contact solution options assessment and high level implementation plan – initial draft version...

Contact Solution Options Assessment and High Level Implementation Plan – Initial Draft Version

East Devon District Council

February, 2005

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment

Implications and key decisions

Implementation plan

Next steps

East Devon District Council’s Customer Access Vision has been agreed

EDDC aims to significantly improve the way in which it interacts with the public – particularly at the first point of contact

Specifically, the goals are to:• “Develop one main contact centre within the District to handle all telecommunication-

based requests (telephone calls, emails, faxes, SMS texts)”• Resolve 80% of queries at first point of contact • Extend opening hours• Provide a 24 hour automated telephone payments service for a wide range of sums

payable to the Council, including Council Tax and Housing Rents

“As an organisation, we aim to ensure that council services are:• Integrated and co-ordinated• Responsive and flexible in dealing with customers’ needs• Customer-focused and customer-friendly• Cost-effective• Appropriate to the customers’ needs”

“And are delivered:• In a timely and efficient manner• Consistent regardless of the method of delivery• Appropriate to the customer’s needs• Using appropriate technology and access channels” - EDDC Customer Access Strateg

To date, the EDDC project office has undertaken a number of activities

In addition to developing the strategy, the team has:• Begun to bring the strategy to life and kick off project activities• Developed and delivered communication events and briefed colleagues• Collected call data• Begun to explore opportunities with other authorities• Exploring this initiative, they have developed a Customer Access Strategy and engaged

with stakeholders across the Authority

They also invited iMPOWER to undertake a high level review of current practices within the council and make some recommendations about next steps. Particularly, iMPOWER were asked to evaluate whether it makes sense for EDDC to work with Devon County Council in the development of their corporate contact centre

This work has involved:• Creating and distributing call logging sheets to determine call volumes• Conducting interviews with customer-facing colleagues• Identifying and evaluating options for improving customer contact• Bringing experience from other district authorities• Making recommendations around those options and next steps

Several high level assumptions have underpinned this work

These assumptions include:

• Outsourcing of a contact solution has been eliminated as a viable option

• The project recommendations support Gershon efficiency requirements

• EDDC needs to meet government targets around customer access

• As other authorities have already undertaken similar projects, EDDC can learn from other’s successes and setbacks

• EDDC wants to investigate ways of working with DCC

Where is DCC in this process?

DCC plans to build a corporate contact centre have been approved

Over the next two years, DCC will be implementing a contact centre to support calls across the Authority:

• Project team in process of being formed, with the offer to share some resource:- Project Manager in place

• Clear vision and strategy agreed• Customer Service Charter in place• Service scoping activity completed• Business case and capacity planning completed and approved• Budget approved• Implementation plan developed• Roles and responsibilities identified• Technology strategy being developed• Guiding principles for implementation established

Related initiatives:• Customer services training being developed / procured• Customer service standards being developed• Face to face survey underway

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation plan

Next steps

Overall EDDC receives over 850,000 calls per year

On average, this equates to 71,360 customer calls per month*

Of which 45% (31,935 calls per month) are direct dialled calls and distributed between departments, the remaining 55% are handled through switchboard

It is difficult to find accurate call volume data, however, due to lack of call management technology. Call volume information from the switch is being gathered by BT and will be available in a few weeks time

This exercise does however show the need for additional work in this area

Work will need to be done to collect accurate call volume information by service area to support the service scoping activities and the development of a business case

•Average calls per month during 2004 (source project office)

EDDC is not yet achieving 80% standard on its current service indicators

Only 78.44%* of EDDC total calls are answered within council agreed service standards i.e., (20 seconds, 5 rings)

A slightly improved 78.84% of switchboard handled calls are answered within service standards (20 seconds, 5 rings)

Also, over 10% of EDDC calls are answered after 8 or more rings (i.e., nearly 1,600 calls per week wait at least this long to be answered) Over 8.5% of switchboard calls are answered after 8 or more rings (i.e., over 770 calls per week)

Over 9 % of customer calls are abandoned (equivalent to 1,500 lost calls per week)

* Data source – 2004 call logging, member services & project office

There are currently many good practices across EDDC

Good practices:

• Departments are already merging where this will improve customer service, e.g., Revenues & Benefits

• Departments have created shared information and internal extension number links with partners (suppliers & contractors), e.g., Housing Repairs and their partners Connaught and Skinners

