide HMC to Mawson Lakes Two staff completed Certificate IV in Business Administration. |
| Western Australia | Perth | 997 properties managed 392 allocations 1,735 inspections 3,283 RA processed 635 leases managed 59 Customs properties managed 7 AMSA properties managed12,436 maintenance work orders raised. |
Upgrade program for Defence properties in remote locations Improved relationships with Defence and other government clients Renegotiated office lease. |