Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working as part of a group to develop a new electronic solution for apart parents to apply for help organizing Kid Upkeep. We would certainly released a private beta of the digital service in December 2019, and were working in the direction of introducing even more users on a steady basis.
Before this, the only way to make an application for help preparing Child Upkeep had been a totally telephone-based solution. However, as a department we knew that we had to offer a digital alternative as part of our dedication to broaden our services and create digital styles based on our customers' demands.
The push to go online
All was going as intended up until the pandemic hit. Virtually immediately, our associates in the contact centres could no longer respond to the phones as well as process applications. The division was working to obtain people set up to work from residence, however a lot of colleagues were redeployed to work with other services. So, our supervisors made the decision to make our electronic service the main approach of application from that point onwards, and for the direct future.
The group needed to move fast to safeguard the solution as well as make it offered to all candidates. The plan had been to increase to around 100 applications a day undergoing the system within a few months, and now we needed to get to this stage in an issue of days. The group strove to secure the service so it can handle the boost in users, all while getting used to functioning from home themselves.
Creating a 24/7 solution
At the personal beta stage we were making use of feedback from customers to progress the solution-- as we opened it up further this comments came to be much more vital. There was a clear demand for a few adjustments such as 24/7 availability. The solution was initially developed to just be available when the tradition backend system was readily available, between 8am to 8pm during the week, and also out weekends.
We had a lot of responses asking why it was not available after 8pm, so we developed our very own backend to store the application data briefly, till the legacy system became available. Around 20% of individuals currently finish their applications in that 'offline' time period, which reveals the advantages of responding really rapidly as well as taking customer responses on board.
Another item of comments we obtained from customers associated with them intending to verify invoice of their application. So, as part of our normal iterations, we delivered an attribute that permits customers to sign up for an email confirmation that their application has been received making use of the Gov.Notify system. Around 99% of online individuals have actually chosen to use this facility, which just demonstrates how beneficial it has actually been as reassurance for individuals getting Child Upkeep.
The effort pays off
Throughout the summer season and also right into fall, the group worked regularly to introduce new features, with changes released on a nearly weekly basis. It was an unrelenting rate and also was testing at times-- for instance for those people home schooling our youngsters. Having a common objective of helping to get cash to households that need it was a really encouraging aspect throughout these times.
That effort implied that we had the ability to take the product via a Government Digital Service (GDS) public beta analysis in winter season. It passed with flying colours, which was an actually happy minute for all of us associated with the task. We were also just recently identified with a team honor at an internal awards ceremony, which was a wonderful way to commemorate the means we have actually worked together.
Until now, over 59,000 people have utilized the electronic service to obtain Youngster Upkeep, which is around 80% of all applicants. child maintenance The telephony solution is still there for those that require it, yet the variety of online applications remains to expand.
This isn't completion of the digital journey for this solution either. We're currently advancing a new roadmap for more transformation of the end-to-end solution, and we'll continue to pay attention to customer requirements, and make amendments and also renovations to make it as easy as possible for individuals to get and handle their Child Upkeep arrangements.
It's certainly been a tough year for everyone, yet I'm glad that I'll have the ability to recall at when our team rose to the challenge as well as delivered for people when they required us most.