Hillcrest Engagement Team celebrates multiple highs in first year since rebrand
Hillcrest Engagement Team is celebrating a successful first year following its revitalised “Rebrand and Refresh” initiative, which has delivered a host of impressive achievements and milestones. The rebrand introduced a more flexible and inclusive approach to tenant and staff engagement, helping to modernise the service while remaining accessible to all.
The three-person team began reviewing its service offering in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, taking key lessons on board to refine and enhance its strategy.
One of the standout innovations has been the introduction of market-leading engagement software, CX-Feedback, which has enabled more dynamic, responsive, and inclusive communication with tenants.
Over the past year, the team has led various successful initiatives, including tenant-led projects to enhance communal outdoor spaces, as well as collecting valuable feedback on Hillcrest’s Tackling Poverty Together strategy.
The team also pioneered a Digital Scrutiny project, asking tenants how Hillcrest’s digital communications could be improved. Their feedback has led to meaningful changes across Hillcrest’s website, social media, and newsletters.
Other highlights include a tenant photography competition celebrating gardens and nature, and a targeted Rent First campaign that ran over November and December. Using CX-Feedback’s push notifications, the campaign promoted money management tips and Hillcrest’s money advice service — achieving a strong click-through rate of 50–70%.
Gillian White, Hillcrest Engagement Team Manager, said: “The team’s rebrand has been a fantastic opportunity to revitalise and reposition our services. We’ve made significant improvements in how we engage with tenants, making sure our communications are inclusive, informative, and meaningful.
“The implementation of CX-Feedback has also been a major step forward, allowing us to deliver a modern mix of newsletters, updates, surveys, and push notifications — while still providing traditional formats for those less digitally confident.”
Hillcrest Customer Services Manager, Kirsteen Beeching, added: “We have had great success with our automated satisfaction surveys that are now in place for repairs and customer complaints.
“We have a consistent response rate to our surveys ranging from 26% to 38%, which is a huge improvement from the days of paper surveys with around a 5% return. This real-time data allows us to quickly respond to feedback that requires action or prompts a response, leading to an overall improved customer experience.
“One of the great benefits from the surveys has been the significant rise in compliments received and logged about our staff, which boosts morale.”
Fraser Campbell, CX-Feedback Senior Tenant Engagement Consultant, said: “Partnering with Hillcrest on their ‘Rebrand and Refresh’ journey has been truly inspiring. We are so proud that CX-Feedback’s platform has empowered the Engagement Team to listen more deeply and act more swiftly — whether through highly targeted push notifications or inclusive tenant-led projects.
“Their high click-through rate and uptick in satisfaction survey responses is the perfect example of how modern, responsive engagement can drive both tangible results and stronger communities. Congratulations to Gillian, Kirsteen, and the whole Hillcrest Engagement Team on a transformative first year — I’m excited to see what we’ll achieve together next.”