Opposite
Interactive sample · MRCC Tender 2026/314
Concept samples

What our CX deliverables might look like at MRCC.

Three of the deliverables proposed in our response to Tender 2026/314 — a Leader Toolkit, Employee Quick-Reference Tools, and an optional Pocket Charter — shown here as working concept samples rather than described in prose. Click around. The point is to make our proposal concrete enough to evaluate.

For: Mildura Rural City Council
From: Opposite
Tender: 2026/314 CX Training Program
A note before you click around

These are concept samples, not finished products. The Leader Toolkit demonstrates the categories, format and tone we'd build to. The Employee Quick-Reference Tools show what the printable handovers might look like. The Pocket Charter is a static prototype of an optional digital add-on. All would be co-designed with MRCC in Phase 2 of the proposed program, using real MRCC scenarios surfaced in workshops.

The sample content draws on the Draft Customer Charter, the MRCC CX Framework, and the Business Excellence Principles. Where we've made specific service references (rates, planning, waste), they're illustrative — the actual content would reflect what MRCC staff and leaders tell us matters most.

Section 01

The program at a glance

Three audience streams. Four delivery phases. One integrated capability system. Detail sits in the Tender Schedules and Attachments — this is the orientation map.

01

Executive & Senior Leaders

~120 leaders · via TtT cohort
  • Alignment Module (shorter face-to-face)
  • 3-hour Leader Workshop
  • Leader Toolkit
  • eLearning refresher
  • Communication support
02

Employees

~450 staff · via TtT cohort
  • 3-hour Employee Workshop (groups of ~20)
  • Participant materials
  • Quick-reference CX tools
  • eLearning refresher
  • Pocket Charter (optional add-on)
03

Train-the-Trainer Cohort

10–12 internal trainers · direct
  • Train-the-Trainer workshop
  • Observed exemplar leader session
  • Observed exemplar employee session
  • Coaching, Q&A and feedback time
  • Facilitator Guide, evaluation tools, readiness materials

Four phases over six months

Phase 1

Kick-off & alignment

Scope, governance, audience needs, success measures, MRCC examples.

Phase 2

Design & prototype

Draft learning architecture, workshop content, leader tools, eLearning structure.

Phase 3

Build & capability transfer

Finalise materials, deliver TtT, run exemplar leader and employee sessions.

Phase 4

Finalisation & handover

Incorporate feedback, hand over editable materials and readiness tools.

Section 02

The Leader Toolkit — concept sample

Practical reinforcement tools for the ~120-strong leadership cohort. Designed for the flow of work: a leader can drop one of these into a team meeting, a one-on-one, or a service conversation without preparing for it. Everything below would be editable by MRCC. Click the tabs to explore each category.

MRCC Leader Toolkit

Reinforcement tools aligned to the Customer Charter and CX Framework
Editable · Owned by MRCC

Short questions for one-on-ones, team huddles and check-ins. Pick one, ask it, listen properly. Each prompt is tagged to the Charter commitment and CX Framework pillar it serves.

We Listen and Understand Focus
When the customer was harder to read than usual

"Tell me about an interaction this week where you weren't sure what the customer actually needed. What did you do to find out? Looking back, what would you do differently?"

We Make It Easy Capacity
Closing the loop

"Think of a customer interaction this week where you said you'd get back to someone. Did you? If not, what got in the way — and what would help you close that loop reliably next time?"

We Make It Easy Capacity
First-contact resolution

"Walk me through a recent enquiry you resolved without handing it off. What made it possible? And one you couldn't resolve in the first contact — was the handoff the right call, or was there something we could have done?"

We Learn and Improve Insight
Surfacing the pattern

"What's something a customer has said to you more than once this month? Not a one-off complaint — a pattern. What does that tell us, and who needs to hear it?"

We Value your Experience Culture
The interaction you're proudest of

"Tell me about a customer interaction recently that you're proud of. What did you do that made the difference? (Use this one. Pride is data.)"

We Listen and Understand Culture
Setting expectations realistically

"When was the last time you had to tell a customer something they didn't want to hear? How did you frame it? Did they leave with a clear picture of what happens next, even if the answer was 'no' or 'not yet'?"

