Alliance Homes knew they were doing lots of great things in their communities but they also felt something was missing when it came to engaging with customers. That’s where Tentacles came in. They asked me to help with two things:
- Do an effectiveness review on Alliance engagement—what was working and what wasn’t.
- Refresh their customer scrutiny panel so it felt more purposeful and effective.
Time was of the essence, so we tackled both projects at the same time.
Let’s talk about the engagement review
To kick things off, I dived into key documents like strategies and policies. But the real insights came from chatting with people; everyone from frontline staff to the exec team, and most importantly, customers themselves. I went out into different communities and had conversations with people to hear their thoughts, concerns, and ideas.
There were definitely some brilliant things happening. For example, Hive, their vibrant online consultation community. And their community hubs are amazing spaces where customers lead social activities, learn new skills, and build connections.
But there were also some areas that needed attention, like making sure everyone has a shared idea of what engagement actually means, and having collective responsibility for making it happen.
I pulled together a report that celebrated the successes and laid out clear, practical recommendations, including some quick wins and some longer-term goals.
The best part? Alliance were totally on board. Since then, I’ve been working with the customer engagement team to help define their role, come up with more creative ways to involve customers, and I have helped launch a brand-new collaborative panel that brings together customers, board members, and senior leaders.
We’re already seeing a shift. For example, at a recent consultation on age-restricted services, a wide range of colleagues came along both to answer questions and to really listen. Customers felt heard, colleagues felt connected, and everyone left feeling pretty great about the experience.
“Your effectiveness review has played a key role in driving meaningful change in the way we engage with our customers.”
— Cath Stenson, Service Director, Customer Service Operations
Refreshing the customer panel
Alliance already had a customer panel in place, but both colleagues and customers agreed it could be more effective. Over six months, we worked side by side to refresh and strengthen it, making sure it better reflects the voices and needs of the communities it represents.
We focused on:
- Making sure the engagement structure and governance were clear
- Helping panel members feel supported and confident
- Creating space for meaningful, regular scrutiny work
- Building a group that’s fun, inclusive, and collaborative
We didn’t do it with long reports and PowerPoint slides. Instead, we used creative tools like Lego models, played a game to fairly prioritise areas for scrutiny, and had loads of creative, honest conversations. Bit by bit, the panel came together into a strong, cohesive group that’s excited about what’s next—and ready to welcome new members too.
“I’ve really enjoyed working with Claire, she has used imaginative engagement techniques to really help our group to understand what our purpose is, how to use particular approaches to scrutinise key aspects of Alliance Homes’ services and policies and how to work effectively as a group together.”
Mary Adams – Customer Scrutiny Panel
Working with Alliance has been a total pleasure. Their people—colleagues and customers alike—made this work feel easy and inspiring. And I’m excited to say we’re not done yet… there’s more impact to come. Stay tuned for the next chapter in this journey!
