Agenda Item No:
Report to: Contact Centre Board
Date of Meeting 4th October 2012
Report Title: Programme Manager’s Update
Report By:
Staffing
1 The three seasonal staff finished at the beginning of September; their help was invaluable, and certainly helped with ‘queue busting’.
2 As noted previously, we currently have a vacancy gap of three Customer Service Officers (one of the CSOs recruited earlier this year resigned, having found another position elsewhere, one is on maternity leave, and one was promoted internally to Senior Customer Service Officer). The CSO on maternity will return on a part-time basis in November. It was reported at the last meeting that one CSO had ‘resigned’ after being appointed to another post in regeneration, but she has now decided to remain in the contact centre.
3 Again as reported at the last meeting, one of the three Senior CSOs tendered her resignation and left on 20th August. It was been agreed by the Officer Employment Group (‘OEG’) that the vacancy can be filled. It was advertised internally and interviews held, but no appointment was made. The vacancy has now been advertised externally, and six candidates have been shortlisted for interview (two internal, four external).
Process Mapping/Re-engineering/IT
4 As noted previously, Revenues (Council Tax) ‘phones transferred to the contact centre on 1st August, and Benefits ‘phones transferred on the 13th September. Since Benefits phones went live we have achieved between 81% and 86% call handling over all 12 lines coming through to the contact centre. Last week (w/c 17th September) saw 2763 calls come through in total. Since 19th September the contact centre has achieved a call handling figure of 94% for revs and bens combined.
5 The ‘Revs & Bens’ face to face transactions are due to transfer from Aquila to the town hall on Monday 1st October; this is the last big milestone for the project. A huge amount of work has gone into this, and special thanks are due to the contact centre assistant manager who has done much of the work required to effect this transfer, as part of the transfer of skills to him from the contact centre project manager.
6 Agency staff have been kept on through the transition period to help support Revs & Bens ‘phone calls, etc., but they have had relatively little work to do, the vast majority of calls being handled by the contact centre staff in the town hall.
7 The contact centre project manager has been working with managers from the Head of Amenities, Resorts & Leisure service area to process map customer transactions in order to identify any suitable to transfer into the contact centre. This work is progressing well and further discussions will be held during October to agree next steps.
Finance
8 The Contact Centre itself is still showing an underspend, because of the vacancies referred to above, although this is partly offset by the delay in transferring Revs & Bens, and the employment of the part-time seasonal posts. Housing have identified savings equal to the 1 FTE post which has been identified within their service for this year, and are working on delivering these savings into the future (from 2013/14). The Members’ Secretary (0.5FTE) retired in September 2012, and the Town Hall Supervisor has taken on this work, so realising the 0.5FTE savings identified within the town hall team.
Milestones
9 Key milestones are as follows :-
a. March 2011 Contact centre pilot starts :- Waste and recycling joins bulky waste, electoral services and existing HIC services ACHIEVED
b. July 2011 Pilot completed, review of services transferred undertaken ACHIEVED
c. November 2011 Planning permission for town hall alterations agreed ACHIEVED
- December 2011 Listed building consent for town hall alterations ACHIEVED
- December 2011 Contractor appointed for town hall alterations ACHIEVED
f. January 29th 2012 ‘Old’ HIC Closed ACHIEVED
g. January 30th 2012 Temporary information arrangements start, building work on new ‘front of house’ for contact centre starts ACHIEVED
h. March 2012 Environmental ‘phone services transfer to contact centre ACHIEVED
i. End March 2012 New HIC opens ACHIEVED
j. May 2012 Housing service transfers to contact centre ACHIEVED
k. June 2012 NetCall switchboard system goes live ACHIEVED
l. August 2012 Revenues ‘phones transfer to contact centre ACHIEVED
m. September Benefits ‘phones transfer to contact centre ACHIEVED
n. Early October 2012 Revs & Bens face to face transfer to contact centre
o. Late Summer 2012 Remaining services (e.g. leisure service public calls) transfer to contact centre.
National Customer Service Week
8 Papers on National Customer Service were circulated on 14th September; board approval was received and, indeed, the idea positively embraced. As part of this initiative, ‘taster’ sessions for members of staff to see the ‘inside’ of the contact centre on Wed/Thu/Fri 3rd/4th/5th October were advertised in ‘@bit’ on Monday 24th September. Board members are also welcome to book themselves in for a half hour session to see the centre in action for themselves, between 1000 and 1200 and 1400 and 1600 on these three days.
Issues Log
9 The latest issues log is attached, but no new issues have arisen since the last board meeting.
Risk Log
10 The latest risk log is attached, but no new issues have arisen since the last board meeting.
Communications
11 ‘@bit’ briefings have continued, although no longer weekly, but on an ‘as required’ basis.
Officer to Contact
Prog Managers Report 28.09.12.
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