We Learn and Improve
What's getting in your way

"If there was one thing about how we work — a system, a process, a habit — that you'd change to make a customer's experience better, what would it be? Don't hold back."

We Value your Experience
The handover test

"When you've passed an enquiry to another team this week, how did you set up the customer for what happens next? Did they know who, when, and what to expect?"

Pre-built five-minute agenda items leaders can drop into a team meeting without prep. Each one has a discussion question, a Charter link, and a "what good looks like" reference.

The customer story of the week
5 min · weekly

We Value your Experience · We Learn and Improve

One person shares a customer interaction from the past week — good, bad, or just memorable. Two minutes. Then the team picks out one thing that worked or one thing we'd do differently. That's it. No action items, no follow-up. The point is to make customer experience a thing we talk about, not just a thing we measure.

Stories surface that wouldn't otherwise. Patterns become visible over weeks. People stop saving stories for performance reviews.

The Charter check-in
5 min · monthly

All four commitments

Pick one of the four Charter commitments — rotate through them month by month. Ask the team: "How are we doing on this one? What's going well? Where are we falling short?" Don't fix anything in the meeting. Capture two or three things that came up and decide together what to do with them — own them, escalate them, or watch them.

The Charter stops being a poster and starts being a working document. Issues get raised early, while they're still small.

"What did the feedback tell us?"
10 min · monthly

We Learn and Improve

Bring one piece of customer feedback to the team — a survey result, a complaint, a thank-you, a snippet from Snap Send Solve, anything. Read it out. Ask: "What does this tell us? What would we want to change, if anything? What would we want to keep doing?" Ten minutes, including the read-out.

Feedback stops being something that happens to the team and becomes something the team uses.

Editable language patterns for the moments staff find hardest. Read them. Adapt them. Bin the ones that don't sound like you. The point isn't to read off a script — it's to have a sentence in your back pocket when you need it.

When the answer is "no, but here's why"
For: declining a request kindly
"I hear what you're asking for, and I want to be straight with you — we can't do that, and here's why: [reason]. What I can do is [alternative], or I can point you to [other option]. Which of those would be most useful?"

The point: the customer leaves with a real "no" they understand, and one or two things they can actually do next. No "I'll look into it" when you already know the answer.

When you can't fix it today
For: setting expectations on timing
"I can see this matters, and I want to be upfront with you about timing. This isn't something I can resolve today — what I can commit to is [specific next step] by [specific date]. If anything changes on my end, I'll come back to you before then. Sound okay?"

The point: the Charter says we set realistic expectations and explain timeframes. This is what that sounds like.

When you need to hand over
For: passing an enquiry to another team
"What I'm going to do is connect you with [team / person] — they're the right people for this. I'll send them a quick note now so they know what you're after and they're not starting from scratch. You should hear from them within [timeframe]. If you don't, here's [direct line / reference number] — call me back and I'll chase it for you."

The point: no "I'll transfer you now" without setting up the next interaction. The handover is part of our service, not a break in it.

When you've got it wrong
For: owning a mistake
"You're right — we got this wrong, and I'm sorry. Here's what I'm going to do to put it right: [specific action]. I want to make sure this doesn't happen again, so I'm also going to [feed back to team / flag the process / etc.]. Is there anything else you need from me right now?"

The point: a real apology, a real action, and a signal that the feedback goes somewhere. No defensive explanations.

Ready-to-adapt paragraphs for forums, all-staff updates, town halls and team comms. Each one is short, plainspoken, and Charter-aligned. Take what you need, change what doesn't sound like you, drop what doesn't fit.

Launching the program — to your team

"You'll have heard us talking about the Customer Experience Framework and our Customer Charter — what we're committing to as a Council in how we work with the community. Over the next few months we're rolling out training to back those commitments up with practical skills and tools we can all use in the day-to-day."

"It's a workshop, an eLearning refresher, and some practical tools — not another binder. The point is to make our work with customers easier and more consistent, not to add to your day. I'll share more in the next [team meeting / one-on-one], but if you've got questions in the meantime, ask."

