Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Assistant Director Customer Access.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 19 November 2014 and its comments will be reported.

The report of the Assistant Director Customer Access was submitted summarising the Council’s Channel Shift Programme, outlined in the Business Case attached to the report.  Officers were requesting the approval of funding on an invest- to-save basis, which sought to improve the Council services to customers whether they approach the Council face to face, by telephone or via internet-enabled provision.

The Deputy Chief Executive outlined the Council’s positive approach to the e-delivery of services which included a request for the approval of funding on an invest-to-save basis.

The Customer Access Development Officer gave an overview of the Business Case and identified the cost benefit to the Council over a six year period. The programme would provide high quality telephone and on-line services to enable staff to have more time to deal face to face with those customers with more complex needs.  The on-line self service portal would offer a simple, but secure point of access allowing the customer to view every aspect of their transaction with the Council.  Customers would still be able to come into the Civic Centre to speak face to face or over the phone to a member of staff to progress their queries and obtain advice and help.

The Leader thanked the officers involved for their hard work in putting this Business Case together.

A Member stated that whilst generally supporting the way forward, he had concerns regarding the Council meeting the needs of the residents with difficult circumstances and the elderly who might not readily have access to technology.

The Portfolio Holder for Economy and Culture commented that the Council needed to ensure that it was ‘Fit for Purpose’ and while encouraging the use of digital technology, officers would be available for face to face contact with those residents that require extra support.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Customer Access stated that the Council needed to move to a digital form of providing service particularly as Universal Credit was rolled out. The Council would continue to offer face to face service for customers with complex needs. It was hoped that in the future the Customer Service Centre would move towards becoming a community hub with a multi agency presence. 

The Portfolio Holder for Enabling Services stated that there would still be a face to face presence and that this system would free up more time to be spend on those residents that needed it the most.

Scrutiny Committee – Resources considered the report at its meeting on 19 November 2014 and the support and comments of the Members were noted.

RECOMMENDED that Council approves the identified Capital and Revenue funding for the Programme, noting the predicted savings to be subsequently accrued.

To receive a presentation and consider the report of the Assistant Director Customer Access.

The Assistant Director Customer Access presented a report which summarised the Council’s Channel Shift Approach, which included a request for the approval of funding on an invest-to-save basis, to improve the Council’s services to customers whether they approached the Council face to face, by telephone or through an internet-enabled provision. The Customer Access Development Officer gave a short overview of the Business Case and identified the cost benefit to the Council over a six year period. The programme would provide high quality telephone and on-line services to enable staff to have more time to deal face to face with those customers with more complex needs.  The on-line self service portal would offer a simple but secure point of access allowing the customer to view every aspect of their transaction with the Council.  Customers would still be able to come into the Civic Centre to speak face to face or over the phone to a member of staff to progress their transaction.

The Assistant Director Customer Access responded to a number of Members’ concerns about the ability of various client groups and particularly older citizens to respond to this change.  She referred to the extensive research conducted, including organisations who had used voice activated phone systems successfully and also the experience of customers who had access to the web.  She also thanked a Member who had queried the accuracy of the figures from the Office for National Statistics relating to web access and reassured him that they would carry out further local studies to identify those who had access, but chose not to use it.  They would also continue to work with front line staff and service users as well as organisations, including the voluntary sector and carry out a robust equality impact assessment. They would ensure that the Council’s reputation remained intact through the customer’s positive experience, and were confident that the support of the supplier and Strata would meet any challenge. They would ensure that good customer feedback including from a Customer Forum Group had been evaluated before the system went live.  In addition, all transactions would be monitored to ensure they had been completed successfully.  Any concerns over a lack of access to services through inaccessibility to the web would be addressed as the service changed over the six year roll out of the project.

Scrutiny Committee - Resources supported the report and recommended Executive and Council approve the Council’s Channel Shift Programme; and identified Capital and Revenue funding for the Programme, noting the predicted savings to be subsequently accrued.