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A Digital Customer approach will deliver accessible online services which are so simple, quick and easy to use that they are the preferred way for residents and businesses to transact with us.

Our key objectives

Digital customer approach

Our digital customer approach is a ‘one council’ approach, with a single view of the customer’s digital journey, working towards common platforms wherever possible, and consistent design, process, workflow and messaging throughout.

Customer centric

We will redesign our services through new delivery models that are customer centric and digital wherever possible, engaging and consulting with our customers in the design and delivery of the services that really matter to them.

Customer experience

Customers will enjoy a consistent digital experience and will have the confidence to use simple and secure digital services at a time convenient to them from their chosen device.

They will have access to digital communications and up to date information that is easy to find, readily available and related to the services they need and the issues they care about most.

Digital accessibility

Our services will always be inclusive, with assisted and mediated solutions for everything we do. With a "no one left behind" policy, we will make sure we have no barriers to access through disability or a lack of digital access or skills.


What we will do

ObjectivesHow we will achieve this

Self-service

  • Wherever possible, we will integrate our customer service platform to provide seamless communication with other common systems, helping people gain access multiple services with a single log on
  • We will integrate common processes and common platforms to record and track service requests and outcomes
  • We hope to increase self-service customer contact to 65% within the next two years

Customer contact

  • We will adopt a corporate telephony approach within a blended virtual and office environment
  • All call handlers will rotate through a centralised contact base which facilitates corporate training and development and makes specialised service delivery possible 
  • Dashboard alerts will be available to all service managers to monitor call handling performance and take appropriate remedial action if required
Face-to-face contact
  • We will re-design face-to-face services, working with services to re-evaluate our current customer support service format dealing with calls and service enquiries
  • Face-to-face delivery will focus on appointment based specialist intervention
  • Anyone needing face-to-face appointments, whether online or in person, will be easily identified
  • Appointments will be arranged in advance and delivered by services, with the exception of client based critical services
  • Video appointments will be the preferred approach, reducing travel costs and time for residents while reducing the environmental impact of associated carbon emissions.
Telephony contact
  • Telephony contact will continue to play a crucial role by triaging and resolving queries at first point of contact - where this is not feasible, effective signposting or hand off to specialist teams for immediate resolution or call back will be implemented across all services
  • Wherever possible, calls will be routed through the main 01563 554400 number to support call monitoring and resourcing arrangements
  • The publication and promotion of 01563 554400 will be by prior agreement with the Business Innovation Manager to make sure teams are skilled and resourced appropriately
Communications
  • We will adopt a corporate approach to customer communication, reducing the number of access points to Council services and streamlining all contact methods including telephony, email and online through one common platform which allows it to be recorded
  • We will use data to create a better understanding of customer interactions and identify potential points of failure
  • We will reduce repeat and avoidable contact by ensuring consistency of information, effective signposting and reliable communications across all channels

Digital payments

  • We will move away from a mediated face-to-face payment service – instead, we will expand and promote our digital payments portfolio with new functionality
  • We will promote paperless direct debit, wherever possible, for revenue billing and explore new methods such as SMS (Short Message Service) payment reminders
  • We will continue to work with our third party providers to ensure our online payments solutions are secure and fully compliant with legislative and industry standards
Digital solutions
  • Our Business Innovation team will continue to support services in the development of digital services which really matter to our residents
  • They will develop the customer service platform with self-service solutions that are supported by assisted and mediated channels
  • SMS functionality will be added to the platform, increasing contact options over a variety of digital channels
Scottish Welfare Fund
  • We will review the online application process to ensure it is as simple, quick and as easy as possible to apply
  • We will streamline the application, decision-making process and improve the processing time for crisis grants, ensuring that immediate financial support is provided to those who need it most at that critical time

What we have done

Find out what we have done so far to deliver accessible online services for our customers

Strategies and plans

Comments and suggestions

Get in touch if you have any comments or suggestions on the Council Strategic Framework and its strategies:

Comments and suggestions

Contact Information