After the workshop — what we took away

"Most of the team went through the CX workshop this month. Some of what came up was familiar — we already do a lot of this well. Some of it was a useful prompt to be more deliberate, particularly around closing the loop and being clearer about timeframes."

"We've agreed as a team to pick a couple of small things to try over the next few weeks: [specific behaviour 1] and [specific behaviour 2]. I'll be checking in on those in our one-on-ones, not to police them, but because they're worth getting right. If something's not working, tell me — we'll adjust."

For the all-staff forum — why CX matters here

"Every interaction we have with someone in our community is an opportunity. To get something right, to build trust, to make their day easier — or to do the opposite. The Charter we've adopted is our shared commitment to which side of that we want to be on, consistently, across the whole organisation."

"This program isn't about making us nicer to customers — most of us already are. It's about making the experience more reliable, more consistent, and easier to use. It's also about making it easier for us as staff — when our systems, language and follow-through are aligned, the work is less frustrating. That's the deal."

Section 03

The Employee Quick-Reference Tools — concept samples

Simple, practical reference tools for the ~450-strong employee group. Built for the realities of the workforce: depot crews, library staff, front counter, mobile services. Some work away from a desk for most of the day. These are the things they can pin to a wall, slip behind an ID card, or print and stick on the back of the kitchen door — no app, no login, no SharePoint search.

Front

Our Charter, in one card

We Listen and Understand
We Make It Easy
We Learn and Improve
We Value your Experience
Back
In the moment
"Let me see if I can sort this out right now."
"You'll hear from me by [day]. If anything changes, I'll let you know."
"I hear what you're asking for. Here's what I can do."
"You're right — we got this wrong. I'm sorry."
Artefact 01 · Lanyard card

The Charter on the back of an ID card

Credit-card sized, double-sided. Front: the four commitments. Back: four sentences staff can borrow when they need one. Slips behind an existing lanyard or sits on a desk.

CX Conversation Guide
v1.0 · MRCC
Focus
We Listen and Understand
"Can you tell me a bit more about what you're trying to do?"
Capacity
We Make It Easy
"Let me see if I can sort this out right now."
Insight
We Learn and Improve
"Was there anything we could have done better?"
Culture
We Value your Experience
"Thanks for coming in. How can I help today?"
1
Service user
Wants accessibility, efficiency.
2
Ratepayer
Wants transparency, value.
3
Citizen
Wants community, fairness.
Saying no
"We can't do that, and here's why…"
Hand-off
"I'll send a note now so you don't start over."
Delay
"You'll hear from me by Thursday."
Customer Experience · MRCC Page 1 / 1
Artefact 02 · One-page guide

A4 conversation guide

One page, designed to be printed and pinned somewhere useful. The four commitments, the three customer types, and a "when you need a sentence" reference at the bottom for the harder moments.

MRCC_CX_Lanyard_Card_v1.docx · Word
×
Manrope
B I U
Editing notes for MRCC
Replace phrases with team-specific language. Swap dots for service-area icons if preferred. Print two-up on 250gsm matte card. Source file: this document.
Our Charter, in one card
We Listen and Understand"Tell me a bit more about what you need."
We Make It Easy"Let me see if I can sort this out now."
We Learn and Improve"Was there anything we could have done better?"
We Value your Experience"Thanks for coming in. How can I help today?"
Page 1 of 1 · 142 words 100%
Artefact 03 · Editable source

Editable Word file MRCC owns

Every printable tool is delivered as an editable Word or InDesign source file, with notes in the margin for whoever needs to update it. No locked PDFs, no design software required.

What's shown above is a sample, not the full set. The Quick-Reference Tools are designed in Phase 2 alongside the workshop content, so the wording, scenarios and visual hierarchy reflect what MRCC staff and leaders actually say matters in their day-to-day. The Pocket Charter below covers the same content as a digital companion, for staff who'd rather have it on their phone.
Section 04

The Pocket Charter — optional digital add-on

A lightweight, mobile-friendly version of the same content shown above — for staff who'd rather have it on their phone than printed on a card. The Pocket Charter is offered as an optional add-on, not a replacement for the printable tools: same Charter, same prompts, same customer types, just digital.

