Improving citizen engagement in challenging times

How can police forces improve performance and cut costs?

With police forces coming under increased scrutiny and HMIC inspections showing there is still room for improvement in engagement with citizens and communities what can be done?  

Meeting these and other efficiency targets increases pressure on Forces  to look at costs and effectiveness, yet managing transformational programmes is understandably difficult using existing resources. Making use of BT’s experience and resources is one way of creating a more efficient service and has been shown to work in a number of different areas.

Customer Service Direct improves customer service

One example of successful co-operation is BT’s partnership with Suffolk County Council and Mid Suffolk District Council, which demonstrates how the problems of capacity and developing skills to transform customer services can be 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 efficiently. 

Over the past five years, BT has worked with Suffolk County Council to improve the skills of 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.

Driving staff performance

If possible, moving people around, changing their roles and putting them into different teams can add flexibility, aid understanding and teach staff new skills.  But, more importantly, ensuring that all staff have the right information at their fingertips is vital, as is making it easier to separate non-urgent enquiries and utilise community-based policing resources.

We can also help define clear performance measures to aid reporting on key initiatives and assessed performance areas. Providing the resources to share best practice and take on board complaints and feedback will also create a public-centric organisation focused on developing its own people as well as transforming local offerings.

Both officers and support staff can be a catalyst for change. This is nowhere truer than at the heart of the police forces where the need to deliver efficiency, transformation and excellent service is greater than ever.

Find out more about how Customer Service Direct could help you by contacting your BT Account Manager today.