Introduction

Councillor Graham Dally

Chair – Task Group on Transforming Access to Services

Transforming Access to Services

by 2005

Brian Adcock Strategic Director

Objective

By 2005, every Council should match current best practices in the private sector in providing access to its services’

(Filkin)

Implementing Modern Government

• Customer Focus– Consultation– Ease of access– Choice of access

• Electronic dealings with public– 100% of services by 2005– Single gateways

• Single support service at first point of contact• Local Strategic Partnerships• Raising Standards/Maintaining Control

Council Commitment

• Member/Officer Task Group• Cabinet ‘in principle’ support (July 2001)• Deloitte & Touche Study: re-affirmed Cabinet support

(December 2001)• Procurement Process• Appointment of Project Manager• Resource Commitment

Andrew McManusHead of Information Systems &

Communications

E-government and Wales Programme for Improvement

• Need for integration - conflicting priorities, duplication and co-ordination

• Strategic approach to access will deliver benefits for e-government and Wales Improvement Programme

• Resource impact if disaggregated• e-government strategy• IEG statements

– Draft by 31.3.02– Final by 31.3.03

NAfWPI1.5 ( England’s BVKPI 157)

…the percentage of interactions with the public, by type of transaction, which are capable of electronic service delivery which are being delivered using internet protocols or other paperless methods…

Which means….

Interactions means any contact between the citizen and the authority including (by type):

• Providing information • Collecting revenue • Providing benefits and grants • Consultation • Regulation (such as issuing licences) • Applications for services • Booking venues, resources and courses • Paying for goods and services • Providing access to community, professional or business networks

and procurement

What’s our reason for this tender

• We want, and are required to, improve continuously• Our citizens want to be treated better• We know that we have • Newport has a diverse society• Technology changes have increased opportunities • Politicians have realised that improvements in the

public sector will raise interest in democracy• 2005

Newport today

• Newport’s recognition of the customer and their expectation is limited

• “record many, use once”

• No common standard for customer contact

• Traditional organisational structures

• No overall view of totality of customer contact with the organisation

How do our customers contact us?

• 82% by telephone• 18% know the number/person they want to speak to • 43% ‘just phone one of the published numbers’ • 23% don’t know who they want• 11% in Person• 3% by e-mail

What are Newport’s challenges?

• Culture of customer service• Managing the change• Recognising an information culture• Identifying obstacles and opportunities• Winning ‘hearts and minds’• Developing new skills and training• The impact on whole organisation

Potential Project Benefits

• All services organised around the customer• Easier access - hit the social exclusion issue• Rapid, accurate & consistent responses• Reduced number of contact points• Better and more efficient response • Better use of information• A professional interaction with less re-working• Professionals can focus on professional tasks• Culture change throughout the organisation• Dramatically improved MIS and political data

What are we looking for?

• First time enquiry fulfilment of 70% - 80%• 20% - 30% reduction in contact durations• Improved customer satisfaction• Revised processes & reduced resource requirements • Raise Council’s profile• Possible savings

– HCC predict £0.8 million p.a.– Three Rivers state ‘the jury is out’– Liverpool suggest no savings, but significantly improved

service at no extra cost

Research to date

• Three Rivers– District Council; outsourced services– Combined call centre & one stop shop– £650k investment

• Hertfordshire County Council– Call centre only; £3 million investment; £2.8 million revenue

• City and County of Cardiff– In-house development; estimated spend of £800k+

• Liverpool City Council – £30 million joint venture company with BT– 13 one stop shops with call centre

• Citizen’s Panel Research• Consultancy

Public concerns include:• Fear loss of choice e.g. walk-in access• Diffused accountability for their enquiries• Fear loss of ‘known’ contacts• Dislike of IVRs and canned music

Staff concerns include:• Fear of the unknown• Change of location and reduced job security• Changes to role (incl. reduced status) terms &

conditions• Limit on career opportunities

Consultation results

Phased Implementation

• Will allow change during implementation • Should reduce technology implementation risks• Will recognise differing priorities• Will acknowledge differing perceptions of change • Will allow gradual integration of service areas

BUT• Looking for quick wins• Need early critical mass

Pitfalls Addressed

• Vision and strategy• Member/senior management buy-in • Consultation & communication – internal and external• Timescales – phased but still to be agreed• Initial baseline analysis – overall process, volume data,

systems capability, people impacts – limited to date• Technology constraints• Resources – money and staff