• Specialist telephony roles being created, e.g., Benefits and Planning departments

• Debt recovery telephone payment processes and supporting technology have been devolved to service areas, e.g., Council Tax, Rents, Housing Benefits and Streetscene

There are currently many good practices across EDDC

Good practices:

• Some functions are already operating like mini-call centres – focusing activities on front office and back office, e.g., benefits claims processing

• Teams “escalate” calls to supervisor level for resolution, e.g., Streetscene

• Customer satisfaction questionnaires in some departments, e.g., Housing Repairs and Council Tax

• Service standards set and measured, e.g., Benefits and Switchboard

• Out of hours service provides council-wide access to council emergency services 24x7 and overflow support for other authorities such as North Devon They also provide the Home Safeguard service

• Some calls are recorded and monitored for quality, e.g., Home Safeguard

There are also areas for improvement

Areas for improvement:

• Most departments are not working together to serve customers, resulting in many handoffs for customers

• Where there are customer focused teams, they often are located in different offices / on different floors, minimising the possibility for shared learning, support and communication

• Lack of call monitoring, call logging and management information – resulting in a lack of consistency and missed opportunities for quality monitoring and demand-based scheduling

• No overall awareness of or planning around call patterns and volumes – therefore resources are not matched to customer demand (inflexible) - inability to schedule for busy periods – lower level of customer service, poor experience



• Lack of customer focus in some areas, phones are seen as “a pain” - low availability of staff in some departments during lunchtime & after 4.30 pm, poor customer experience

• Customers can be passed through several departments and / or colleagues before finding someone who can help (up to 5 handoffs in one scenario!)

• Colleagues could be better supported with improved technology, better customer data and call support e.g., factfinds & FAQ&As



• Customers (and colleagues) are unclear about the responsibilities of different departments & of district vs. county council – customer may receive incorrect advice

• In some departments, customer facing colleagues have received insufficient training on customer care & how to handle difficult or demanding customers

• Inconsistent service complaints process across council departments – unclear expectations for customers

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation plan

Next steps

There are a number of different models available to East Devon

Model 1: Directorate Approach with Common Corporate Standards

• Common corporate standards are put in place to improve quality and consistency of customer contact. Each directorate retains responsibility for handling their own customer contacts

Model 2: Corporate Approach• EDDC operates one unified point of access for council

services where service departments remain responsible for back-office duties

• Contact is handled by a dedicated team of customer service advisors equipped with a common set of training, processes and technology

• The dedicated customer service advisors report to the corporate head of customer services, rather than to directorates

Model 3: Thematic Approach• EDDC operates one unified point of access for council

services, where both the back office and service delivery functions of the council are structured around core customer processes or life events, e.g. student services, moving house

Passive customers

Active customers

Business customers

Other public sector partners

Private sector

partners

Telephone

Face to face

Internet/

email

Fax/ letters

DiTV

Mobile

Joined up access to services

Service validation processing

Service fulfilment

Resources (Revenues & Benefits)

Regeneration (Housing & Environment)

Learning & Skills (Education)

Social Inclusion

Leisure services

Corporate Planning & Strategy

Shared Services (Legal, Finance, HR, Marketing, Communications, ICT)

Customer Focused

Specialised service experts

Support/ enabling infrastructure

Common

Corporate

Standards

Head of

Customer

Services

Source: iMPOWER analysis

Pros & cons for each option are highlighted below

Pros Cons

Model 1: Directorate Approach

• Easiest to implement• Requires the least amount of organisational change• Low technology requirements• May be more readily accepted by Directorates

• Will not drive a real customer focused shift throughout the organisation

• Is not likely to result in improved ways of working or customer services

• Limited efficiency savings• Maintains directorate silos• Difficult to manage operations to follow similar standards &

procedures• Not flexible to allow for changes within the organisation and

with partners

Model 2: Corporate Approach

• Will drive a customer focused shift throughout the organisation

• Achieves efficiency savings through economies of scale and forced process change

• Will allow EDDC to attain a high first point of contact resolution level

• Breaks down Directorate silos to drive a citizen oriented organisation

• Easier to manage quality of services• Flexible to allow for organisational changes and future

partnership working

• Significant change process to manage• Training requirements are high• Technology requirements are high • May alienate Directorates due to a Corporate led feel

Model 3: Thematic Approach

• Is the most customer focused solution• Achieves efficiency savings through economies of scale

and required process change• Enables customers to access a comprehensive level of

service at the first point of contact• Will allow EDDC to reach a high first point of contact

resolution level• Flexible to allow for organisational changes and future

partnership working

• Will require significant organisational change so the themes map to a directorate structure

• Difficult to implement as themes cross directorate boundaries, making communication and service delivery more difficult

• Difficult hand-offs as themed structure does not match directorate back office structure

• Training requirements are high• Technology requirements are high

These elements are assessed using pie representations, e.g.