What it does

Gives staff in-the-moment access to the Customer Charter, the CX Framework, customer types, and practical service prompts — without having to find the right SharePoint folder or remember which intranet page it lives on.

Not a separate platform. Not a new app to download. A mobile-friendly web page MRCC owns, that staff can save to their home screen. Static enough to be reliable. Editable enough to evolve with the Charter.

1
It's there when it's neededOne tap to the four Charter commitments. Two taps to a prompt for the situation you're in.
2
It's MRCC's content, in MRCC's voiceReuses the Charter, Framework and customer types as-published. No new doctrine to learn.
3
It's optional, and it's editableAn add-on, not a dependency. Maintained by MRCC. Hosted by Opposite or by MRCC — MRCC's call.

→ The mockup on the right is interactive. Tap a Charter tile, try "In the moment", explore the customer types. Static demonstration only — production version would be a live web app.

9:41
Pocket Charter
MRCC
Good morning. What can we help with?
Tap a Charter commitment to see what it means in practice — or jump straight to a tool.
Commitment 01 · Focus
We Listen and Understand

We take the time to understand who you are and what matters to you. We listen carefully, clarify when needed, and follow through with clear, accurate information.

What this sounds like in practice
"Can you tell me a bit more about what you're trying to do? I want to make sure I help you with the right thing."
"Just to check I've got this right — you're [restate]. Is that the situation?"
"Here's what I can do, and here's what's outside what we can help with — so you know up front."
Try this today
In your next phone or counter interaction, ask one clarifying question before you start solving.
Before ending an interaction, paraphrase what's going to happen next back to the customer.
Commitment 02 · Capacity
We Make It Easy

Our goal is to resolve your enquiry on first contact. We respect your time and provide clear, consistent service across all channels.

What this sounds like in practice
"Let me see if I can sort this out for you right now."
"If I can't, I'll be straight with you and tell you who can and how long it should take."
"I'm going to flag this with [team] now so you don't have to start the conversation again."
Try this today
If you'd normally hand off, ask yourself first: "Can I solve this in the next 90 seconds?"
When you do need to hand off, send a short note ahead so the customer isn't starting from scratch.
Commitment 03 · Insight
We Learn and Improve

We regularly ask for your feedback, take it seriously, and use it to improve our services. We are transparent about what we're doing well and where we need to do better.

What this sounds like in practice
"Before you go — was there anything in how we handled this that we could have done better?"
"That feedback is useful. I'll make sure it gets to [team / supervisor]."
"You're not the first person to flag that. We're looking into it."
Try this today
Pass on one piece of customer feedback to your supervisor today — good or bad. Not in a report. In a sentence.
Commitment 04 · Culture
We Value your Experience

We make you feel welcome, treat every enquiry with respect, and remain calm and positive. We treat every interaction as an opportunity to build trust and connection.

What this sounds like in practice
"Hi — thanks for coming in / calling. How can I help today?"
"I can hear that this has been frustrating. Let's see what we can do."
"You're welcome. Anytime."
Try this today
Notice how you finish your interactions. Does the customer leave feeling welcomed, or processed?
In the moment

Pick the situation you're in. We'll give you a Charter-aligned prompt and a sentence you can borrow.

