PEOPLE who deal with Herefordshire Council should expect 100% satisfaction - that's the thrust of new customer standards the authority has unveiled.

The council has launched its customer service standards which includes the aspiration that 100% of customers feel they have been dealt with politely, professionally and with respect.

It also means county residents have the right to expect 100% commitment from the staff they deal with face-to-face, on the phone or by letter.

Other aims include:

All customers think it is easy to comment, complain or compliment the council;

All customers think information about services is easy to understand;

Responses to letters of complaint will be acknowledged within two working days;

95% of other letters will be responded to in 10 days - 100% in 15 working days;

95% of customers visiting council premises will be attended to in five minutes;

80% of all telephone calls will be responded to within 15 seconds during office hours.

The standards will be on view at all council office reception areas and is on the authority's website - www.Hereford shire.gov.uk.

Pride

Councillor June French, cabinet member for human resources and corporate support services, said: "We already take pride in the quality of services we provide - this is reflected in the good rating we received in the detailed assessments which every unitary authority had to undergo.

"These are our targets, and although we know we are not achieving them in all areas, they are what we are working to achieve.

"We provide more than 700 different services so every one in the county, whatever their age or wherever they live, benefits.

"But it's not a one-way document. We want to know what people think of the services we provide and the new customer service standards include a new and improved comments, complaints and compliments process.

"People are usually quite happy to let us know when we fail, but we get a lot of people who are genuinely very happy and tell us so."

Coun French promised that feedback from residents will be monitored and the council's performance will be made public.

The leaflet explaining how to tell the council what you think about its services is available from the Info Shops and all council offices.