Suggests that the option will only allow EDDC to partially achieve that vision component

Suggests that the option will help EDDC to fully achieve the vision component

Resource Reqs.

Techno. Reqs.

Organisa-tional Reqs.

LOW LOW LOW

MED MED MED

HIGH HIGH HIGH

Assessment of options against criteria

Customer Focus

Access to Services

Quality of Services

Efficiency Overall

Model 1: Directorate Approach

Model 2: Corporate Approach

Model 3: Thematic Approach

Our recommendation for EDDC is two-fold

This long term option will make the most of economies of scale, will facilitate standardisation

and knowledge sharing, and will enable true organisational process and culture change. It is through economies of scale and process change

that efficiency savings will be realised.

This long term option will make the most of economies of scale, will facilitate standardisation

and knowledge sharing, and will enable true organisational process and culture change. It is through economies of scale and process change

that efficiency savings will be realised.

Long term – Thematic approach

In the short to medium term EDDC should focus on option 2, as option 3 can only be realised in the

longer term

In the short to medium term EDDC should focus on option 2, as option 3 can only be realised in the

longer term

Short to medium term – Corporate

approach

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation plan

Next steps

Three options were identified as possibilities for investigation for EDDC

The options investigated included:

1 - EDDC remains structurally the same, located in the same place but improved technology is installed and multi-skilling introduced

2 - EDDC establishes a contact centre for EDDC services only, including Home Safeguard

3A – EDDC works with Devon County Council to build a contact centre, but has its own location

3B – EDDC works with Devon County Council to build a centralised contact centre to address calls for services across the two organisations

Option 1 – As Is with improved technology

Description: EDDC remains structurally the same, located in the same place but improved technology is installed and multi-skilling introduced

Facilities

People

Technology

Customer focus

EDDC customer service remains in Knowle, Sidmouth

New telephony management system, including call logging, call recording, CRM and departmental MI

Existing colleagues develop new skills to provide better customer service

Aim – to resolve 80% of customer contacts at first point of contact, hand off to alternative departments / DCC for subsequent needs

Option 1 – EvaluationPros Cons

Facilities Minimal relocation/ redevelopment cost

Less disruption to people in terms of work location

Keeps front and back office functions together

Fewer economies of scale than working with DCC

Customer service teams remain disparate

People All customer service staff are up skilled in customer service

Minimal restructuring and relocation costs


Overall single management of customer service would be difficult to achieve

Poor opportunity for sharing knowledge and learning

Risk that individual colleagues are under utilised whilst working in separate teams.

Technology Simpler technology requirements when building stand alone solution

May be more difficult to link with partners in the future

Will be difficult to utilise fully in separated team environment

Process Potential to maintain good communication between front and back office functions

Minimal rework required to redefine service processes

Individual line management and separate teams will lead to inefficiencies and inconsistencies.

Less opportunity to work with other partners or authorities

Customer focus A first step towards improving customer service for District enquiries.

Colleagues will be able to use customer data & information about services to resolve a range of customer enquiries.

Almost impossible to achieve 80% resolution rate - dependent on moving customers to using direct dial numbers, instead of phoning switchboard

Does not remove customer confusion / internal confusion between district and county responsibilities

Customers would still get passed around

Option 2 – EDDC standalone contact centre

Description: EDDC builds a contact centre for EDDC services only, including Home Safeguard

Contact centre “seats” located together in Sidmouth (probably Knowle)

New telephony management system, resource scheduling technology & CRM installed. Some integration to back office systems

Existing colleagues redeployed to new roles, contact centre management roles specifically recruited

Aim – to resolve 80% of all customer needs (within EDDC services) at first contact. Hand off any additional needs for resolution to DCC etc.

