The mobile service helps the advisor collect all necessary information in a single visit, speeding up the claim process. By validating the data entered, errors and omissions can be avoided and return visits/queries minimised.

Advisors will no longer need to re-key the information they collect. When they return to the office, the system uploads the data electronically, saving time for additional visits and increased productivity.

The year-end annual billing process will now combine the two mailings into one envelope and include a Benefit Summary Letter explaining to the recipient their new entitlement in plain English.

The combined mailing will provide the council with immediate paper and postage savings and the Benefit Summary Letter will have a huge impact on the amount of avoidable customer service contact the council receives at what is traditionally a busy time.

Highlight of the night was Sutton Council who won Gold for Benefits Team of the Year and Bronze for Revenues Team of the Year.

Other successes recognised by the IRRV were Croydon Council who won gold in Excellence in Education, Training and Development and bronze for Benefits Team of the Year, Cheshire West and Chester Council, awarded silver for Excellence in Social Inclusion, and Preston City Council and Fylde Borough Council Fraud Partnership picked up gold for Excellence in Partnership Working.

Newham Council also won gold in Excellence in Anti Fraud.

Congratulations to all our customers who were successful at the IRRV Performance Awards 2011

Harrow Council was singled out for delivering ‘sustained and embedded change, using a modern approach to doing business but never losing sight of its priorities, namely its residents.’

The judges added, ‘Its political and managerial leaders showed both maturity and professionalism and their sense of passion and pride for Harrow is tangible.’

Part of the awards submission focussed on Harrow’s customer contact centre (Access Harrow) which recently achieved customer excellence accreditation with over 90% of calls resolved at the first point of contact.

Harrow’s submission highlighted their achievements in improved customer contact, especially resolution at first point of contact, channel migration, and the introduction of self-service technology.

To achieve these goals Harrow utilised Gandlake’s “Go Online” technology, a suite of online services that allow residents, businesses and landlords to transact securely and efficiently with their authority online.

Working in a similar way to online banking, the ‘MyHarrow’ accounts provides easy access to Council Tax, benefits, business rates and tenant related information.

Cllr Bill Stephenson, Leader of Harrow Council, said:

“Working together with residents and the entire community, we are transforming Harrow Council to improve the services our residents rely on and deliver the savings that government cuts demand. “

Michael Lockwood, Chief Executive of Harrow Council, said:

“Our primary aim is to deliver excellent services to Harrow residents and I am immensely proud that the judges have recognised our achievements.

“We have made enormous progress, improving performance while delivering significant savings and I congratulate and pay credit to every member of staff for the hard work and dedication in making this happen.

“This award will spur us on in what is a very challenging time for local government, and as the judges recognised, Harrow residents will remain our top priority.”

The eforms are also available on the Council’s website, resulting in the same standard of service irrespective of the access channel used.

Already, the Council is receiving over 600 eforms per month, saving staff time in post opening/face to face contact and scanning/indexing.

Lewisham has over 15,000 registered account users meaning 14% of all households now use the online channel.

Over 16,000 registered users have now signed up to the service meaning 21% of all households use the internet to access account related council information on a self service basis.

Northampton Borough Council use the account to issue notification letters and schedules securely online. It also expects landlords to start using this channel rather than contacting them via the more costly channels such as telephone. This will provide Northampton with extra capacity in their call centre allowing more time to be spent with those in more urgent need of support.

In order to encourage landlords to use the service Northampton embarked on a series of promotional activities including inviting them to open days where they learnt more about the service and set up their account straight away.

From 1st May, Northampton will no longer send paper communication to landlords. This reduction in printing and mailing costs coupled with less traffic through the call centre will have a significant impact on Northampton’s operating costs.

Housing Rents Online is a secure online channel for Housing Associations/councils to communicate with their tenants. Housing Rents Online is part of Gandlake’s Secure Account which enables online self-service for Council Tax & Business Rates payers, Benefit claimants, landlords, tenants, leaseholders, agents (e.g. Citizen’s Advice) and the council’s suppliers and employees.

For more information click here or contact us for more information.

LB Newham were helped in their decision after receiving excellent feedback from a number of Gandlake’s customers.

Housing Rents Online is a secure online channel for Housing Associations/councils to communicate with their tenants. Housing Rents Online is part of Gandlake’s Secure Account which enables online self-service for Council Tax & Business Rates payers, Benefit claimants, landlords, tenants, leaseholders, agents (e.g. Citizen’s Advice) and the council’s suppliers and employees.

For more information click here or contact us for more information.