Ambitious transformation will deliver better customer service
An ambitious transformation will deliver better customer service experiences for Sheffield residents and businesses.
The transformation project, named Future Sheffield, is set to modernise how the organisation delivers on its priorities in the most time-effective and cost-effective way over the next three to five years.
The Council is taking a bold and proactive approach to transforming the organisation - prioritising customer experience, making the process as simple and user-friendly as possible while transforming our digital offer and use.
So far, as part of this work, the Council has approved its Digital Strategy and Customer Experience Strategy. Outcomes of these strategies will include:
Improved access
People and their needs will be at the heart of every change made when improving access to our services digitally. The changes will be made for customers’ benefit, considering their journey to contacting the Council, ensuring their interactions with every aspect of the organisation is seamless. From the autumn onwards, customers will begin to see changes introduced which will allow them to reach the Council and access its services through a number of mediums including website options, self-service functions, webchats and over the phone. These changes will be introduced gradually over the coming years. But that does not mean everything will move online. Customers who are unable to access the Council’s services digitally will still be able to contact the Council through a range of methods including attending customer contact points, via telephone and by post. Even with the introduction of the digital improvements, it will still be possible for customers to make contact with the Council via traditional routes to ensure everyone can access services in the way they prefer.
Council website
Changes will be made to the Council website, including the layout, making it easier for customers to find what they need quickly. Work has been undertaken to understand the most requested online services and these will be reflected in the layout of the website to ensure they are easily accessible. The latest look for the website will be visible from the autumn and will continue to be developed.
Digital self-service
Better technology will allow customers to find solutions to their requests without speaking to the contact centre, if convenient for them. It will help them access services quickly and easily using their preferred method and at a time that suits them. In the coming years the Council will also introduce more ways to self-serve online, allowing customers to submit information and make requests quickly and efficiently. Some of this work is already underway, including adaptions to how customers check their rent balance, and more will be available from 2025 onwards.
Automated chat service
Throughout 2025, the Council will roll out its automated chat service which will help customers find answers quickly, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
‘My Account’
A new online customer account function will allow customers to login, submit requests, report issues, revisit them, ask follow up questions and get updates on progress of their enquiries. This will be rolled out in 2025 with further updates as developments are required.
Quicker outcomes
Customers will get faster responses and experience fewer transfers between teams and services.
Optimised contact centre and reduced repeat contact
A customer services department which performs more effectively and efficiently. Customers won’t need to make repeat contact with the Council to get answers, they will be able to find the solutions easily or, for more complex issues, specialised teams across the Council will work collaboratively to provide answers quickly and efficiently.
As well as enhancing the customer experience for anyone who interacts with the Council’s digital platforms, the changes will mean employees time will be freed up to focus on residents with more complex issues and requirements or to assist those who cannot access our services digitally.
Making changes such as these to modernise how the Council communicates with residents and how staff work will help the organisation deliver crucial services more efficiently and achieve better outcomes for those who live and work in the city.
The Future Sheffield project aims to improve the services the Council delivers, with a focus on serving residents, businesses and customers more effectively online, improve and modernise its process and ways of working, ensure the organisation is cost-effective and run efficiently.
Cllr Fran Belbin, Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council and Chair of the Future Sheffield Members Working Group, said:
“This transformation has people at its heart, it is bold, it is modern and reflects the Council’s ambitions for the next three to five years. We recognise the changing needs and expectations of Sheffield’s people and businesses, and this significant transformation will ensure we can deliver on and adapt to those changes.
“We want every interaction people have with our organisation to be positive and useful, whether that be to discuss their rent, to pay a parking charge, request a housing repair or enquire about Council Tax. We deliver a range of services for Sheffield and we want to ensure access is simple for all at every point of contact. To deliver on these ambitions we need to modernise our systems and our digital offer, adapting processes with the end user in mind.
“Our Future Sheffield project focuses on the delivery and changes needed to make the ambitions set out in the Council Plan a reality.”
The latest updates from the Future Sheffield project will be discussed at Strategy and Resources Committee on Wednesday 24th July.