Facilities

People

Technology

Customer focus

Option 2 – Evaluation

Pros Cons

Facilities Less disruption to people in terms of work location

Better use of existing space if co-located contact centre and back office


Unknown redevelopment / rental costs

People Overall management of customer service

Opportunity to maximize recruitment from existing staff

Colleagues fully utilised (increased efficiency)

Opportunity to specialise in customer service

Ability to have more flexible working patterns

Minimal redeployment / relocation costs

Smaller scale project means more EDDC people will be needed in the contact centre – reduced benefit realisation

Increased training costs

Significant cultural change

Technology Can implement better call management software

More simple technology requirements when building standalone contact centre

May be more difficult to link with partners in the future

Process Opportunity for efficiencies – better MI, scheduling, complaint handling, quality monitoring

Opportunity for good communication between customer service centre and back office if co-located

Still maintain high level of handoffs between district and county

Not working in partnership with other authorities for benefit of customers

Customer focus Better chance of achieving 80%

Citizens would only need to be familiar with a few numbers (this improves accessibility for hard to reach groups)

Resolution of many district queries in one place

Ability to access services out of hours with a trained member of staff

Does not remove customer confusion / internal confusion between district and county responsibilities – customers get passed around

May be unpopular if managed poorly

Option 3a – Contact centre with DCC, but not centralised

Description: EDDC works with Devon County Council to build a contact centre, but has its own location

Contact centre “seats” are located together in a single site in Sidmouth (probably Knowle)

New telephony management system, resource scheduling technology & CRM installed. Some integration to back office systems, but all systems improvements to be compatible/ integrated with DCC solutions

Existing colleagues are redeployed into new roles, management roles are specifically recruited

Aim – to resolve 80% of all customer needs (within EDDC services) at first point of contact & manage effective handoff / resolution of DCC service needs

Facilities

People

Technology

Customer focus

Option 3a – Evaluation

Pros Cons

Facilities Less disruption to people in terms of work location

Better use of existing space if contact centre & back office are co-located.

Efficiency - in off peak periods, may need to only open one contact centre

Fewer economies of scale than combining with DCC

Unknown redevelopment / rental costs

Running two cost bases

People More likely to maximize recruitment from exiting staff than option 3b


Opportunity to specialise in customer service


Increased training costs – DCC and EDDC services

Risk of inconsistency between contact centres

Risk of contact centre objectives being misaligned

Risk of high staff turnover

Increased management structure

Technology Ability to provide overflow call handling More complex than option 2 – need compatibility and connectivity – can be expensive, reduced flexibility in selecting products

Process Opportunity for good communication between customer service centre and back office if co-located

Increased options for call management – services could be divided across contact centres to group functional areas, e.g., group all road-related queries into one contact centre

Efficiency - options for scheduling to meet demands - longer opening hours

Opportunity to share best practice between contact centres

Need to closely monitor alignment of objectives, performance, culture, etc.

Customer focus

Consistency of customer service across services and authorities and elimination of confusion between district and county

Citizens would only need to be familiar with a few numbers

Risk of inconsistency of service

Division of services between contact centres could add confusion about division of responsibilities

Potential for loss of local knowledge

Perceived lack of personal touch

Option 3b – Centralised contact centre with DCC

Description: EDDC works with Devon County Council to build a centralised contact centre to address calls for services across the two organisations

Purpose built central contact centre environment

New telephony management system, resource scheduling technology and CRM installed as agreed with DCC. Some integration to back office systems on EDDC side (as is the case in DCC)

Mixture of existing colleagues and new recruits for the contact centre environment

Aim – to resolve 80% of all customer needs (within EDDC & DCC services) at first point of contact

Facilities

People

Technology

Customer focus

Option 3b – Evaluation

Pros Cons

Facilities Economies of scale in terms of location, financials and people

More suitable environment, e.g., purpose built, open plan, wallboards, car parking etc

Relieves space pressure at EDDC

Located further from back office functions

More expensive than staying in current office space

Travel links may not be established

People Overall management of customer service


Opportunity to work in larger, dynamic contact centre – greater prestige and recognition Opportunity to specialise in customer service


Higher relocation costs

Risk of staff attrition

Technology Increased buying power would result in possibility for higher end specification

Potential for resource support from DCC – team likely to include members from both DCC and EDDC

Shared ongoing costs

Single view of customer

More complex project - more dependencies

Process Working in partnership and possibility to work with additional authorities and partners

