Achieving Sustainable Operations Through Efficient & Effective Public Complaint Redressal System (Shikayat Nivaran Kendra) Presentation by: Er. S.R. Aggarwal, Program Director, SPMC 1

Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong. -Donald Porter Customer Services expert Former Vice President- British Airways 2

Why Needed - Background  Long response time - Senior level officers in hierarchy were not made aware regarding the complaints lodged/ problem persisting in their jurisdiction.  Low level of customer satisfaction - Late attendance of complaints resulted into consumers loosing confidence in the water supply system operated by Govt.  Low efficiency/ no check on performance - Lower ranks official were attending to the complaints as per their convenience and will  To give convenient customer access to services required by 14.5 million Rural consumers residing in more than far- off located villages - Non availability of any system for lodging complaints instantly upon noticing any defect as well as at odd hours of day 3

Inauguration of SNK By Hon’ble Deputy Chief Minister Punjab on

SNK Objectives – Improve quality of service delivery system Achieve satisfactory results with optimum inputs of man, machine & material while utilizing the latest e- governance methods and techniques Enhance efficiency and financial sustainability of the Water Supply System operations by reaching out to the beneficiaries 5

Shikayat Nivaran Kendra (SNK) A Good Governance Initiative: Shikayat Nivaran Kendra, a state-of-the-art centralized call center is an endeavor to ensure the actual delivery of services in terms of good quantity, quality and reliability at consumer end and achieving sustainable operations by providing increased access to Rural Drinking Water Supply System 6

7 SNK Working Environment 7

SNK Highlights SNK outreaches to approx.14.9 million rural population in habitations Every official is directly connected to the online complaints redressal system through Telephone, & SMS SNK management & operation outsourced to third party to ensure transparency in the online complaints redressal system Non Closure of the complaint till the satisfaction of complainant Daily progress report is reviewed by Secretary to Govt. Punjab, Department of Water Supply & Sanitation. 8

Modus operandi Stage 1:Registration and channelizing the Complaint Stage 2:Redressal of Complaint Stage 3: Closure of Complaint 9

STAGE -1: Registration and channelizing the Complaint 10

Stage 2:Redressal of Complaint 11

STAGE - 3: Closure of Complaint COMPLAINT IS CLOSED ONLY AFTER COMPLAINANT IS SATISFIED 12

Creating Awareness about SNK Advertisements in Print & Electronic Media Scroll Strip run on TV Channels Wall Paintings of Toll Free Number at prominent places in the villages Advertisement is printed in the quarterly News Letter (23,000 copies) circulated to various villages and other stakeholders 13

Nature of Complaints & Service Standards : 1. Failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery Service Stanadard 2 DAYS 3. Failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes Service Stanadard 2 DAYS 4. Failure of water supply due to bad quality of water Service Stanadard 2 DAYS 2. Failure of water supply due to absence of operator Service Stanadard 1 DAY 5. Failure of water supply in some specific areas Service Stanadard 3 DAYS 6. Other Types of Complaints Time may differ according to situation. 14

Complaint is got registered by complainant telephonically or through IVRS in following manner After connecting telephone call, system asks for pressing button (1)to know about the status of old complaint or registration of new complaint through operator or (2)to lodge complaint through computer IVR System, The type of complaint can be selected by pressing (1)to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. (2)to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. (3)to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes (4)to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. (5)to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. complaint is noted and complaint number is issued 15

16 1. Complaints Received due to Electrical and Mechanical Failures (8% of total complaints) Reasons are analysed and appropriate preventive measures are taken 16

English translation of above Punjabi version: “Shikayat Nivaran Kendra of Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Department of Punjab welcomes you. “ Without disconnecting the telephone line, Press (1) to know about the status of old complaints or to talk to operator, Press (2) to lodge complaint through computer system, Press (0) to listen once again. On pressing (2) the following Voice Prompt is audible Without disconnecting the telephone line Press (1) to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. Press (2) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. Press (3) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes. Press (4) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. Press (5) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. Press (0) to listen once again. After the selection of complaint from the above options, the voice prompts as below: Please speak up your name & telephone number and press (0). Please speak up names of your village, block and district and press (0). Please speak up place of leakage and press (0). Your complaint has been noted and the complaint number is ………… Shikayat Nivaran Kendra is open for service from 6.00 a.m to p.m. Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab thanks for the use of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra and wishes to supply the safe drinking water. Sat Sri Akal Complaints Received due to Absence of Operators (5% of total complaints) Department is still grappling with issue of shortage of staff and has started outsourcing O&M to third parties/ contractors. 17

English translation of above Punjabi version: “Shikayat Nivaran Kendra of Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Department of Punjab welcomes you. “ Without disconnecting the telephone line, Press (1) to know about the status of old complaints or to talk to operator, Press (2) to lodge complaint through computer system, Press (0) to listen once again. On pressing (2) the following Voice Prompt is audible Without disconnecting the telephone line Press (1) to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. Press (2) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. Press (3) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes. Press (4) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. Press (5) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. Press (0) to listen once again. After the selection of complaint from the above options, the voice prompts as below: Please speak up your name & telephone number and press (0). Please speak up names of your village, block and district and press (0). Please speak up place of leakage and press (0). Your complaint has been noted and the complaint number is ………… Shikayat Nivaran Kendra is open for service from 6.00 a.m to p.m. Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab thanks for the use of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra and wishes to supply the safe drinking water. Sat Sri Akal Complaints Received due to Large Scale Leakages in Pipes (19% of total complaints) Field officers have become more quality conscious and ensure that distribution system stabilizes within defect liability period 18

