Buckinghamshire County Council
To Shift or not Shift – that is the
Question ( and how do you know when
you have got there anyway ?)
Amanda Brooke-Webb
Head of Customer Contact
Buckinghamshire County Council
May 2011
Buckinghamshire County Council
Libraries
Channel Shift L & H
6000
5000
4000
Vol
Auto
3000
Voice
2000
1000
Mar-11
Feb-11
Jan-11
Dec-10
Month
Nov-10
Oct-10
Sep-10
Aug-10
Jul-10
Jun-10
May-10
Apr-10
0
Buckinghamshire County Council
Renewals Web against Renewals via the CC
40000
35000
30000
Volume
25000
Bucks Web Renew als
Renew als via the CC
20000
Linear (Bucks Web Renew als)
Linear (Renew als via the CC)
15000
10000
5000
0
Mar-11
Feb-11
Jan-11
Dec-10
Nov-10
Oct-10
Sep-10
Aug-10
Jul-10
Jun-10
May-10
Apr-10
Date
Buckinghamshire County Council
Libraries
•
•
•
Majority of contact are renewals or reservations
Successful campaign to launch the 0845 number to move away from face
to face transactions – increased choice and access
Introduction of an automated renewal line and its impact – offers 24 hour
service but requires a PIN to be remembered
“Fridge Magnet “ syndrome and number of first choice ?
Plateau of calls and worrying decline in automated calls
Spikes in call volume relating to bad weather and physical access issues
but not on the automated line or the web ?
Consistency of offer on all channels remains a challenge
•
•
•
Is this as good as it will get ?
Are we unrealistic to aim for total shift?
Is there , dare we say, too much choice ?
•
•
•
•
Buckinghamshire County Council
Transportation : fault reporting
Channel Shift TfB
5000
4500
4000
Vol
3500
3000
Web
2500
Voice
2000
1500
1000
500
Mar-11
Feb-11
Jan-11
Dec-10
Month
Nov-10
Oct-10
Sep-10
Aug-10
Jul-10
Jun-10
May-10
Apr-10
0
Buckinghamshire County Council
Transportation : fault reporting
•
•
•
•
•
•
Slow decline in calls as on line reporting tool re-launched with improved
features
Sharp spikes in all channels with adverse weather – significant re-work and
duplication as customers use multiple channels for the same enquiry
It is a challenge for the service area to cope with faster access which can
lead to a rise in avoidable contact at the front end – significant proportion of
“chaser” contacts
Customers like on line tracking – but expect to be able to see it cross a
range of enquiries
“Twitter Gritter” a great success – did result in a change of inbound calls
More appealing front end access needs to be supported by streamlined
back office delivery
Buckinghamshire County Council
Online payments
•
Slow but steady rise in online payments
•
Variety of offers – but in the main, low value transactions
•
Grappling with inconsistencies with channel offers between telephone and
web (library fines)
•
Spiderweb legacy of differing systems and the complications it brings
•
Compliance and call lengths become an issue where payments are
involved
Buckinghamshire County Council
Our Gordian Knots
•
Channel shift – has to be born in the back office – creating pdf forms for
customers to print is not “e-enablement” or channel shift . Nor is an on line
application system that then creates letters to be posted with tear-off slips
to be returned.
•
Customer Confidence is problematic – an on line application is often
followed up with a letter or call to check up. Feedback indicates that
customers either do not like or distrust standard auto responses for time
critical , or emotive , issues.
•
Being clear about customers and who is accessing which services is
crucial to overcoming perceived barriers to greater self service e.g in
social care.
•
Why ask for email addresses or mobile numbers if you are not going to use
them ?