The problem
We currently have multiple different first points of contact across the council; they’re not co-ordinated, consistent or systematically monitored. Our main customer contact is split over three main Customer Service Centres (CSC’s) and while there’s also separate single contact points though individual customer areas. There is currently no overall visibility of exactly how much we are contacted by customers of all different types with data only monitored across the three CSCs.
We know we have high volumes of avoidable contact, often caused by failure demand (people chasing responses and updates) or because there’s a lack of a digital offer across many services. Examples include checking a status of a claim, making a simple service request or complaint, taking bookings and paying bills. It’s not an efficient way to do business.
The technology we use to support customer contact lacks of integration across many systems, including the council’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM), while the different systems that are part of our website doesn’t always make it easy for customers to quickly access what they need to.
What is the project about?
Our ‘channel shift - customer journey’ programme will improve the customer’s experience of the council, ensuring customers can access or interact with our services via automation and digital channels, giving an enhanced Shropshire offer, increased efficiency by reduced failure demand and the accompanying “noise” this creates. This will be done through improvement activities including:
- Digital self-service opportunities focusing on services with high volume calls/ requests
- Voice automation and web-chat, starting with pilot areas and then a rolling programme with ‘sprints’ of prioritised voice automation opportunities.
- A scoping and analysis appraisal exercise of existing CRM systems and their integration capability to help streamlining our systems to support and align with all our channel shift outcomes
- An improved website presence. Work is already underway with a pilot on our Council Tax pages and we'll be addressing this on service by service basis
- An effective common front door that will also drive wider customer transformation
Why does it matter?
- We want to provide support at the right time at the right place
- It will enable and empower our customers to help themselves through effective and accessible information and advice, giving our residents and businesses a better user experience
- Making the majority interactions digital
- Using staff skills and time within the contacts that drive positive impacts
- One Shropshire – making every single contact count approach, delivering proactive customer service which keeps customer informed at all stages
- Increases in efficiency will decrease costs by reducing avoidable demand
How will the project be implemented?
A programme board will confirm overall plan for workstreams and collate all work currently ongoing and align this to channel shift/ customer journey
High level workstreams to reflect the above improvement programmes, with assigned project leads and relevant key stakeholders who will project manage, monitor and implement key workstream milestones and outcomes.
Who is involved?
A multi-disciplinary team across the council will reflect all areas of work and provide the necessary digital/automation skill-sets and experience. They will be supported by a PWC team with vast experience in channel shift project management.
When is it happening?
Work has already started, including a scoping and mapping workshop.
High level delivery plans which capture key activities are already in place, together with medium-term actions to enhanced automation and our digital offer.