Improving access to services

Previous / Current Position

Currently customers can access the County Council’s services in a number of ways:

• telephone – switchboard, previously used direct dial number, advertised telephone numbers, existing contacts
• in person – through a pre-arranged appointment, personal visits
• e-mail – either where an e-mail address is provided on the website or through a previously provided address
• in writing.

There are improvements that can be made to the way in which council services are accessed because customers:

• sometimes do not know where to start – which department, which council, etc.
• feel they need to understand the structure of local government in order to access the service they require
• sometimes feel they are being passed from “pillar to post”
• do not have anywhere to go to cover all enquiries in one place, regardless of who is responsible for providing the service
• sometimes do not know exactly which service they require
• want to carry out transactions more and more using the web
• want to e-mail enquiries to the council
• often have multi-partner enquiries, e.g. when moving house
• do not want to provide the same information time and time again
• when calling to progress an enquiry sometimes feel they need to “start again”
• do not always want to wait for an appointment before seeing someone in person.

In Worcestershire , access to council services will improve progressively such that services reflect the requirements of customers and not the organisational structures of local government. The way in which access will improve is through new Access Channels; providing a move from existing service-based receptions to a multi-channel customer focused approach.

Access Channels

Access channels can be defined as the various routes by which customers will choose to access our services. The new channels introduced as part of the Worcestershire Hub are:

• Face to Face – the introduction of a network of customer centres throughout Worcestershire. Previously these have been referred to as “One Stop Shops”. These centres will provide access to both county and district council services as well as those of other partners as appropriate (e.g. on a surgery basis). The aim is for 80% of the enquiries to be dealt with at this first point of contact. The centres will be staffed by Customer Service Advisers
• Telephone – introduction of a joined up telephone service across the County provided from a network of telephone contact centres. Again these centres will provide access to both county and district council services and they will be staffed by Customer Service Advisers
• Internet – the introduction of a web portal for the county, this will interface with existing websites as well as providing a “self service” option for the public.

All of these channels will be underpinned by the same core set of processes and systems including a new Customer Relationship Management system that enables the logging, handling, progressing and resolution of enquiries to be managed.

Progressively initial contacts with customers will be through these new channels, the centres and the portal will then flow the required information through the relevant organisation/service area. Where there is an existing case, e.g. social care, then contact will be directly between the customer and the service area. Customers with complex requirements will be led through the processes rather than passed from department to department or organisation to organisation.

Through the new channels customers will increasingly be able to:

• access service information
• provide information
• apply for a service
• report a fault or a problem
• pay for goods or services
• make a suggestion, compliment or complaint
• book appointments
• book resources.

The following diagram shows these new Access Channels.

Fig. 1 – Accessing Services