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Changing times ahead for local authorities.

Many local authorities are facing tough times; amidst headlines of council job cuts and political parties vying for attention around reducing public spending, the desire to transform and improve public services is greater than ever.

Director-level positions have been reduced in a way to achieve savings targets. Those directors left are often expected to do the role of two or more people meaning they rarely have the capacity to manage transformational programmes. Local authority leaders are now looking at how they plan these large projects and deliver them in a flexible way that won’t stretch resource too thinly.

Customer Service Direct improves customer service
Using BT’s partnership with Suffolk County Council and Mid Suffolk District Council, we can see how the problems of capacity and developing skills to transform customer services have been addressed. Customer Service Direct (CSD) is a joint venture company which brings together the best of both private and public sectors to help local government, the education sector and the third sector deliver effective customer services cost effectively and efficiently.

Over the past five years, BT has worked with Suffolk County Council to upskill over 900 staff. This has been done by seconding or moving BT staff into the council, and also creating joint teams between the partners so they can learn from one another.

Increase flexibility of staff 
Local authorities can learn a lot from the private sector. Not only on how to deal with customers, but working finances. So, they are being run more akin to the way a commercial entity runs itself. Also, by moving people around roles and teams you can add flexibility by resourcing at the same time as upskilling staff. This also increases motivation as staff are able to make decisions for themselves.

Driving staff performance 
Driving staff performance is key to boosting productivity too. By giving employees clear performance measures to work alongside recognition programmes will help in this. Sharing best practice around customer service and taking on board customer complaints and feedback will also create a customer-centric organisation focused on developing its own staff as well as transforming local services. Ultimately the very culture of a local authority will need to shift. There should be a “can do” attitude with positive staff keen to make things work, rather than making excuses about resource.

People can be a catalyst for change. This is no truer than at the heart of local government where the need to deliver efficiency, transformation and excellent customer service is greater than ever.

Find out more about how the public sector can learn from the private sector through partnerships like Customer Service Direct by contacting your BT Account Manager today.

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