Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
1.
Council Web Site
That council services embrace the web site
as a vital part of their service; a first point of
call for enquiring customers and should
ensure that content is representative of the
customer enquiry journey so that key
information is made readily available.
Karen Gillis
March 2014
Initiate Service web site reviews to cover:
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A-Z Services
Interactive Forms
Content
Customer Journey
Service Planning to include web site ‘development’
actions
Update:
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The A-Z of services has much improved and remains under review as part of the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the Corporate website.
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Interactive Forms continue to be developed, but are under review in light of the website redesign.
It is envisaged that forms will link up with the new site registration in order to self-populate with customer information. This will be done by using
the form builder associated with the Council’s mobile app.
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Content is continually reviewed and is the responsibility of the many system editors. Editors are given guidance via training, as to how to write for
the web, as well as usage of the Content Management system provided.
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Work has continued with the web editors and service departments to ensure that content is reflective of the current service and responsive to new
legislation such as the Children & Families Bill 2014. The customer journey is key to this and as such has involved parents to ensure that the
presentation meets their needs.
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
2
That information published through other
mechanisms be consistent whatever channel
is used.
Karen Gillis /
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Ste Sharples

October 2013
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Internal IT Developments to allow for
application rendering over multiple mobile
devices
Development standards to include reference
to customer facing developments and their
requirements
Departments to ensure that all relevant
communication channels are used in the
publication of information, and that the
respective processes are consistent, no
matter what the channel
Web Editor Guidance / checklists to be
produced
Update:
 Business IT have carried out an options appraisal to ensure that their teams can pick up appropriate mobile development languages.
New development languages have now been picked up and are starting to become actively used by the team.
This will allow for the consideration of delivering our applications over multiple devices, and therefore allowing us to engage with ‘mobile’ our
customers and their preference to use iPhone, iPad, Android devices.

The implementation of Business IT’s new development options will specifically address the need to address the preference of our customers when
doing business with us. Developers are aware that they should pursue any customer interfaces when embarking on new development work.

Departments working with the Council’s Communications team will be exposed to presenting messages across all business channels.
The Communications team are fully aware of those channels and when and how to use them best for any campaign they are working on.
Information presented on the Corporate website is also available through other channels such as social media.

Web Editor Guidance / checklists have been produced
Writing for the Web Guidelines link, but also attached
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
3
That a Customer Engagement strategy be
developed to further support and strengthen
our approach to the implementation of digital
services.
Karen Gillis
November 2013
Creation of Customer Engagement Strategy which
will:
 outline how the Council will continue to
transform customer engagement to put the
citizen at the centre of service delivery to
ensure an enhanced service experience
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increase choice for customers as to when,
where and how they access services
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ensure that the Council continues to provide
services which are consistent, professional
and co-ordinated to ensure the customer is
satisfied at the first point of contact
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recognise and support political and
management objectives.
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respond to the diverse and changing needs of
customers.
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set out a clear vision for the development and
delivery of services to customers.
Update:
The Customer engagement Strategy will be embedded within the Corporate ICT Strategy 2015. The current document is under review and the needs of the
customer need to be implicated in the overall strategy.
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
Continued ….
3
That a Customer Engagement strategy be
developed to further support and strengthen
our approach to the implementation of digital
services.
Karen Gillis
November 2013
Creation of Customer Engagement Strategy which
will:
The strategy will look to empower our citizens by committing us to the following basic principles:
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Key Council transactions available online to allows citizens to transact when and where they want, through their choice of device
Enable citizen authentication to allow citizens to securely transact with the Council
Online booking available across all applicable services
Responsive updates from the Council to customers on key service issues raised
Responsive updates from the Council to customers on key service news
Electronic self-assessments available for health and social care services
Enable customer to review their record of transactions with the Council
Enhance democratic service offerings
Engagement with customers consistently across all channels
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
4
Technology & System Design
That Mobile technology be reflected in our
customer facing developments, and
particular consideration be given to the
development of mobile apps.
Karen Gillis /
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Internal IT Developments to allow for
application rendering over multiple mobile
devices.
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IT Development standards to be established
to quality assure customer focussed
applications will be delivered consistently to
devices of choice.
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St.Helens mobile application to be integrated
into IT development toolbox.
Ste Sharples
March 2014
Update:

Business IT have carried out an options appraisal to ensure that their teams can pick up appropriate mobile development languages.
New development languages have now been picked up and are starting to become actively used by the team.
This will allow for the consideration of delivering our applications over multiple devices, and therefore allowing us to engage with ‘mobile’ our
customers and their preference to use iPhone, iPad, Android devices.

The implementation of Business IT’s new development options will specifically address the need to address the preference of our customers when
doing business with us. Developers are aware that they should pursue any customer interfaces when embarking on new development work.

