DATE: May 10, 2016 REPORT NO.CS General Manager, Corporate Services 1.0 TYPE OF REPORT CONSENT ITEM [ ] ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION [X ]

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1 DATE: May 10, 2016 REPORT NO.CS TO: FROM: Chair and Members Human Resources Committee Darryl Lee General Manager, Corporate Services 1.0 TYPE OF REPORT CONSENT ITEM [ ] ITEM FOR CONSIDERATION [X ] 2.0 TOPIC Vacant Customer Service Manager Position Filling on a temporary contract basis (Financial Impact: $110,500 funding contained in the 2016 Operating Budget) (CS ) 3.0 RECOMMENDATION THAT Report CS with regard to filling the vacant Customer Service Manager position on a temporary contract basis BE RECEIVED. 5.0 PURPOSE Report CS provides an update to the Human Resources Committee with regard to Staff s intent to fill the current vacant Customer Service Manager position on a temporary contract basis (12 month period) in order to prepare a comprehensive Implementation Plan for the execution of the City s Customer One Strategy. The position will be re-titled Manager of Customer Service Strategic Development for the duration of the temporary contract. 6.0 BACKGROUND City Council in June of 2012 approved a Customer One Strategy which is now embedded as a key Strategic Action within the City s , Community Strategic Plan (Shaping our Future). Specifically the Strategic Plan identifies Strategic Action 4.1 as follows:

2 Report No. CS Date: May 10, 2016 Page Implement the Customer One Strategy including the feasibility of a centralized Contact Centre; integrate with Accommodation Strategy Implementation Included within the City s 2015 Operating Budget is funding in the amount of $ 139,552 (including benefit costs) to establish a Customer Service Manager position for the City of Brantford. In recommending the position for approval to the Estimates Committee in 2014, the City s Human Resources Committee were advised that the key responsibility of this position would be the development of a strategy and implementation plan for a City of Brantford Customer Contact Centre. With the restructuring and reorganization of the City s Communication Division taking precedence, the Customer Service Manager position has remained vacant since its approval in the 2015 Operating Budget. It is also important to note that the City s Appointments Committee in November of 2015 took the following actions with regard to the City s Customer Service Task Force: A. THAT the Customer Service Task Force BE DISBANDED; and B. THAT Staff BE DIRECTED to prepare a report for consideration at a Committee of the Whole Operations and Administration meeting on the Customer Service initiatives achieved to date and what can be expected in the future. Filling the Manager of Customer Service Strategic Development position on a temporary contract basis will allow for the development of a comprehensive Customer One Strategy implementation Plan including the identification of any future Operating Budget impacts and resource requirements which can be reported back to the City s Committee of the Whole in keeping with Council s direction. 7.0 CORPORATE POLICY CONTEXT The City s Community Strategic Plan identifies Strategic Action 4.1, Implementation of the Customer One Strategy including the feasibility of a centralized Contact Centre and integration with the City s Accommodation Strategy Implementation. 8.0 INPUT FROM OTHER SOURCES Report CS has been reviewed by the City s Executive Leadership Team and Members of the City s Senior Management Team.

3 Report No. CS Date: May 10, 2016 Page ANALYSIS 9.1 Customer One Strategy The development of a Customer Service Strategy for the City of Brantford was originally identified as one of Council s top priorities in the Community Strategic Plan. In 2011 a corporate-wide Customer Service Taskforce was established to develop the Customer One Strategy and Implementation Plan. The Strategy (attached as Appendix A to this report) was adopted by Council in June of The Strategy outlines the long term vision of the City of Brantford in its continuous efforts to meet the needs of its customers and stakeholders, to improve customer accessibility to City services and meet customer expectations. The Strategy identifies that the City of Brantford will put internal and external customers at the centre of service delivery to ensure an enhanced customer service experience, and increase the choices of customers as to where they access services, when they access services and how they access services. The Strategy outlines what the City will do: Create a Customer-Centred Culture Develop Corporate Customer Service Guidelines and Policies Streamline service delivery Respond to the needs of our Customers The Strategy outlines the following key foundations: Business Processes and Streamlining Information Technology Improved Telephone System People Accessibility Effective Ongoing Communication 9.2 Current State To date a comprehensive and funded Implementation Plan for the Strategy has not been brought forward. The Municipality has moved forward with significant technology investments that will support the implementation of the Strategy. The City s Unified Communications Project and acquisition of a Customer Relationship Management System will provide the City with the required technology tools from which to launch the full implementation of the Strategy.

4 Report No. CS Date: May 10, 2016 Page 4 However, to effectively leverage technology investments, it is imperative that the City now turn its attention toward the people and processes required to ensure that the identified goals of the Strategy can be effectively delivered. A detailed tactical Implementation Plan will identify the actions and resources required by the City to execute the Strategy in alignment with the City s key corporate initiatives. 9.3 Convergence of Initiatives In a recent presentation to the City s Organizational Leadership Team, the City s CAO outlined the opportunity in front of the City s senior leaders, as a number of key corporate initiatives converge. Those key corporate initiatives were identified as: Leadership Development Corporate Strategic Plan Communications Strategy I.T. Strategy Unified Communications Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Social Media CityNet and Associated Tools Accommodation Strategy To effectively move these initiatives forward it is imperative that a clearly developed Implementation Plan to execute the City s Customer One Strategy be developed. 9.4 Deliverables/Outcome of Plan The City s Manager of Customer Service Strategic Development will work closely with the City s Executive Leadership Team and SMT to develop a comprehensive implementation plan with particular focus on: Developing clear Corporate Customer Service Guidelines and Policies Assessing the services being offered and available access points to ensure customer needs are met Updating the current service delivery database Ensuring that an integrated and coordinated approach to service delivery and management across all channels is utilized Developing a structure and resourcing plan to develop a City of Brantford Customer Contact Centre The identification of opportunities to integrate where possible, telephony technology with other City systems and technology

5 Report No. CS Date: May 10, 2016 Page 5 Developing a Plan to update the service delivery knowledge base for services within the proposed CRM software The development of effective communications to affected stakeholders as the City transforms to become more customer centred The identification of the necessary steps and timing to ensure the City effectively moves the Customer One Strategy forward, including the identification of budgetary resources required FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS The cost of filling this temporary position is already provided for within the City s approved Operating Budget. It is anticipated that the position will be filled by June 1 st, 2016 which will still provide for positive gapping within the Business Unit established for this position in Future resource requirements identified within the Implementation Plan will be considered as part of the 2017 and future Operating Budgets CONCLUSION Currently City of Brantford customers access City services at multiple access points with a varied menu of available services and service channels. The City s Customer One Strategy will move the City toward more effective, consolidated forms of customer service and call handling. The City s Manager of Customer Service Strategic Development will ensure that the City is provided with a detailed and actionable roadmap to execute the City s Customer One Strategy. Darryl Lee General Manager of Corporate Services Attachments: Appendix A City of Brantford Customer One Strategy Copy: None In adopting this report, is a by-law or agreement required? If so, it should be referenced in the recommendation section. By-law required [ ] yes [x ] no Agreement(s) or other documents to be signed by Mayor and/or City Clerk [ ] yes [x ] no Is the necessary by-law or agreement being sent concurrently to Council? [ ] yes [ x ] no

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