Streamlined processes

Opportunity to rationalise telephone numbers

Potential for disconnect between front and back office

Constrained by to DCC timescales

Difficult to disentangle once initiated

Customer focus Approach most likely to achieve 80% resolution rate

All queries directed to one contact centre

Eliminates district/county confusion

Should not get passed around (minimises number of tel numbers for citizens)

Transparency in quality of service

Perceived loss of personal touch and local knowledge

Need to re-educate customers

Summary Evaluation of Options

Facilities People Technology ProcessCustomer

FocusOverall

Option 1: As Is with Technology

Option 2:

EDDC standalone contact centre

Option 3a:

EDDC and DCC contact centre, connected but separately located

Option 3b: EDDC and DCC centralised contact centre

Option 3b gives EDDC the right balance in achieving their objectives

Our recommendation for EDDC is to proceed with option 3b – joint contact centre with DCC

This option gives EDDC the greatest return for its investment and maximum opportunity for success:

• 80% resolution rate

• Improved customer service

• Greater access to services

• Economies of scale

• Partnership working

• Centre of excellence

• Purpose built environment

This option gives EDDC the greatest return for its investment and maximum opportunity for success:

• 80% resolution rate

• Improved customer service

• Greater access to services

• Economies of scale

• Partnership working

• Centre of excellence

• Purpose built environment

Joint contact centre with DCC

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation plan

Next steps

There are a number of implications arising from this recommendation

Key decisions that need to be made, after accepting this option would include:

• What would such a contact centre look like?

• What services would be handled by the contact centre? What would be the split between front and back office activities?

• Who would manage the contact centre? How?

• How will we work with DCC?

• What are the costs of implementing and running a contact centre like this?

Customer Contact Centre (illustrative set of services)• Corporately managed, Handles 80% of customer enquiries, Offers extended opening hours

Transport and parking

Directorate Contacts• Managed by directorates, Handle 20% of customer enquiries, Regular opening hours

EDDC’s contact centre would need to link into plans already in place for DCC

Primary DCC Contact Channels• Small number of clearly labelled published phone numbers

• Existing numbers with brand equity will continue but will route through to DCC contact centre e.g. Care Direct

Customers

ElderlyParents StudentsDisabled Minorities

Phone Internet / Email

EALChief Executive Environment P&P Social Services

Partner Services

Post / Fax

Education enquiries

Children's Services

Libraries

FIT

Co

mm

on

Cu

sto

me

r S

erv

ice

s S

tan

da

rds

&

Pe

rfo

rma

nc

e I

nd

ica

tors

Businesses Partners

Partner Servicese.g. voluntary,

community, health, Districts

Partner Contact

Channels

Older people

Hand-offs• Support efficient hand offs through technology & clear definition of hand-off points through process redesign

Registrars

Switchboard / Information

School services

Emergency / out of hours services

EDDC services

DCC - the details …

Feature Description

Call-handling Handles calls centrally, annually, of which 80% are resolved at first point of contact, and as a result a reduced call duration

Staff 60 seat contact centre (based on DCC business case and service scoping)

Employs 53 FTEs (customer service advisors, team leaders, manager)

Other responsibilities Handles some central email accounts and faxes and processes ordinary mail (including outbound mail) during periods of lower calls (not modelled in the business case)

Relationship with services Service-level agreements to meet specific performance indicators

Takes messages / calls for services when service is busy

Training / People Highly-skilled customer service specialists and the option for secondments for service specialists from the delivery teams

Marketing A soft launch that raises the profile of the contact centre with each phase

Technology Underpinned by technology-supported processes and comprehensive information via the internet and internal systems

Opening hours 08:00 to 20:00 weekdays; 09:00 to 13:00 Saturdays

Organisation Corporately branded

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation Plan

Next Steps

A phased approach would help EDDC to manage this change

A phased approach would:

• Decrease the risk associated with this level of change

• Allow EDDC time to answer the questions posed earlier

• Give EDDC time to align their work with that of DCC

• Fit in with DCC’s implementation plans

DCC has four phases of implementation planned

Project start date March 2005

Phase 1(includes initial build)

Late 05

Q406/07

Q2 06/07

Spring 06

Phase 2(fewest new services)

Phase 3

Phase 4

There is some overlap between phases to provide fastest elapsed time and optimise resource usage. Capture of learnings and review of next phase is built into the plan

