Councils will be offered a "roadmap" for implementing CRM (customer relationship management) systems intended to help the UK public sector to "redefine what e-government is all about", the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced on 17 June 2003. The national CRM programme, described as a "key plank" in Whitehall's overall strategy for local e-government is being taken forward by six councils, each responsible for a different area of development.
The six are: the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Brent and Newham, Salford City Council, Hull City Council and Knowsley Borough Council. Together with the ODPM, they have set up a website to act as a focal point for the programme.
Key objectives of the programme include:
- creating a "generic" business case for CRM
- developing a framework to support the deployment of CRM
- carrying out testing with local authorities to validate plans for CRM technology
- ensuring that the private sector supports CRM across local government
Councils are encouraged to adopt CRM systems as they are designed to help council staff deal with requests and queries at the first port of call. The system tracks each contact made with the council, checks on progress and removes the need for a paper trail.
The implementation of CRM technology is increasingly viewed as more important than simply placing services online as it is intended to help councils become more "customer focussed".
While some councils are relatively advanced in their usage of CRM technology, there is concern in Whitehall that others place it lower down their list of priorities.
Speaking to council representatives from around the UK at a meeting in London, Chris Haynes adviser to the ODPM on local e-government said that CRM could transform the way services are delivered.
"It will allow us to redefine what e-government is all about particularly the service access of it," he said.
"It's not about monkey systems for speeding up services, it's about true customer handling….Now we are actually dealing with the customer by using a customer system, not a housing system or a planning system but a customer system. We are developing capacity in local authorities to deliver this."
He also said that the new programme is hoped to force the private sector to offer an affordable version of CRM appropriate for local government.
Terry Dailey, programme director for e-government at Tower Hamlets said that the initiative is "setting out to make a market in CRM" so that "suppliers can tailor their products to councils".
The ODPM has allocated £4.25m to fund the programme which is to last until 30 April 2004. By the end, councils will be offered a "how to" guide for CRM, a CRM "Academy" to act as a centre of excellence and a suppliers' forum to ensure that industry supports the "rapid rollout across local government".
Quelle: Kablenet
