London Borough of Hackney Streamlines Citizen Services Integrating TKDialogs with Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Overview:

London Borough of Hackney is a dynamic and diverse borough in London, and the Council provides a variety of services to support its population of approximately 216,000 residents, many of these rely on council benefits and services. The borough is experiencing rapid growth and are preparing for large-scale events like the Olympics, Hackney felt they needed to improve its service delivery capabilities. The council were looking to streamline internal processes, reduce inefficiencies, and create a more user-friendly experience for both residents and council employees.

Challenge:

London Borough of Hackney was already using Microsoft Dynamics CRM as the core platform for managing its citizen services. However, the scale of demand, particularly with the additional requirements brought on by major events like the Olympics, needed an advanced solution to ensure they could continue to deliver the required high service standards. With almost 20% of residents claiming benefits and high levels of public service requests, the Council needed a quicker, more efficient system to manage calls, automate service requests, and reduce response times.

The challenge was to implement a system that could handle a large volume of complex citizen enquiries and integrate seamlessly with the existing CRM platform. Hackney needed a solution that could be deployed at pace, user-friendly, and able to support multiple service areas across both their contact centre and public-facing web services.

Solution:

Following a thorough evaluation process, TKDialogs was selected as the ideal solution for Hackney’s needs. The platform’s speed of development—up to 6-7 times faster than traditional coding—enabled rapid deployment, while its flexibility ensured it could meet the council's complex service requirements.

TKDialogs was integrated with Microsoft Dynamics CRM to provide call scripting and process automation across Hackney’s contact centre and web services. The system simplified call handling for customer service agents by offering a single interface, guiding them through even the most complicated queries. This integration not only made the call centre operations more efficient but also provided residents with easy to use, self-service options online, enabling them to easily access services, make appointments, and submit service requests.

The first phase of implementation focused on key areas such as waste management, registrar services, and licensing, with plans to expand to other council services in the future. The solution provided automation for many manual tasks, improving service delivery speed and accuracy.

Outcome:

The integration of TKDialogs with Microsoft Dynamics CRM has revolutionised Hackney’s approach to citizen services. The council has seen significant improvements in service delivery times and the accuracy of information processing. By automating call handling and service requests, Hackney Council has been able to handle more complicated enquiries at the first point of contact, minimising wait times and improving the overall citizen experience.

Additionally, the system’s ease of use means less training for staff, contributing to further cost savings. Hackney was able to deliver its CRM project on time and within budget, ensuring its goals are met for improved citizen service efficiency.

In summary, Hackney’s partnership with TKDialogs has delivered substantial operational efficiencies, streamlined service delivery, and enhanced the experience for both council staff and the public. The project continues to support Hackney’s broader citizen strategy, ensuring the council can meet the evolving needs of its residents effectively.