Note: Assumptions for this implementation plan are listed in DCC’s implementation report to Management Board

DCC has already completed significant work on this initiative

They have:

• Completed a business case outlining costs, payback period and staffing levels for the contact centre

• Completed a service scoping exercise – defining what services would transfer into the contact centre in each phase

• Developed a detailed implementation plan outlining work strands, resource requirements, timelines and contingency plans

• Defined roles and responsibilities for the project

All of this work has been completed with the input from individuals across the services and from all levels and has been agreed by Management Board

EDDC will need to work quickly to complete similar work packages, before they can then streamline this initiative with that of DCC

The business case will help determine number of agents required as well as costs per phase

DCC has gone into significant detail analysing costs and conducting sensitivity analysis on their business case

We would recommend that EDDC work with DCC and undertake a similar activity, building on the current business case to determine the impact of the two authorities working together in terms of:

• Agents required (and therefore facilities)

• Estimated potential savings

• Set-up and annual running costs

However, EDDC already have budget set aside for this initiative

In our experience, EDDC should be able to establish this type of contact centre within the budget available

Typically, as a percentage, EDDC can expect the costs to break down as follows:

4.7%18.5%

0.1%

19.7%

0.3%

7.2%

8.9%

18.1%

13.4%9.0%

1. Property

2. Change Management

3. Procurement

4. ProgrammeManagement

5. Marketing

6. Hardware

7. Software

8. Development

9. Implementation

10. Contingency

In terms of service scoping, enquiries can be divided into three tiers

Tier 1: Generic Tier 2: Rules-based Tier 3: Specialist

The focus and debate tends to be on the middle tier – The service scoping work will take a genuinely challenging approach taken to ‘what can be scripted / automated’

E.g., Benefits

Revenues (CT & BR)

Planning

Environmental Health

Housing Repairs

Streetscene

Simple, easy to resolve enquiries, primarily

informational, require no specialist skills

Enquiries that are scriptable, will include most

applications for services, bookings

Enquiries that require a deep specialist knowledge, may require a judgement call and carry some risk

Who should be responsible for handling each tier of enquiries, the contact solution or directorates?

• Does this solution go far enough?

• Will it really cause change in both the front and back offices?

• Will this develop a customer services culture throughout the organisation?

Contact SolutionTier 1

Tier 3

Tier 2

Service Department Coverage


Contact Solution

Tier 1

Tier 3

Tier 2

Contact Solution

Option 1: Contact Solution handles only tier 1 enquiries

Option 2: Contact Solution handles tier 1 & 2 enquiries

Option 3: Coverage is variable for each service

• Is this too inflexible?

• Are there any services that will not fit into this model?

• Is this too inconsistent?

• Does it send a clear enough message to the whole Council?


Tier 1

Tier 3

Tier 2

Pros & cons for each option are highlighted below

Pros Cons

Option 1: Tier 1 Only

• Easiest to implement• Likely to be readily accepted by Directorates• Lowest technology requirements• Low training requirements

• Limited, if any, organisational change• Limited economies of scale and efficiency savings• Limited process change

Option 2: Tier 1 & 2

• Will result in significant organisational and process change• Will achieve efficiency savings through economies of

scale and process reengineering• Sends a clear message across Council

• Large change implications• Technology requirements are high• Training requirements are high

Option 3: Variable

• Technology and training requirements can be actively managed

• Change implications can be actively managed• Will achieve some efficiency savings through economies

of scale and process reengineering

• May not send a clear enough message to the whole council about the scope of the contact solution

• May not be ambitious enough• Could result in a default to option 1

Assessment of options against criteria

Customer Focus

Access to Services

Quality of Services

Efficiency Overall

Option 1: Tier 1 Only

Option 2: Tier 1 & 2

Option 3: Variable

Resource Reqs.

Techno. Reqs.

Organisational Reqs.

