Lagan's customer software puts Camden at 'Frontline'

Belfast-based Lagan have announced that the company's Frontline solution has been selected for the implementation of a customer relationship management (CRM) system by Camden Council.

Recognising that improved customer satisfaction is important, the council established Serving Camden. This programme aims to improve the experience that all council customers – whether citizens or business users - have when they contact the council by putting them at the centre of what the council does.

Chris Peacock, acting head of e-Services, Camden Council said: “The underlying aim for the CRM system implementation is to improve the council’s service to its customers. This new system will mean our residents can contact us how they want and when they want, and get a consistently efficient and effective service. Lagan’s Frontline CRM solution will help us engage with customers via new electronic channels and gives us a flexible system that is based around the needs of local government and the public sector.”

The initial implementation will focus on developing the services currently provided through the customer service centre, including customer information, credit card payments and travel and local information.

As the CRM project develops, there will be the opportunity for other departments to take advantage of the benefits of the CRM system.

In addition to its Serving Camden programme, Camden Council is a trailblazer for the national ISA (Information Sharing and Assessment) project sponsored by the DfES. This aims to protect children from harm by building and sharing information about them. The CRM system could help in this project’s role by registering contacts with and about children that come through the customer service centre, and by automatically raising alerts based on this gathered data.

Research undertaken by the Council shows that 70% of the council’s customers prefer to make contact with the Council using the telephone. Whilst the initial focus will therefore be on the voice channel through the customer service centre, Lagan’s Frontline is capable of supporting multiple channel access and the council plans to develop further channels to include email and web.

Des Speed, Lagan’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to be working with Camden to help them operate in a more co-ordinated and joined up way responding to the needs of residents and service users. Our Frontline software will help the council handle requests that transcend service or departmental boundaries, by providing front office agents with the tools to offer direct and mediated services to citizens.”

(SP)