Wmo Customer Journey

A customer journey involves the municipality interviewing a number of residents about their experiences during the process of filing a report or applying for a product or service. This covers the entire process, from searching for information through to the handling of the request by a staff member and any follow-up.

Reason for the study on the Wmo customer journey

In early 2019, the Audit Committee issued a report in which it recommended, among other things, that the municipality improve the information provided about the Wmo. During this effort to improve the information provided to residents, the need to map out the customer journey became apparent.

How does the municipality map out the customer journey of a Wmo client?

The municipality interviewed about ten residents from Voorschoten and Wassenaar. All of them had submitted an application for one or more Wmo services. The applications covered various types of services, including household assistance, transportation services, care support, and guidance from an external provider. In some cases, residents applied for a combination of these services. During the interview, which usually lasted half an hour, the municipality asked the residents about their experiences at various stages of the application process—such as searching for information, the meeting with the Wmo consultant, and the final decision on the application.

The interviews were conducted in January and February 2020. The interviews served as the basis for a persona—a fictional character that embodies recurring experiences. The information from the interviews was used to create a role-playing exercise. During a meeting with the Wmo consultants, the administrative staff, the team leader, and the communications advisor, they experienced firsthand what a resident goes through.

Due to the pandemic, things turned out differently. The meeting was postponed to early July and was held online instead of in person. It’s usually a very interactive session in which participants focus on the stages of the process, the emotions involved, and suggestions for improvement.

Below you can see the current customer journey (light blue) and the desired customer journey (dark blue).

What do customers think, and what will the municipality do about it?

The main conclusion of this study is that residents are already quite satisfied with the process. Of course, waiting isn’t a pleasant experience, and sometimes a kitchen-table discussion turned out differently than expected. The beginning and end of the process, in particular, could be improved.

The municipality will immediately begin updating the website to make it clearer that the Wmo is not only for older adults, but also for young adults, for example. An infographic will also be created—a one-page A4 sheet explaining the various steps in the process using text and images.

The municipality will continue to monitor the timeframes—that is, the time between when a report is filed and the first appointment. If it is not possible to shorten this timeframe, residents must at least know how long it will take and understand why that is the case. In Wassenaar, the accessibility of the municipal office came up in a number of interviews. The fairly steep wheelchair ramp and the stairs are inaccessible, and most people are unaware that they can use the elevator via the rear entrance. Therefore, the municipality will do a better job of highlighting this option. The experiences of and with informal caregivers were also discussed during the interviews. In addition to providing care, informal caregivers also handle many tasks for their partner, loved one, or neighbor. The informal caregiver café helps support these caregivers. Not all informal caregivers are equally aware of this support option yet.

Thank you for your hard work!

The municipality is pleased with the results and the improvements that have been set in motion based on the interviews. To all residents who contributed to this effort: thank you!