Case Study: ICD008: Customer Service Re-Alignment
Drivers
- Increased diversity of students with varying and often multiple support needs has led to an understanding that the university needs to target resources and develop better access to services for all
- Technology offers the potential for appropriate self-service and therefore increased access for more students
- Desire to be ‘best in class’
The client, a Scottish university, is building new premises in which student support services will be housed. In keeping with its tech surroundings and increasingly diverse base of student customers, there was the potential to increase access to and improve service to students requiring support in areas such as study support, library services, pastoral care, financial advice etc. the creation of a “one stop shop” will also add to the convenience and integration of existing services. The project required a major transformation programme including a shift in culture and the use of high technology solutions to systematise a number of low level support activities, freeing up valuable time for trained staff to deal with the more complex or specialised needs of users of their services.
Inputs
- Scoping study for student access to service reviewed and key stakeholder identified
- Qualitative interviews with staff conducted and service documentation reviewed
- Student induction process observed
- Facilitated workshop for key staff stakeholders to build the customer experience
- Support to the project manager
- A semi structured audit of all projects and existing support service processes
The ICD Partnership worked with the client to scope the requirements of the transformation programme through individual support and mentoring of the internal project manager, evaluation of the project context and work undertaken to date, a series of qualitative interviews with staff, observation of the student experience, a review of relevant materials and planning documents. In addition, a half day introductory workshop was designed to focus understanding on how the student experience could be enhanced through redesigning key processes and communications with customers.
Deliverables
- Delivery of a Project Initiation Document that identified the scope of the programme, mapped out the inter-departmental dependencies and the impact of student access to services
- Outlined the work breakdown with recommendations on priority areas
- High level project plan with route map for implementation
- Workshop for senior staff of the design methodology of new ‘student experience’
A fully scoped Project Initiation Document defined the scope and major transformation activities, and a route map for implementation. As a result the client was able to appreciate the extent of the programming scale, its impacts and dependencies as well as better understanding of the realistic timescales and resource implications involved in integrating the departments and their activities.
Outputs
- Client benefited from having a programme structure for a major business transformation process
- Client received training in how to develop the student experience design and to facilitate this in-house
The client was able to focus its activities appropriately around more tightly defined objectives and can see where various work streams inter-relate and dovetail each other. Key members of staff have undertaken further training and activity designed to increase their commitment and capability to deliver specific areas of the programme. Due recognition to the significance of the project has been achieved.