Using root cause analysis to improve customer satisfaction

In many ways, root cause analysis is done by everyone, daily. It’s in our nature to use hindsight and look back at past experiences and think of ways we could have done better.

When implemented properly, we can proactively tweak our processes and prevent issues from escalating or repeating.

Learning from the complaints we receive is a big part of this process, and the statutory Complaint Handling Code published by the Housing Ombudsman reinforces how important this is.

To take our culture of continuous improvement to the next level, Abri established a dedicated root cause analysis team.

“Where the complaints team works hard to get the best outcomes for individual customers, the root cause analysis team takes that crucial step back from the day-to-day role to understand the triggers that can make our customers unhappy”

The team works closely with different services across the organisation to collect reliable data and spot trends in customer complaints, before putting a plan in place to resolve the issue that’s causing them. Both the complaints team and the root cause analysis team put the customer at the centre of their processes.

But where the complaints team works hard to get the best outcomes for individual customers, the root cause analysis team takes that crucial step back from the day-to-day role to understand the triggers that can make our customers unhappy. This helps us target our improvements to the areas and locations that need it most, ensuring that our efforts meet the needs of our customers.

Each member of our root cause analysis team is not only highly skilled in data analysis and trend-spotting, but they also hold Lean Six Sigma Green Belt accreditations. This certification recognises their excellent project management skills, helping them to see the full picture and break it down into manageable parts.

For example, in early 2023 our root cause analysis team noticed a spike in complaints about Abri’s communal outdoor spaces. After digging into the data, they found that dissatisfaction with long grass was a common issue. This was partly instigated by an unusual weather pattern – a wet spell followed by warm weather, which caused the grass to grow rapidly. This made the grass too soft to mow in some areas.

In addition to the weather, we were also in the process of bringing our grounds maintenance team in-house and were having some difficulties with equipment. With a number of factors at play, it was clear there was more we could do to improve customer satisfaction.

“Our investment in our team of experts, the technology we’re using and successes in improving our processes and data quality have helped us shift to a more proactive approach, resulting in a noticeable decrease in complaints”

To take the analysis further, and find the root cause, the team overlayed extra customer feedback from a customer consultation onto their findings. The feedback highlighted that while customers were upset about the standards of our estates, they also needed better communication about the services we provide.

Equipped with a new understanding of what was causing our customers to be unhappy, the root cause analysis team shared its findings with the grounds maintenance and communications teams, who in turn created a new customer-friendly estates standards brochure.  

Although it’s just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to customer satisfaction, through the brochure we were able to explain how often we aim to cut the grass, why we might miss a cut and what we’ll do if this happens. It also included examples of what good maintenance looks like, to help manage customers’ expectations.

Since we’ve rolled out these changes and brought our services in-house, we’ve seen a big improvement. Complaints about horticulture dropped by 72.3% in June 2024 compared with June 2023.

We’re really excited about the improvements root cause analysis has helped to make so far. Our investment in our team of experts, the technology we’re using and successes in improving our processes and data quality have helped us shift to a more proactive approach, resulting in a noticeable decrease in complaints.

But our journey doesn’t stop here. At Abri, our commitment to bettering customer satisfaction is ongoing, and we know we have room to improve. But, by embracing root cause analysis and always striving to get better, we can not only meet regulatory requirements, but hopefully set a new standard in housing.

Natalie Hill, head of business change and service improvement, Abri