Channel shift - a UK customer response

This paper details the findings from a project carried out on behalf of a group of local councils in the UK to discover scope for channel shift (i.e. migrating users from mediated to self-help solutions) within local services. The project consisted of four clear stages: identification of scope from service managers; discovery of case study examples from councils within the UK; an investigation of customer perspectives on channel shift linked to particular areas of service; and, finally a framework to establish a business case for introducing new channels to identified government services. The first stage of the project demonstrated that there is no shortage of ideas in relation to the potential that individual services have for channel shift. Customer Service Managers identified a range of independent areas worth exploration from basic reporting linked to customersin the local area, through automation of benefits services, to online services to support waste and recycling management. Whilst individual areas where benefit could occur were identified it was also clear that data may not be easily accessible to support a case for the provision of new channels. The areas highlighted by the initial stage of the project formed the basis for exploration at the second stage in identifying thirteen case studies linked to channel shift from a range of different levels of government and a private organisation. A brief description of a couple of these studies is provided in this paper along with key lessons learnt. The third stage of the project enabled analysis of the customer views towards channel shift. This stage illustrated a number of critical observations found within local customer groups through a detailed questionnaire and location based canvassing (n=197 customers). The first observation is that there is a sub-set of the local customer group who access council services that are not equipped in knowledge, equipment or in terms of motivation for access to channels other than face-to-face and telephone. Indeed some customers in this group see channel shift as potentially discriminatory. Secondly, whilst the findings donot establish a substantial demand for channel shift in relation to council services, many of those questioned recognised that provision of council services through more cost effective channels was a good thing (for other people), or in the case of web access was inevitable. Thirdly, it is clear that at present the most valuable service offered on the web by local government is access to local information. Finally a Business Case Template is presented which is derived from the findingsof all of the stages above. This is designed to enable the evaluation of requests for service channel growth with critical examination of potential success factors for shift of government services. Overall, local government around the country is investing in channel shift, it is clear that notall of these ventures are meeting with success, however, if full consideration is given to the business case for channel shift and time is taken to understand and target customer groups successfulchannel shift can be achieved.