June 6th in Central Birmingham
Council managers interested in finding out how other councils have achieved very high take-up of online services like planning, housing lettings, parking and recruitment will be able to learn more at a new event being run by Socitm Insight on June 6th in Central Birmingham.
How to achieve high take-up of online services...and increase customer satisfaction and efficiency gains draws on findings from a series of three linked reports published by Socitm Insight over the last six months that provide well-researched evidence and advice about how local authorities can achieve success with online services. This work chimes with recommendations in the Varney Report, published in December, that urges public sector organisations to make better and more efficient use of the web and phone channels for servicing customer requests.
Better marketed, Socitm Insight’s latest report in this series, provides a series of case studies from councils that have achieved take-up of between 50% and 85% for a range of online services, and the event will feature three case studies from this report. Also included will be a presentation based on the report’s findings about why some council online services are successful and why many are not, and what councils need to do to develop quality online services capable of achieving significant take up leading to efficiencies and high levels of customer satisfaction.
The content of How to achieve high take-up of online services is relevant to any local authority manager concerned with e-service take-up, efficiency, service delivery, service transformation, e/t-government, marketing, performance and reputation, including:
- transformation managers
- service managers
- customer service directors and managers
- marketing and communications managers
- ICT managers with responsibilities for customer service and/or channel management.
Specific topics to be covered in the event are:
- Understanding links between take-up, service transformation, and efficiency
- Understanding the customer and the customer experience
- Joining up phone and web channels
- Finding out what makes services work well on the web
- Achieving service manager engagement with online services
- Securing stakeholder commitment to online services
Material from Socitm Insight’s Better connected 2007 report on the state of local authority websites, its Better answered report on local authority handling of the telephone channel, and its Website take-up service will be presented at this unique event.
The charge for the conference is £195 + VAT for delegates from Socitm Insight subscriber organisations and £295 + VAT for all other delegates. Bookings can be made online at the Socitm website www.socitm.gov.uk
Further information:
Martin Greenwood, Programme Manager, Socitm Insight
Tel: 01926 498703 email: martin.greenwood@socitm.gov.uk
Vicky Sargent or Peter Coates, Socitm Press Office
Tel: 0845 094 5641 email: vicky.sargent@socitm.gov.uk or peter.coates@socitm.gov.uk
Programme
10.00 Chair’s opening remarks online take-up and service transformation: Sir Chris Clarke
10.10 Keynote: Customer focus, channel management and service transformation
Stephen Baker, Chief Executive of Suffolk Coastal DC
11.20 Achieving success with take-up of online services
Vicky Sargent, author of Socitm Insight’s Better marketed report
12.00 Driving citizens to the council website – lessons from a corporate web take-up campaign:
Melissa Neill, Communications Manager Gloucestershire CC
13.30 Converting customers and stakeholders to e-planning – and reaping the benefits
David Elsworthy, Head of Planning and Regeneration Directorate, Walsall Council
14.15 Get the online service right, and take-up will follow: a case study in e-parking services
Alastair Gilchrist, Director of Parking, Westminster City Council
15.15 Think web! Engaging service managers
Phil Higgins, Information & Development Officer, Bristol City Council
15.30 Panel: Developing e-services that customers want to use