Meeting documents

Customer Access Programme

EXECUTIVE REPORT SEPTEMBER 2006

Appendix one; progress since the last report to the Executive and future plans

Achieved in 2005

Mitel (telephony hardware) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) installed in Council Connect (previously called Action Line). This is the key IT building block for the programme enabling integrated service delivery from a range of access channels.

Bath Central, Saltford, and Moorland Road libraries refurbished, enabling libraries to be used for first stop shop functionality in due course.

BPR team set up to ensure processes in existing Customer Service front office and services that join are efficient and effective

Customer access DVD produced and used across the Council to publicise the programme and purpose of CRM

SOCITM reviews web site and recommendations taken forward

Part of national e pay pilot looking at innovative ways to make payments to council

Branding concept developed in Customer Services and rolled out across the council

Work with Revenue and Benefits, Waste, Highways, Planning and Libraries to move or refine services delivered to the public via the front office. Service level agreements put in place.

Achieved in 2006

Action Line and all other front offices change name to Council Connect to develop consistency

General enquiry library phone calls move to Council Connect and extra staff taken on

On street kiosks removed following decline in use and cost of maintenance. To be revisited as part of overall public realm.

Rationalisation work underway in Keynsham to shut the cash office and move functionality to Riverside reception

Cash machines installed at the Guildhall cash office reducing waiting times

Revenue and Benefits meet challenging performance targets using 93Achieve Breakthrough94 methods, which has an positive impact on Customer Service's ability to deliver improved front line service - e.g. waiting times have halved in The Guildhall cash office

Council restructure - service moves to Customer Service Director's area enabling better planning and integration across front line services

Planning Service transfers front office resources to Council Connect

Complaints process taken on by Customer Services using CRM so that consistency is achieved and customer service can be improved.

Agreement signed with JobCentre Plus for £8500 p.a. to rent space in The Hollies, improving the range of services on offer to customers

Midsomer Norton Library refurbished and Council Connect at The Hollies rebranded

New library management system goes live improving capacity within service to develop first stop shop functionality.

Work planned and underway for 2006 includes;

Further work with technology to integrate all relevant offices, e.g. upgrade network between Bath Central Library and Council Connect, roll out of CRM and improved telephony system

Further integration of service delivery from variety of access points / channels e.g. Trimbridge House reception staff offer a wider range of services, and Council Connect offer Planning services via telephone from September.

Developing a business case for a business warehouse to improve corporate management information

Invest to save bid for intelligent e forms to increase interactivity of the web and create efficiencies

Ongoing training for existing Customer Service staff in CRM, customer care and service specific functionality

Recruiting further staff to Council Connect enabling expansion of functions; in post by September

Libraries as first stop shops project to broaden the services libraries deliver

Contribute to linked work e.g. Worksmart, information management policy, geographic information systems, local area agreements

A business case for a one stop shop in Bath is in development to rationalise fragmented service delivery and improve the customer experience

Mystery shopping results used to inform further development

Improving skills relating to analysis of customer data

Appendix two; funding

The funds allocated for the programme are not all 93new94 money, but are existing budgets transferred from other services as functionality or teams transfer to Customer Services. In 2006/07 as shown below, funds totalling£133K are transferred in from other services, and this is therefore vired from their budgets. In previous years funds were transferred from Revenue and Benefits (for the cash offices) and from Highways and Waste (for Action Line, now Council Connect). In previous years we have also received Implementing Electronic Fund Grant money from central government.

The table below shows the funds allocated until 2008/09.

Note that by 2009 it is envisaged that we will have a contact centre of 21.9 staff, 17.9 counter staff in Bath / Keynsham and 6 in Council Connect at The Hollies. This is based on analysis of current demand and processes, but if demand rises from customers or the organisation we will allocate more funding from services.

Not included in the above figures;

Capital costs for a one stop shop in Bath. Currently the face to face service is split between the Guildhall cash office, Parking Shop and Trimbridge House. A business case is being developed to rationalise this, improving customer service and our ability to deliver efficiently.

E forms. E forms will offer customers another access channel that is becoming increasingly popular, as well as more efficient. An invest to save bid is being made for this following feasibility work.

A £50K development allowance is included for CRM in the above but this is likely to be inadequate depending on the pace and difficulty of change. This will need to be monitored and will be cross referenced to information management work and allied projects that is looking to rationalise

Appendix three; Performance data.

Number of telephone calls answered in Council Connect;

a) Note that phone calls have been steadily rising as new functions have been added to Council Connect.

b) Note that June 2006 was an exceptional month for Council Connect because of customers ringing about the changes to collection of waste. As a result of this various measures have been taken including; new business continuity plan, improved training and development, improved service level agreements with services and exploring how technology can assist us (e.g. routing calls, messaging etc.).

Face to face service points

Note that waiting times have dropped in Bath as a result of the introduction of cash machines, improvement in Revenue and Benefits back office processing performance and improved processes.