Local Authority Services In 2022

Local authorities need to implement a digital transformation strategy by 2022, or risk neglecting their customer service.

We live in a world where absolutely everything is available with the simple click of a button. Now, local governments need to try and embrace the digital technology movement if they want to sustain public services. The public sector has been behind the curve when it comes to tech advancements and local UK governments are not an exception to this. Helping councils to improve their internal level of efficiency could give significant benefits to the entire sector, for 2022. So what do governments have to gain by undergoing an extensive and comprehensive transformation? And how can they go about embracing this kind of change? Simply look below.

Not All Local Authorities are Behind

Not every local authority is behind when you look at innovative ways of working. Some councils have gone as far as to develop their own digital platforms. That being said, a large number are still behind. This could be due to insufficient funding and it can be down to organisations that are simply risk-averse. It does go without saying that there needs to be some kind of organisational drive for change. It’s also very important to keep in mind that there is an increased level of consumer demand for online services. If local councils do not transform their service or if they do not ensure that they are in fact fit for purpose, then this will damage the perception that people have of local services.

A Comprehensive Digital Platform

A comprehensive platform can easily give consumers a huge range of options when it comes to remote enquiries, and it also helps with online services. This is especially the case if 24-hour access can be provided. Planning and control services, tax payments, bulk waste collection and even pothole monitoring could be managed at the top of the screen with just one click.Live chat for your website from Click4Assistance could also help councils greatly, providing customers with the instant access they need to a host of services.

The Benefits of Digital Transformation

The benefits of digital transformation really do not lie with consumers alone. There are many significant benefits to take advantage of as well. The biggest cost for a local government tends to be in HR. introducing even more opportunities to help streamline the process through things such as automation, even though it is costly to begin with, could easily lower the amount of overheads in the future. By possibly using tech to try and minimise the need for staff to engage with time-consuming tasks, councils can then reduce cost while also increasing efficiency. This will have a positive impact on staff, and it will also allow them to undertake even more skilled work in the future. Live chat services remain to be the single, most powerful tool that UK councils have access to, yet many are not using it to their full advantage.

Digitisation

One development that can have a huge impact on efficiency is cloud-based management. This will eliminate the myriad of paper documents which often present issues. Many governments are still housing a lot of physical documents, and if this could be digitised then it would free up staff time and energy.  Cloud-based management can also help people to understand what people need out of their local government while also enabling the automatic transfer of data.

How Can Local Authorities Implement Digital Change?

To begin with, it is of great importance to outline what state the systems are, at present. This will help local governments to know what they need to achieve. It will also help them to know how they can make their development secure enough to warrant some kind of investment. Given the constraints that councils are facing, it is safe to say that councils need to try and be clear with what they want to achieve, and they also need to present a clear and quantifiable solution that meets that need. This will help to drive the transformation forward and it will also help with clear leadership. This will start at the top, and it will help to ensure success down the line. One positive point for local authorities is that many tech services are now simplifying their offerings, making it easier for councils to implement while also making them more affordable.

Live chat is just one example of this, but it does just go to show that the digital movement is happening and that governments need to make sure that they stay ahead of the curve where possible. If not, they risk falling behind and neglecting the people they intend to serve.