All web standards are mandatory for web pages on the Surrey County Council website, SCC Info and microsites.
Reduce avoidable contact by answering questions in the content of your web pages.
Phone numbers and email
Do not include phone numbers on a web page other than the contact centre phone numbers, nor individual staff email addresses unless agreed with the Head of Customer Services.
Guidance
- Aim to answer enquiries through your web pages and only provide phone numbers if absolutely necessary.
- If a contact telephone number is required on your web page, use either the main contact centre number: 03456 009 009 for general enquiries or one of the contact centre team numbers.
- Use spaces between city and local exchange. Here are the different formats to use:
- 01273 800 900
- 020 7450 4000
- 0800 890 567
- 07771 900 900
- If you would prefer to put contact details for your Service on a web page, use a team or generic email address. These can be set up by IMT.
- If you feel there is good reason for an individual telephone number or email address to be published on your web page, contact Web and Digital Services and your request will be passed on to the Head of Customer Services for consideration.
- Other means of contact are Feedback forms or online enquiry forms (see below).
- Feedback and enquiry forms and email addresses enable customers to contact your Service outside of office hours so it is good to offer these as an alternative to the contact centre phone number anyway. However, it is council policy to respond to all online forms or emails within five working days.
Reason for this web standard
Usability and policy - this standard is mandatory for usability and policy reasons.
Policy - it is our policy to direct any phone calls to the council through our contact centre. This makes it simpler to contact us, allows us to answer calls efficiently and ensures calls are logged.
The staff are highly trained, enabling them to resolve as many enquiries as possible at "the first point of contact". This is very cost effective, as it enables colleagues in the services to concentrate their skills and time on front-line service delivery. For this reason, the Cabinet has determined, that wherever possible, the first point of telephone contact will be with the Contact Centre.
Usability - individual email addresses are not usually allowed on the website because they have to be changed when the person leaves the council (whereas team addresses remain the same). Additionally, an individual email account cannot be checked if that person is on leave or off sick whereas a generic email account should always be covered.
Feedback and online forms
- Web feedback is submitted through our web satisfaction survey, which is available on all public website pages. This is a reporting tool only and does not require a response.
- Enquiries should also use the Feedback form but specialist teams can use an online form instead if they prefer.
- Feedback and enquiries should be responded to within five working days.
Guidance
- The process for linking to the feedback form is the same as setting up a link to any other page in Squiz Matrix.
- If you would like a form to be set up for specialist enquiries, fill in the Request a new form that can be found on SCC Info or contact the Web and Digital Services for advice.
- When linking to a online form check that the link starts with the word customer otherwise the public will not be able to see or access it.
- When adding a link to an online form, make sure you add the word online in the link text and the title of the form like Online freedom of information request.
Reason for this web standard
Usability and Policy - this web standard is mandatory for usability and policy reasons.
Usability - Feedback forms are the most effective way for us to monitor the number of forms we receive and track the progress of individual enquiries.
Online forms are the solution for specialist enquiries that need a direct response from services.
Policy - all feedback and online enquiries should be responded to within five working days.