A comprehensive testing and quality assurance suite is being implemented for this purpose and will allow testing and assurance across multiple
device types, these will include iOs, Windows, and Android. This suite will exist with the Business IT section and will be controlled under the Design
& Transition, Change, Release & Deployment process requirements of the IT Service Management Standard (ISO/IEC 20000) under which the
Councils Business IT section is accredited.
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The Abavus Form builder module has now been adopted by Business IT Development Team and this will be used going forward to design and build
our website
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
5
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That knowledge of service users and the
implications for digital and assisted digital
service design be developed and applied to
all system specifications.
Karen Gillis
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Customer base analysis to be carried out to
identify channel usage
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Review of ‘online’ forms to be carried out
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Promotion of online services
March 2014
Quarterly Management Reports have been developed to give indications of how customers are communicating with us and through which channel;
sample report covering the first quarter of financial year 2014/2015 shows that the preferred channel of contact is still the telephone. However the
combination of web and email channels portray that 37% of our contacts come in electronically.
16%
21%
Email
Face to Face
10%
0%
0%
0%
1%
Fax
Feedback Form
Letter
Mobile App
Telephone
52%
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Web
In order to use this information to our advantage and shift the preference from telephone to online, we recognise that we need to work on the
promotion of our online services to start that redirection.
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
Continued….
5
That knowledge of service users and the
implications for digital and assisted digital
service design be developed and applied to
all system specifications.
Karen Gillis

Customer base analysis to be carried out to
identify channel usage
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Review of ‘online’ forms to be carried out

Promotion of online services
March 2014
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Whilst we have pursued the need to have a consistent approach to online forms – please see response to Action 2. – the online forms have been
reviewed, and we are now in a position to embark on the construction of new ones and the redevelopment of others where necessary.
The web site is due to undergo a full redesign and as such web editors are being tasked with the identification of their service’s forms and
documentation.
Any redevelopment will link up with the new site citizen registration module which will allow further personalisation of the forms, by prepopulation of the customers details.
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Online services continue to be promoted via our electronic communication channels.
Since the onset of Universal Credit, we have set up a partnership working group of ‘Digital Champions’, who will further help to promote both the
Council’s and their own digital online services
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
6
That consideration be given to further use of
Interactive Voice Recognition technology (IVR),
to enable those customers who prefer to use the
telephone, to access our services without waiting
in a queue for an operator.
Karen Gillis /
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Research new telephony products to assist in
the development of telephony / VOIP
communication channels
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Business Case / cost analysis of suitable
solutions
Ste Sharples
December 2014
We have put together an Invitation to Tender in relation to a new telephony module which will ‘overlay’ our current application, giving us more scope for
feature rich telephony options:
Exert from ITT:
INTERACTIVE VOICE RESPONSE (IVR)
78
The proposed solution shall provide an auto attendant facility which shall automatically answer inbound
calls.
79
The proposed solution shall provide that ability for calls to be answered by an Agent and then transferred to
the automated IVR system. This should allow the call to be transferred to specific locations within the system
such that the caller does not have to navigate unnecessary options.
The proposed solution shall operate with natural language processing and speech recognition such that
callers are able to navigate through the system by speaking naturally in response to voice prompts (which
are also in natural language).
ITT due for submission to the Chest imminently
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
7
Our Customer
That the take up of Council services through
digital mechanisms be encouraged further
and ways in which this can be achieved be
identified and implemented.
Karen Gillis
Ongoing
August 2013
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Continual measurement of channel take-up
Promotion of online services using established
partnership groups
Customer Surveys to assist in gaining
knowledge as to how customers like/expect to
do business with us
Research campaigns / initiatives
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Work continues to promote online services wherever possible.
The Council mobile app features in this and is promoted at every opportunity.
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However, more work will be done as we start to target groups with specific online services using the ‘GO ON’ campaign
associated with the digital champion project.
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Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
8
Initiatives / Campaigns / Housing
Associations
That consideration be given to introducing a
Digital by Default strategy which gives
guidance and structure to the Council’s
approach to online services for the Council
as a whole.
Karen Gillis
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March 2014
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All of the above is ongoing and has been established within the Digital Champion group.
Group membership is sponsored by Cllr J Fletcher and is well attended by representatives from:
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St Helens Council
Helena Housing
Riverside
DWP
St Helens College
St Helens Chamber
Carers Centre
Impetro CIC
Your Housing
Chain Lane Community Centre
Saints Community Foundation
Halton & St.Helens VCA
Hope Centre
Barclays Bank
Page 10
Creation of local Digital by Default strategy to
support Customer Engagement and service
take-up
Engagement with UKOnline centres
Engagement with :
 Social Landlords
 Local business
 St Helens College
 Age UK
 Job Centre Plus
 Chamber
 Schools
 GoOn Merseyside
Promotion and use of IT Training / Adult
Learning facilities to further assist our
customer base in taking up online services
Technology and a Two-Tier Society – ‘The Digital Divide’
Action Update :
Continued …
8
Initiatives / Campaigns / Housing
Associations
That consideration be given to introducing a
Digital by Default strategy which gives
guidance and structure to the Council’s
approach to online services for the Council
as a whole.
Karen Gillis

March 2014
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Creation of local Digital by Default strategy to
support Customer Engagement and service
take-up
Engagement with UKOnline centres
Engagement with :
 Social Landlords
 Local business
 St Helens College
 Age UK
 Job Centre Plus
 Chamber
 Schools
 GoOn Merseyside
Promotion and use of IT Training / Adult
Learning facilities to further assist our
customer base in taking up online services
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All Community bases have been mapped and are present on the Council’s website
The group have been given the link to the short url for publication
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Go Online week was marked and promoted across www.sthelens.gov.uk and gave a window to all appropriate events across the borough for all
Champions.
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The group have signed up the terms of reference for the group and project and will later sign up to the strategy for the community, using the
Government’s Digital by Default template.
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