English translation of above Punjabi version: “Shikayat Nivaran Kendra of Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Department of Punjab welcomes you. “ Without disconnecting the telephone line, Press (1) to know about the status of old complaints or to talk to operator, Press (2) to lodge complaint through computer system, Press (0) to listen once again. On pressing (2) the following Voice Prompt is audible Without disconnecting the telephone line Press (1) to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. Press (2) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. Press (3) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes. Press (4) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. Press (5) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. Press (0) to listen once again. After the selection of complaint from the above options, the voice prompts as below: Please speak up your name & telephone number and press (0). Please speak up names of your village, block and district and press (0). Please speak up place of leakage and press (0). Your complaint has been noted and the complaint number is ………… Shikayat Nivaran Kendra is open for service from 6.00 a.m to p.m. Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab thanks for the use of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra and wishes to supply the safe drinking water. Sat Sri Akal Complaints Received due to Bad Quality of Water Supply (8% of total complaints) Reasons for bad quality such as sand pumping of tube well, in flow of dirty water from low lying open connection etc. are examined and appropriate remedial measures are initiated 19

English translation of above Punjabi version: “Shikayat Nivaran Kendra of Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Department of Punjab welcomes you. “ Without disconnecting the telephone line, Press (1) to know about the status of old complaints or to talk to operator, Press (2) to lodge complaint through computer system, Press (0) to listen once again. On pressing (2) the following Voice Prompt is audible Without disconnecting the telephone line Press (1) to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. Press (2) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. Press (3) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes. Press (4) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. Press (5) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. Press (0) to listen once again. After the selection of complaint from the above options, the voice prompts as below: Please speak up your name & telephone number and press (0). Please speak up names of your village, block and district and press (0). Please speak up place of leakage and press (0). Your complaint has been noted and the complaint number is ………… Shikayat Nivaran Kendra is open for service from 6.00 a.m to p.m. Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab thanks for the use of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra and wishes to supply the safe drinking water. Sat Sri Akal Complaints of water supply failure in some specific area (47% of total complaints) Reasons of no water supply may be due to uneven topography, breakage of pipe etc. are looked into and appropriate measure are taken. 20

English translation of above Punjabi version: “Shikayat Nivaran Kendra of Rural Water Supply & Sanitation Department of Punjab welcomes you. “ Without disconnecting the telephone line, Press (1) to know about the status of old complaints or to talk to operator, Press (2) to lodge complaint through computer system, Press (0) to listen once again. On pressing (2) the following Voice Prompt is audible Without disconnecting the telephone line Press (1) to lodge complaint regarding failure of water supply due to electrical or mechanical fault in the machinery. Press (2) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to absence of operator. Press (3) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to large scale leakages in pipes. Press (4) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply due to bad quality of water. Press (5) to lodge complaint on account of failure of water supply in some specific area, may be due to uneven topography or some other reasons. Press (0) to listen once again. After the selection of complaint from the above options, the voice prompts as below: Please speak up your name & telephone number and press (0). Please speak up names of your village, block and district and press (0). Please speak up place of leakage and press (0). Your complaint has been noted and the complaint number is ………… Shikayat Nivaran Kendra is open for service from 6.00 a.m to p.m. Water Supply & Sanitation Department, Punjab thanks for the use of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra and wishes to supply the safe drinking water. Sat Sri Akal Other type of Complaints of water supply failure (14% of total complaints) Complaints of irregular water supply and pipes not laid in front of the house, etc., are tackled herein. 21

97% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION Achieved (13187 complaints resolved out of total up to November2011) since start of Shikayat Nivaran Kendra on 16 th December

Challenges Faced and Action Taken 23 Demanding situationAction Taken Change of mindsets of department officials Motivation of staff and field officers through constant internal dialogue Financial constraints faced by staff Low traveling allowance increased. Mobile telephone allowance provided. Shortage of staffWorking overtime due to definitive timelines of redressal of complaints Status of the complaints not available to SNK within the prescribed time period Complaints escalated to next higher authority in hierarchy after a definite period Genuineness of the complaintDealing reasonably well despite some difficulty

Good Governance through SNK Overall Experience of SNK in Punjab (1 of 2) Credibility of Rural Water Supply operation enhanced due to efficiency in service delivery SNK has been well accepted by consumers as it helped in reducing closure/ downtime days of water supply operation Time bound action DWSS makes consumers satisfied DWSS has become more quality conscious to avoid re-occurrence of defects

Good Governance through SNK Overall Experience of SNK in Punjab (2 of 2) Absenteeism amongst operational staff in remote villages has been checked Higher O&M standards Performance of DWSS Operation is assessed on daily basis Availability of clean water providing huge social sector benefits Helps achievement of sustainable operation

26 Health, Electricity and Education departments of the state are also exploring the idea of providing SNK Concept appreciated by GOI. Enquiries about the mode of operation of SNK from other states Teams of Senior Engineers from West Bengal & Andhra Pradesh Govt. specifically visited Punjab to understand the operations of SNK Team from Bangladesh has expressed interest in visiting SNK National and International Recognition

Conclusion 27 SNK Gives: Measure of operational Difficulties DWSS Satisfaction that they are being heard by DWSS Sustainable Service Customer

From Here Next 28 SNK to be upgraded into a management tool by linking it with MIS Identify problematic area Plan resource requirement Improve planning by addressing deficiency in institutional arrangement and delivery mechanism

Thanks 29