July 17, 2024
South Burnett Regional Council will introduce a “local dial” feature to its phone system this year to reduce complaints about long call waiting times and fulfil an election promise by Mayor Kathy Duff.
At Wednesday’s General Meeting, Councillors discussed calling tenders for a push-button phone system that will give callers the option of speaking to their local Council office, or wait to be shunted into a general pool that will be answered by non-local staff.
Cr Duff said during the election two major causes of complaint about the Council’s existing phone system were long waiting times and speaking to non-local staff unfamiliar with the caller’s area.
She said a system that gave customers the option of which office they spoke to would reduce wait times and allow them to interact with staff who had more detailed and up-to-date knowledge of local conditions.
Cr Jane Erkens said she was in favour of the move but noted the SBRC’s Nanango office was largely staffed by personnel who lived in Kingaroy.
Mayor Duff said if that were the case, Council might investigate the feasibility of transferring some Nanango staff back to their home town.
The motion to change the current phone system was carried unanimously.
