Over 100,000 calls fielded by City Hall

Cork City Council's customer service unit has received 123,000 calls since its inception one year ago.

The council revealed the data this week. It added that the customer service unit (CSU) was set up to improve customer experience for residents and organisations who use its 400 plus public services.

The CSU has answered 123,000 calls and 4,300 emails with staff answering caller queries in either one phone call or by transferring the caller to individual council directorates, if necessary.

The CSU also took on the Council’s Community Call/Community Response Forum (CRF) Covid-19 helpline on 30 March following the request by Government. This has been operating 12 hours a day, seven days a week since government restrictions began. The CSU has taken over 3,000 calls in relation to the community call and answered 312 emails asking for help.

Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr John Sheehan said: “Once the CRF helpline opened, the calls came in thick and fast, reaching almost 100 per day at one point. The CSU phoneline was augmented by staff from housing, finance, arts, sport and many other areas, who answered every call, which ranged from requests for groceries and medication to queries in relation to the civic amenity Site on Kinsale Road. There were calls too that reflected the social isolation that people are feeling and all of these were handled with compassion and understanding.”

The CRF’s focus is now on the city’s wellbeing initiative which we hope will provide residents with more tools to cope with the challenges that Covid-19 presents.

The Lord Mayor added: “Community and voluntary groups across the city are offering online crafts, virtual running races, socially distanced soccer skills demonstrations for kids, cycling and walking maps, online music workshops, a daily showcase of creative resources via artsforall.ie, and an exciting online programme to celebrate Cruinniú na nÓg. Details on these can be accessed on corkcity.ie.”