Hillingdon Council is increasing the services it provides to the public over the web using internet capacity from part of the Virgin Media Group. High-speed internet services are now the cornerstone of the council’s drive to streamline, modernise and enhance its communication with the public, supporting social media applications, a multichannel contact centre, internet and email access for 3,500 staff across 70 sites.
Two years ago, the number of website request forms annually received by the council stood short of 5,000. It has now grown by more than 300 per cent, demonstrating that local people are now willing and able to communicate with their council via the internet. Recognising that the public would soon demand more modern communication channels, it decided to increase its internet capacity.
Hillingdon is the second largest of London’s 32 boroughs, covering 42 square miles and serving a population of nearly a quarter of a million. Sites benefiting from the Managed Internet access include Hillingdon Council’s head office, remote offices and libraries. Approximately 200 workers also have the ability to work from home.
“Our residents are looking for quick and effective ways to interact with their local council. The internet is a key source of information and self-service,” said Robert Mackay, telecommunications manager, Hillingdon Council. “To ensure our website visitors have access to the information they required at their first point of contact, we needed the robust technical foundations in place to support both our external and internal digital communications channels. We now have increased speed and downtime has been minimised. ntl:Telewest Business designed a network that could meet our needs now and in the future. There was minimal disruption during the upgrade project and we got the best service at a competitive price.”
“Effective Communication, through various media, is vital for successful local government, with improved contact with the public being a key objective for local authorities,” said Tim Lawson, public sector sales manager, London, ntl:Telewest Business. “Hillingdon Council recognised the need to provide citizens with the option to participate in self service and communicate with their council via channels that are convenient for them. The increased internet capacity ensures that queries can be dealt with at the first point of contact, resulting in a high level of service.”
About ntl:Telewest Business
ntl:Telewest Business has the most technically advanced of the UK’s two national networks. Its vast nation-wide Next Generation Network provides businesses, public sector organisations and service providers across the UK with a complete portfolio of advanced data, internet and voice services. The £13billion network is flexible, scaleable and is already built out to more than 38,000 street cabinets across the UK.
As part of a commitment to deliver superior customer service, ntl:Telewest Business sales and support teams are located in close proximity to its customers in over 40 centres across the UK.
ntl:Telewest Business is trusted to provide critical communications to high profile customers including: Birmingham City Council, Yorkshire Water and EasyJet.
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