Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working as part of a group to develop a brand new digital service for separated parents to make an application for assistance preparing Child Maintenance. We 'd launched a personal beta of the digital service in December 2019, as well as were functioning in the direction of presenting even more customers on a steady basis.
Before this, the only means to request help organizing Child Maintenance had been a completely telephone-based service. However, as a division we understood that we needed to give an electronic choice as part of our dedication to broaden our services and create electronic layouts based upon our individuals' requirements.
The push to browse the web
All was going as planned until the pandemic hit. Almost immediately, our colleagues in the contact centres can no more respond to the phones and procedure applications. The division was working to obtain individuals set up to work from residence, yet a lot of colleagues were redeployed to work with various other services. So, our supervisors decided to make our digital solution the primary method of application from that factor onwards, as well as for the foreseeable future.
The group needed to move fast to safeguard the service and also make it readily available to all applicants. The plan had actually been to ramp up to around 100 applications a day going through the system within a few months, but now we had to reach this stage in a matter of days. The group worked hard to secure the service so it could deal with the increase in users, all while adjusting to functioning from home themselves.
Developing a 24/7 service
At the private beta phase we were using feedback from individuals to progress the solution-- as we opened it up further this comments became much more essential. There was a clear requirement for a few changes such as 24/7 accessibility. The solution was initially created to just be available when the tradition backend system was readily available, in between 8am to 8pm during the week, and also not on weekends.
We had a great deal of responses asking why it child maintenance was not offered after 8pm, so we constructed our very own backend to store the application data briefly, until the legacy system became available. Around 20% of customers currently complete their applications in that 'offline' amount of time, which reveals the benefits of reacting truly swiftly and taking individual feedback aboard.
An additional piece of responses we received from customers related to them wanting to validate receipt of their application. So, as part of our normal iterations, we delivered a function that enables individuals to enroll in an email confirmation that their application has been gotten making use of the Gov.Notify system. Around 99% of on the internet users have actually selected to use this center, which simply shows how helpful it has been as reassurance for people applying for Child Upkeep.
The effort repays
Throughout the summer season as well as into autumn, the team functioned constantly to present brand-new functions, with modifications deployed on an almost weekly basis. It was an unrelenting rate as well as was challenging at times-- as an example for those people home schooling our children. Having a common objective of helping to get cash to households that need it was a really encouraging aspect during these times.
That effort indicated that we were able to take the product via a Government Digital Service (GDS) public beta assessment in winter season. It passed with flying colours, which was a really honored moment for all of us associated with the job. We were also lately identified with a group award at an internal honors ceremony, which was a wonderful method to commemorate the method we have actually collaborated.
So far, over 59,000 individuals have made use of the digital solution to get Child Upkeep, which is around 80% of all applicants. The telephone service is still there for those that need it, yet the number of online applications remains to grow.
This isn't the end of the electronic journey for this solution either. We're currently advancing a brand-new roadmap for further improvement of the end-to-end service, as well as we'll remain to listen to individual demands, and make changes and renovations to make it as simple as possible for people to apply for as well as handle their Youngster Maintenance plans.
It's absolutely been a challenging year for all of us, yet I rejoice that I'll be able to look back at when our group rose to the obstacle and delivered for people when they required us most.