10 Mar 2010 | Last updated Tuesday 9 March 2010 at 10:32 | Subscribe to our feed
Strategies for delivering customer-facing services (usually covering access strategies around location, disability, channel preference etc)

Learning

In an effort to make “Learning” more focused on the specific needs of our membership, we have reviewed our course offerings and launched a completely new programme for the next 12 months. The new programme offers a wider range of course, at more locations, and with more detail provided on each, to help you judge better who to nominate for the course, and the likely benefits to be achieved from it.

Digital and social inclusion

Social and digital exclusion go hand in hand. Yet digital technologies are often not recognised as an effective means to alleviate or overcome some of the barriers faced by the socially excluded. The take-up of the internet has slowed considerably since 2004, during a time when more and more essential public information and support services are being delivered over the Web, and when on-line shopping is often the route to the cheapest goods and services.

Currently in the UK:

Customer access/service strategy

Self service - satisfaction and savings

Self Service is one of the most effective ways to achieve year on year budget savings and improved customer satisfaction. Doing it badly, however – offering inappropriate self-service options, for example, or failing to understand how customers will use the website – represents a major waste of resources and turns customers away.

Customer service strategy

A customer service strategy (including a customer access strategy) is crucial for ensuring that services are delivered efficiently and effectively to customers. Many councils make the mistake of thinking that they understand their customers' needs, but they rarely do unless they have specifically researched how their customers feel about the council and its services.

Customer service strategies

"Strategies for delivering customer-facing services (usually covering access strategies around customer location, disability, channel preference etc)"

Council of the Future

  Leadership: From the most senior levels of the Council: Chief Executive, Leader, Corporate management team Read more

E-government access strategy

Client name: 
South Northamptonshire District Council
Lead consultant: 
Doug Maclean

The project issues

Website accessibility review, preliminary check

Client name: 
Lichfield District Council
Lead consultant: 
Andy Grant

The project issues
The Council identified the need to improve their website and in particular to ensure that it conformed to accessibility guidelines.

The Socitm Consulting solution
Our role was to carry out a review of the newly revised Council website in respect of the WAI Accessibility guidelines. 

Public access review

Client name: 
Halton Borough Council

The project issues
Halton Direct Link is the customer service interface for Halton Borough Council, and comprises two One Stop Shops, a telephone contact centre and web-based services. Halton Borough Council has made a significant investment in this project, including the development, in partnership with commercial suppliers, of sophisticated CRM software which enables direct access into back office systems.