APPENDIX 2
CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CRM)
What is CRM?
1. CRM supports the delivery of a customer centric and one stop approach to service delivery. This includes:
• Recording and storing the history of all of a citizen’s contact with the local authority • Providing information relating to current or past enquiries • Automated passing of information to back office or service delivery staff in order that a request for service can be processed. • Supporting staff in query resolution by providing a knowledge base and prompts. • The capability to record and track the progress of a specific request for service or complaint. • Allowing escalation if a service standard is not met. • Providing clear management information on performance, e.g. time taken to complete a transaction from start to finish, or number of repeat calls. • Providing a “front-end” to the variety of systems used by the service areas. • Providing a base for self-service.
What the Council had in place at the start of the SSP
2. The Council put in place a small scale implementation of CRM covering only Actionline and Gateway prior to the SSP commencing. This allowed the Council to commence creating a centralised customer record, but the project was not far enough advanced to see the true benefits of CRM being delivered.
3. In particular the CRM implementation did not involve any complex integration with back office functions, nor did it seek to re-engineer back office processes.
4. The adoption of CRM did also bring the benefit of developing in-house understanding and expertise in the use of CRM systems.
What additional activity is taking place as a result of the SSP.
5. Capita are providing the necessary additional hardware and software to allow use of the CRM for all services included in the Customer Service Centre. This includes 250 licences for the “back-office” services. In addition they will provide interfaces to the most used back-office systems.
6. The roll-out of CRM is in line with the take-on of phase 2 services. ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (EDRMS)
What is an EDRMS?
1. Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) is a system for making documents and records available in electronic form via a PC where they would usually be seen in paper form. This gives the advantage of:
• Multiple people being able to access the same document • Linking documents to customer records so staff can access them whilst in contact with customers • Minimising duplication of paper copies and potential loss of paper record
2. There are many levels to EDRMS and these are illustrated in the diagram below.
Licences The purchase of software
Scanning How the paper document is turned in to an electronic file
Storage The space required to store the electronic documents
Indexing The process of linking the electronic document to a customer file or other record
Workflow How the relevant service area is notified that a piece of post has arrived and been converted to an electronic record. This could be as straight forward as an e-mail notification or could be used to ensure the service area follows an approved process
Integration The ability for staff to access a customer record within their own system e.g. Housing system or Benefits system, without opening the EDRMS
2 3. Each layer adds a function that may or may not be required by different services thus, certain services may choose (on a business case basis) to only have some of the levels. For example a service area could decide the following model is appropriate for their business need:
Licences The required licences will be purchased
Scanning All post for that area will be scanned in to the EDRMS
Storage As a result storage space will be required
Indexing When the document is scanned it is linked to the appropriate customer records or a new record created if one does not already exist
Workflow The service area is notified when a piece of post has arrived
4. With this model the service area is accepting that their own system will identify that a record is available to view but they have to open the EDRMS to access it. This would mean that staff will need to have the EDRMS open on their PC as well as their own system if they wish to view relevant documents. This is comparable to the need to have Adobe Acrobat to read PDF or MS Project to read these files.
What the Council had in place at the start of the SSP
5. EDRMS has been a priority for the council and as such the following service areas have had all levels of EDRMS well established for some time: • Local Taxation • Benefits
6. In addition projects were put in place to substantially deliver all levels of EDRMS to the following areas before the SSP commenced: • Legal and Licensing • Planning • Communities and Care
3 What additional activity is taking place as a result of the SSP.
7. Under the SSP Capita are: • Creating a centralised Post Room combining the existing post room and Document Management Team. This will include all levels of EDRMS to : o Local Taxation o Benefits o Legal and Licensing o Planning o Communities and Care
• All Services that will be part of the Customer Service Centre will have EDRMS to the following level.
Lic ences The required licences will be purchased
Sca nning All post for that area will be scanned in to the EDRMS
Any space required will be provided Sto rage
Ind exing: When the document is scanned it will be linked to that customer’s record within the Customer Relationship Management System (CRM)
Wo rkflow The service area will be notified when a piece of post has arrived
8. The SSP also provides enough licences for the whole council to have EDRMS • This means that should any services not included within the Customer Services roll-out wish to have EDRMS, and a sound business case is established, these licences will not need to be purchased and there will already be the means to provide it. This will make the associated cost less for the council. • There would be additional cost of scanning but this may be offset by efficiency savings.
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