Focus + Culture
Unhappy ratepayer
Start by listening
Let them say the whole thing without interrupting, even if you can already hear where it's going.
Acknowledge before you explain. "I can hear this is frustrating. Let's go through it."
Then be specific
If it's a calculation question, walk them through the actual numbers on their notice.
If it's about what rates pay for, point to Council's annual report rather than improvising.
If it's a hardship question, mention the rates payment options and the financial hardship policy.
Charter link
Transparency about how rates are spent is a ratepayer value. Your job here is clarity, not defence.
Capacity
Planning enquiry
Find out what stage they're at
"Are you thinking about an application, or have you already lodged one?"
"Is this for a property you own, or somewhere you're thinking about?"
Match the answer to the stage
Pre-application: Pre-application meetings are available. Point them there before they invest time.
Lodged: Their reference number is the fastest route. Look it up. Give them a status, not a script.
Objecting / interested party: Public notice timeframes and how to make a submission.
Don't guess
If you're not sure, get a planning officer. "I want to make sure you get the right answer the first time — let me grab someone who lives in this every day."
Capacity
Handing off well
Try this
"What I'm going to do is connect you with [team]. I'll send them a quick note now so you don't have to start over. You should hear back within [timeframe]. If you don't, here's [reference / direct line]."
The Charter says
We will follow up and follow through, so you're not left wondering.
Focus
Setting realistic timeframes
Be specific, not vague
Not "I'll get back to you as soon as I can."
Yes "You'll hear from me by Thursday. If anything changes, I'll let you know before then."
If the timeframe slips
Reach out before the deadline you gave them. Even if you don't have an answer yet, a quick "I haven't forgotten, here's where things are" is worth a lot.
Culture + Focus
A timely "no" with reasons
Borrow this
"I hear what you're asking for, and I want to be straight with you — we can't do that, and here's why: [reason]. What I can do is [alternative]. Which of those is useful?"
The Charter says
A fast yes, or a timely no with reasons. Not "I'll look into it" when you already know.
Customer types

The same person can be all three of these at once. Knowing which role they're showing up in helps you respond to what they're actually asking.

1. Service users
People who directly use Council services — libraries, waste collection, immunisations, recreational facilities, planning support.
What they value: Accessibility, efficiency, quality of service.
2. Ratepayers
Property owners who contribute financially through rates.
What they value: Transparency in how rates are spent, value for money, maintenance of infrastructure and services.
3. Citizens
All residents of the municipality, whether they use services or pay rates.
What they value: Community wellbeing and safety, environmental sustainability, inclusive decision-making.
Section 05

How it all lines up

The Customer Charter, the MRCC CX Framework, and the Business Excellence Principles aren't three separate things to learn — they're one story told three ways. Here's how the deliverables map across them.

Framework · Focus
We Listen and Understand

A clear understanding about who our customers are and what they need.

  • P2 Customers
  • P6 Information & Knowledge
  • Employee Workshop
  • Quick-Reference Tools
  • eLearning refresher
  • Pocket Charter
Framework · Capacity
We Make It Easy

Staff have the skills, tools and clear processes to produce consistent, excellent service.

  • P4 People
  • P7 Variation
  • Leader Toolkit
  • Quick-Reference Tools
  • Train-the-Trainer
  • Facilitator Guide
Framework · Insight
We Learn and Improve

Reliable and meaningful data to know what we're getting right and what to change.

  • P5 Continuous Improvement
  • P6 Information & Knowledge
  • Leader Workshop
  • Evaluation tools
  • Meeting inserts (Leader Toolkit)
Framework · Culture
We Value your Experience

The customer's experience is valued throughout the whole organisation.

  • P1 Leadership
  • P9 Sustainable Results
  • Exec & Senior Leader Alignment
  • Leader Workshop
  • Talking points

Each deliverable serves more than one pillar — the map above shows where each is strongest, not where it stops. Full alignment is achieved across the program as a whole, not by any single asset. The Leader Toolkit, Quick-Reference Tools and Pocket Charter shown above are designed with this in mind: they don't try to do everything, but together with the workshops, eLearning and facilitator supports they make the Charter and CX Framework usable in day-to-day work.

How to read this page

The three prototypes above are concept samples, designed to make our proposal concrete enough to evaluate. They show what we'd build, in what voice, to what standard.

  • What this is: a working sample of the Leader Toolkit, Employee Quick-Reference Tools, and Pocket Charter described in Schedule 6 and the Tender Schedules Attachments.
  • What this isn't: a finished product. Full content would be co-designed with MRCC in Phase 2.
  • What happens next, if selected: we kick off, gather real MRCC examples, prototype, refine, and hand over editable assets MRCC owns.
  • What we'd like you to take from this: evidence that we can deliver sample materials with the clarity, professionalism and practical edge the evaluation criteria asks for.

This page complements the Tender Schedules and the Tender Schedules Attachments. It does not replace either.

Questions or feedback
Dr Nicholas Duck
Head of Opposite
Phone 0411 725 242
Office Level 1, 189 Glenferrie Rd, Malvern VIC