By Cass Terry, Operations and Marketing Manager, Square Systems

The UK government recently set publicly funded contact centers and help lines a challenge - fundamental and transformational change. The Varney review of public services created a new performance framework that places clear emphasis on services being designed "from the customer up" and states that these centers must now have systems in place to accurately measure performance in key areas.

bss is a large scale not-for-profit organisation that provides multimedia contact center and information services to the public, charity and commercial sectors in the UK. An outstanding success, bss has doubled turnover and staff in just four years, and is poised to see further expansion in 2008 as a result of it's positive management culture and new wave integrated CRM technology. In 2007, bss acquired Capital Communications Group, adding 100 contact center seats and a new 100,000sq ft fulfullment facility, while also increasing its client base and receiving a prestigious accolade for outstanding achievement at the "Government Opportunities : Excellence in Public Procurement" Awards.

Michaela Marcham, Head of Service at bss, is passionate about providing effective and efficient customer service, and chose to gain the required customer feedback using an IVR survey system ' Opinion-8 ' from Square Systems. Opinion-8 allows callers to give their views immediately after their call. This vital feedback is then automatically compiled on a secure database, and becomes immediately available for online analysis. This means that bss, their clients, and their clients' clients - the UK public - now have far greater ability to shape services and strategies, and therefore the organisation is well placed to become a center of excellence when "recommendations become regulations."

"Opinion-8 is a very useful tool for us. As it provides immediate feedback, it's an excellent staff motivator. We find it extremely competitively priced and good value for money. It fulfills bss' requirements perfectly " said Michaela Marcham, bss.

With Opinion-8, bss and their clients can view performance reports at any time on the Internet, to see how satisfied customers really are. Real time real world comments from customers can be recorded, giving greater depth of understanding. Results from both web and phone surveys feed into the same database so that the relative values of different channels is automatically established.

Alan Cleaver, Technical Director at Square Systems, fully supports such positive use of the system "It's fantastic to see new technology being used so dynamically for the greater good. Opinion-8 is ideal for the public sector as it provides socially inclusive access - not everyone has Internet access - therefore IVR telephone surveys are an important part of the mix to ensure that feedback surveys receive maximum uptake. Feedback using Opinion-8 informs our customers' decision making processes and future strategy. The ability for callers to leave their opinions and comments as real time audio recordings means that organisations gain far greater depth of insight, as the UK publics' voice really is being heard loud and clear."

About Cass Terry:
Cass Terry is based in the UK and has over twenty years experience in IT and Marketing. Cass has led sales teams to exceed previously recorded national sales figures, piloted online systems for blue chip companies ' in the city ' and has recently joined Square Systems from a corporate account manager role for BT business.

About Square Systems:
Square Systems are a UK based developer of self service CRM applications who pride themselves in providing customer service internationally.