Decision details

To seek authority to spend in excess of £1m for the development of a Customer Relationship Management System.

The development of the system will help to meet the objectives of the following corporate policies;

§Facing the Challenge

§Bold Steps for Kent

§Customer Service Strategy

§ICT Strategy

This will specifically focus on the following aims;

·         ‘Once and done’ ensuring that we use and re-use information already supplied by the customer during previous transactions thus reducing repeat transactions

·         CRM supports online transactions ensuring customers can self-serve fully via the web at a fraction of the cost of phone or face to face 

·         CRM delivers convenient and consistent access across all contact channels ensuring that there is one version of the truth, establishing a quality standard for customer service.

·         Handling and controlling current and future demand, anticipating trends and providing an overview to inform demand management and resource planning.

·         Creation of a Single Customer Record to directly support customer self-service

·         Developing customer engagement through insight; targeting service information relevant to specific customers groups at key times

·         Creation of one common solution to be used across the whole authority

Financial Implications:

The financial implications are set out in the business case for the CRM system which has been taken to and agreed by Customer Service Board, Corporate Management Team, Budget Programme Board, Procurement Board, Project Advisory Group and now requires Member authorisation to spend.

Legal Implications: None known at this stage

Equality Implications:

An equality impact assessment has been completed for the first product to be delivered (Creation of the single Customer Record). This has been has been approved by the Diversity and Equalities Team, Head of Service and Divisional Management Team.

As Cabinet Member for Community Services, I agree to and authorise the procurement for the development of a Customer Relationship Management System.