Agenda item

The Committee considered the undernoted report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report or Summary of main Issues

1.1       The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee at its meeting on the 24th November 2017 agreed the recommendations contained in the outline business case for an enhanced and innovative approach to customer focus across the council.

1.2       A further report was presented to Strategic Policy and Resources Committee on the 16th February 2018 at which time an overview of a blueprint for Customer Focus was presented and accepted by the Committee.  It was acknowledged that this would represent a major programme of work, which would require careful planning and significant resources to deliver. For this reason, the Council subsequently agreed to adopt a three-phase approach starting with mobilisation, then discovery and ending with a design and implementation phase.

1.3       At its meeting of 18th May 2018 Committee was advised of the completion of Phase one of the Customer Focus programme which culminated in the production of the Blueprint for Customer Focus (Appendix 1) and an Outline Business Case. At this meeting Committee agreed to the commissioning of the next phase of the programme, the Discovery phase.

1.4       Deloitte were appointed to assist with this phase and the work has progressed to a stage where Elected Members will be invited, subject to agreement, to participate in a workshop to review findings and recommendations and to recommend to Strategic Policy and Resources priorities for implementation as part of an implementation plan.

1.5       Committee is reminded that Digital Services has procured external assistance to help deliver a new ICT Strategy and this work is progressing and will be aligned with the Customer Focus Discovery phase.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Committee is asked to:

1.      Note progress with the Discovery phase of the Customer Focus Programme.

2.      Agree that a structured workshop is arranged from 12pm to 2pm on Thursday 4 October 2018 to provide Elected Members with an opportunity to consider the findings and recommendations from the Discovery phase. A workshop brief and agenda will be circulated in advance of the workshop.

3.      Agree that all Elected Members are invited to participate in the workshop.

4.      Consider draft guiding design principles emerging from the Discovery phase and agree that they are used to inform the priorities and plans to be considered at the workshop.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Committee is reminded that Deloitte proposed the following deliverables from the Customer Focus ‘Discovery’ phase:

3.2       Committee is advised that operational workshops have taken place with Council staff involved in customer contact to understand the operational and organisational impacts of proposed changes. Similarly engagement with external stakeholders has taken place to understand the customers’ views regarding contacting the Council and in addition an online survey has been conducted. The internal and external engagement combined with extensive research has informed the deliverables outlined above and implementation options to be presented at the workshop.

3.3       The purpose of the proposed workshop is to provide Elected Members with insight into the approach used in the Discovery phase and the key findings and recommendations. It is further proposed that draft guiding design principles emerging from the Discovery phase, and subject to agreement by Strategic Policy and Resources committee, are used to inform recommendations and priorities for the way forward as part of an implementation plan.

3.4       The draft guiding design principles emerging from the Discovery phase are as follows and are provided in more detail at Appendix 2:

1.      A corporate approach,  consistent and joined up and underpinned by customer service standards

2.      Deliver greater insight and analysis on customer behaviour

3.      Improve the efficiency of processes

4.      Ensure inclusivity and channel choice ( Digital first where possible)

5.      Improved customer experience (Customer first)

6.      Provide access to the right information at the right time and from anywhere

            If agreed the design principles will be used to shape options for future delivery and will provide a frame of reference for future decision making in relation to customer focus.

3.5       Committee is also advised that Trade Unions have been kept up to date regarding the Discovery phase and it is proposed that a meeting with Trade Union representatives will take place in advance of the Members’ workshop to provide a further update.

3.6       Financial & Resource Implications

            The Strategic Policy and Resources Committee agreed in November 2017 that a budget of £500k be set aside to cover the costs associated with the implementation of the customer focus project.

            It was also agreed by the Strategic Policy & Resources Committee in February 2018 that a Programme Director would be appointed to oversee the project and to develop a comprehensive improvement programme in line with the recommendations contained in the OBC.

3.7       Equality or Good Relations Implications/

            Rural Needs assessment

            N/A.”

The Committee adopted the recommendations.