This three-hour online session explores the core principles and best practices of customer service in the Irish housing context.
Participants will examine what great customer service looks and feels like and how it links with tenant satisfaction, rights, complaints management and housing sector standards including Affordable Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority requirements and broader local authority expectations.
We will explore challenges faced by frontline, operational and management staff, including managing complaints, dealing with difficult conversations and balancing service expectations with organisational limitations. Using case studies and group discussion, we’ll build skills in empathy, active listening, mindset, solution-focused language and professional communication.
The session aligns with CIH’s professional standards and supports housing professionals to strengthen their service ethos, confidence and consistency when interacting with tenants, applicants and external stakeholders.
What will I learn?
From this training, you will learn:
- Understand the importance of a customer service culture in social and affordable housing
- Recognise the rights and expectations of tenants and service users under Irish regulation and the AHB Standards
- Apply principles of mindset, solution focussed language and inclusive customer service
- Build skills in empathy, professional boundaries and dealing with complaints and difficult conversations
- Reflect on your own communication style and identify ways to improve service interactions
- Link customer service with trust-building, tenant engagement and service improvement.
Who should attend?
This course is beneficial for professionals working in housing associations or local authorities in tenant services, housing management, customer support, allocations, maintenance or complaints handling.
It is suitable for staff in frontline, middle management or support functions who engage directly with tenants or applicants across Ireland’s social and affordable housing sector.
Benefits of attending
By attending this course, participants will strengthen their confidence and competence in delivering high-quality customer service that aligns with both professional values and regulatory standards in Ireland.
The session is highly relevant for organisations regulated by the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) and complements CIH’s broader professional development pathway in housing and tenancy management.
This course builds transferable communication and service skills that benefit internal culture and external relationships, and supports readiness for audit, tenant satisfaction frameworks and organisational performance improvement.
Phillip Morrison-Gale is an AHB chief executive and founder of Impact Ireland Consulting, with over 20 years’ experience in housing, tenancy management and homelessness prevention in Ireland and the UK. A chartered member of Chartered Institute of Housing, he specialises in governance, regulation, strategy and service improvement within the housing sector.
Phillip has led major organisational change and culture reviews, developed tenancy sustainment strategies, and commissioned innovative services for older people, care leavers and young people at risk. He has trained and supported frontline teams to deliver risk-based, trauma-informed support that balances rights, responsibilities and compliance.
With a keen understanding of what ‘good’ looks like in governance, leadership and housing practice, Phillip brings a values-led, practical approach that helps housing professionals improve outcomes, strengthen service delivery and navigate complex challenges with confidence.
How to book your place
You can book your place by selecting 'Pay now' at the top of this page and completing our online application form. You will need to sign in or create a 'My CIH' account. You can find instructions below.
Before booking, please ensure you have your payment details to hand, and a PO number if your organisation is paying for your training.
To apply for this training course you will need to register for a My CIH account.
To create your account, visit My CIH page and click the 'Sign up now' link to follow the steps to create your account. You can read our step-by-step guide to creating an account.
If you already have a My CIH account, just follow the sign in by entering your email address and password as usual.
Are you having trouble logging in or creating your account? Please read our step-by-step guide or call our membership services team on 024 7685 1700 or email membership.services@cih.org.