Partnership Opportunities

• Limited discussions to date

• Some discussion with neighbours– Torfaen– Blaenau Gwent

• Some discussions with other organisations

Newport Timetable

• Task and finish group established – January 2001• Terms of reference agreed – February 2001• Initial Report to Cabinet – June 2001• Tender (consultancy) - June 2001• Scoping/preparedness – November 2001• Second Report to Cabinet – December 2001• OJEC Advertisement – January 2002• Appoint preferred supplier – Q3 2002?• Phase 1 Call Centre - Q4 2002/Q1 2003?• Contact Centre - Q2/3/4 2003?

The negotiated process

• Stage 1 – Expressions of Interest• Stage 2 – You’re here (and some couldn’t get in!)• Stage 3 – The select list• Stage 4 – Draft proposals• Stage 5 – Negotiations

“ …….and set out their pedigree in the call/contact centre arena. The Council does not propose to define this stage of the process and would expect potential suppliers to provide enough information on how they propose to tackle the task to allow them to be included in stage 3.”

Shortlisting Criteria

“The Supplier”

• Preference – single supplier• Prime supplier/subcontractors• Guarantees• Experienced

Selection

• Total Solution• Innovativeness• Proven support capability• Experience in Public Sector• Benefits to the Council and its taxpayers• Resilience• Legacy systems handling• Ease and speed of implementation• Use of existing infrastructure

Selection

• Cost• Financial Standing• References• QA• Etc.

Electronic Access – Base components

• Customer Relationship Management Software• Content/Document Management system• Payment Engine• GIS• Workflow• Enterprise Application Integration• Operational Data Store/Data Warehousing• CTI• ++++++

…..need to maximise on current investment

What do we aspire to?

• Multi functional call centre• Walk-in contact centre• Consolidation of data• Improved information management• Step change in service delivery• Improved service to our citizens• Social inclusion

Possible areas for phase 1

• “The street scene”

• General information provision?

• Leisure and Adult Education?

• Newport Ticketline?

• Environment?

Possible areas for phase 2

• Revenues

• Housing

• Education Services

• Social Services

Newport Technical (Data) Infrastructure

• ICL Mainframe (being phased out)• Unix/AIX• Novell• Some NT• ‘Star’ network with few dependencies• Largely leased line; limited ISDN• Intelligent Desktop

Newport Technical (Voice) Infrastructure

• ISDX3000 – Civic Centre (12 years old)• 6 x ISDX300

– Telford Street Depot– Malpas Depot– High Street Council Tax Office– Bus Station/Town Centre Housing Office– Corn Exchange Social Services Office– High Street Social Services Office

• 2 x SDX– Ringland Housing Office– Corn Street Housing Office

• Norstar/Pentara

Newport Application Infrastructure

• Packaged solutions• In-house integration• Minimal Corporate Applications• Numerous Departmental Applications• Oracle/Ingres/Unify/SQL Server• Good control on IT spend/hardware standards

Tomorrow’s Vision for Newport?

• Customer first focus?• Single focus contact point for initial access to Council

services & personnel? • Consistent contact process across the organisation?• Distributed access to services e.g. phone, internet, contact

centre, iDTV?• Empowerment of staff?• Multi channel integrated contact &

case management?• Organisation wide enquiry focus linked to workflow system?• A portal for South Wales?…………..Not ‘The Council’ but ‘OUR COUNCIL’

Colin CrickHead of Human Resources & Policy

The People Business

• Ownership– Flexibility of management of service change– Ethos of Partnership with the modernising agenda– Employees trained to deliver

• No Outsourcing– Loss of control over service development & co-ordination– Technical barriers to front and back office integration– Lack of capacity/will to meet Council's needs and timescales

Newport – Set for Change

• Independent Assessment– Successful implementation of key technologies– Stable environment for CRM– Excellent record of introducing change– Clear direction on the future of service provision

• Real Council-wide Commitment– Service delivery– Efficient use of resources

• Trade Union– Support– Participation

Leading the Way

• Progressive Authority committed to modernisation

• Employees equipped to succeed

Questions?

(Please give name and Company name)