1 December 2010, London, UK - Derby City Council is set to initiate modern working practises with the deployment of Workspace Manager, designed, developed, and supported by BusinessSolve Software Solutions. In addition to facilitating new working practices, Workspace Manager will help the council to improve customer service, reduce operating costs, and optimise asset utilization.

As part of a Council-wide transformation program, Customer Services will move to a temporary one-stop shop whilst the Council House is refurbished. This presented the Council with an opportunity to implement new ways of working. From a staff perspective, the move has required the council to gradually implement a hot desk model, encouraging remote and mobile working practises so that council staff can enjoy a more flexible work-life balance. With less space and meeting rooms available, a scheduling solution was essential to ensure the efficient use of available space for meetings with citizens.

Workspace Manager will help increase customer service for the council’s citizens. If a citizen is attending a meeting that relates to benefits, Workspace Manager will enable the council to select the most suitable room, based on the number of attendees in the meeting, and the anticipated length of the meeting. The system will also provide insight into the availability of the council advisors needed in the meeting, or other personnel, such as translators. This ensures that all the resources needed for the meeting can be coordinated effectively and booked in advance.

The quality of service delivered to the citizen starts before the meeting, with the citizen receiving a meeting confirmation by letter, text message or email. Closer to the meeting, the citizen is sent a reminder note, asking them to bring with them the necessary documentation for their meeting. Bringing the appropriate documentation is essential to the effective processing of a benefit claim application, which in turn leads to quicker decision making, resulting in better customer service.

The intelligence built into Workspace Manager will provide the council with valuable information about resource utilization. From the data gathered, the council can establish which resources are under- or over-used, how many appointments are made, the length of appointments, and the number of appointments attended by its advisors.

Prior to selecting Workspace Manager, the council reviewed competitor solutions, assessing their suitability with respect to the council’s requirements and compatibility with the council’s existing technology infrastructure.

Workspace Manager was chosen for its ease of use, flexible interface and its ability to scale according to the council’s needs. BusinessSolve’s approach to the council’s tender was also an important factor, as Bernard Fenton, Head of Customer Services at Derby City Council, explains: “From our first meeting right up to our decision to select Workspace Manager, BusinessSolve showed absolute commitment to - and understanding of - our goals and specific requirements. Their flexibility and willingness to tailor Workspace Manager to our needs was very apparent, and we are confident that we will see a rapid return on investment. We are satisfied that we have selected the right scheduling solution for our needs, as Workspace Manager is powerful, adaptable and agile. Better still, it is developed and supported by a company that shares our values with respect to customer service.”

Workspace Manager is the ultimate resource booking system for the workplace. Available internationally, the solution has already been deployed at public and private sector organisations. A free trial of Workspace Manager is available.