LOW LOW LOW

HIGH HIGH HIGH

MED MED MED

Recommendation: Aim for Option 2 in the longer term, with some phasing of implementation in the manner of Option 3. Providing a full range of services in the contact

solution will allow for better realisation of efficiencies, and increase EDDC’s ability to provide process based service to customers in the future

Recommendation: Aim for Option 2 in the longer term, with some phasing of implementation in the manner of Option 3. Providing a full range of services in the contact

solution will allow for better realisation of efficiencies, and increase EDDC’s ability to provide process based service to customers in the future

The contact centre would fit into an overall customer contact programme

Customer Contact Program

Document management

and imagining processes

Workflow Contact centreOne stop shop(s)

Social inclusion initiatives

All initiatives under this program will look to improve the customer experience and social inclusion of EDDC

Within the contact centre project will be a number of work strands

We would recommend that EDDC follow a similar approach to that adopted by DCC

DCC’s work strands include:

• Project management (and internal communications)

• External communications

• Facilities

• People

• Process

• Technology – telephony

• Technology – systems development

• Operational planning

EDDC may be able to combine some of these work strands and would need to tailor the structure to fit their situation

The project team will also need to work with DCC to align the activities of the two projects

Phase 1 Late 05

Q1 06Phase 2

Business case

Service scoping\

Implementation plan

Activities required would also include identifying roles and responsibilities for the project and putting these people in place

Shared resources are available to ensure that plans are aligned

DCC activities

EDDC activities

Contents

Introduction

Current findings

High level model

Options assessment


Implementation plan

Next steps

Next steps for EDDC

Immediate next steps for EDDC:• Receive formal approval for way forward from SMT

• Continue to communicate activities internally

• Negotiate working arrangements and costs with DCC

• Build on DCC business case to determine additional requirements for EDDC

• Complete a service scoping exercise

• Develop a detailed implementation plan

• Clarify project governance structures

• Identify resources required – internal / external / shared

• Write up roles and responsibilities

• Procure resources (internal and external as required)

• Kick off project

Additional activities would include:• Develop and agreed customer service charter

• Develop communications plan around all customer service initiatives

• Customer service training

Management Team’s decision will trigger a number of actions

Detailed service scoping and

business case

High level implementation

plan

Detailed implementation

planning

If rejected, further work will

be required

1

2

3

Project:

1. Is financially acceptable

2. Provides an acceptable implementation plan

Suggested decision-making process

Member approval for business case

and high level plan

4

Project kick off

5

Ongoing consultation with Heads of Service, front line staff, members, etc. needs to continue throughout these activities

Appendix A

Description of work strand responsibilities

Project Management

Responsibilities for this work strand include:

• Programme management team and Project office set up

• Stakeholder communication

• Internal communication

• Programme set-up

• Detailed implementation plan definition

• Ongoing programme management

• Benefits realisation

• Service offering

• Service measurement

• Partnership opportunities

External Communications

This work strand would be responsible for:

• Promotion strategy and planning

• Materials production and distribution

Facilities

This work strand is responsible for procuring and furnishing a suitable location. Responsibilities include:

• Property review

• Property – procure and refurbish

• Staff facilities

People

The people work strand includes the following responsibilities:

• Organisation structure, job evaluation, contracts of employment

• Redeployment, recruitment and selection

• Training design and planning

• Training delivery and validation

• Quality monitoring design

Process

The processes work strand is responsible for service redesign, specifically:

• Process design team set up

• Definition of design processes, procedures and guidelines

• Select a process redesign tool and team training

• Process redesign for Contact Centre

• Knowledge

• Call guides, letters and e-mails

• Process input to training of Contact Centre staff

• Management Information requirements

• Service reassessment – release 2 onwards

Technology - telephony

This work strand will be involved in initial design work:

• ICT audit

• High-level customer services and infrastructure requirements

• Develop ICT strategy

It will then be responsible for the telephony:

• Detailed requirements gathering

• Contract review

• ICT procurement

• Design, build and test release

• Deploy ICT release

• ICT later releases – gather requirements, procure, build, deploy

Technology – system development

This work strand will be involved in initial design work:

• ICT audit

• High-level customer services and infrastructure requirements

• Develop ICT strategy

It will then be responsible for Integration and Customisation:

• Contract review

• Detailed requirements gathering

• ICT procurement

• Design, build and test release

• Deploy ICT release

• ICT later releases – gather requirements, procure, build, deploy

Operational Planning

This work strand will be responsible for:

• Development of service level agreements (internal)

• Capacity and shift planning

• Contact centre communications processes

• User acceptance testing

• Business simulation

• Transition new services into business as usual

• Business continuity planning

contact solution options assessment and high level implementation plan – initial draft version...

Documents

customer contact

point of contact

customer access strategy

corporate contact centre

dcc slide

main contact centre

eddc project office

setbacks eddc