GB-Stafford: SARH Two Way SMS Procurement

The provision of a Two-Way SMS solution.

The High Level Business Requirements are detailed below:

♣To provide customers with a new and more convenient way of contacting SARH.

♣To provide SARH with a more convenient way of contacting Customers.

♣To potentially deliver efficiencies for call handling in all departments across the organisation. ♣To encourage more use of online services.

♣To further improve the SARH customer service / growth offer.

♣Enhance the reputation of SARH for innovation and help underpin future partnerships.

Background on requirements for SMS / Expected Business Benefits

♣More communication choices for customers

♣Better Customer satisfaction

♣A more coherent view within SARH of customer satisfaction levels / views / concerns etc.

♣A reduction in the call volume to Customer Services (50% of calls currently concern repairs)

♣Increase in paperless transactions

♣Easy way to facilitate brief transactional customer satisfaction surveys

♣Automated workflow to streamline operations

♣Some operations will be more effective via SMS than phone or letter i.e. Early low level rent arrears progression by SMS / reminder of gas servicing on the day to reduce no shows. ♣Less intrusive form of communication for customers

♣Easier proactive communications – Early low level rent arrears reminders by text etc.

♣Bulk Texting by criteria - e.g. send a particular text to all over 1 week in arrears

♣Lower volume of calls, letters and emails due to 1st line filtering by the Customer Services Team and increased closure of calls. ♣Economies of scale by increasing the capacity of Customer Services without increasing staffing

♣Reduced Printing / Phone calls / Letters

Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.