Waveney District Council has launched a new web site ,that will become a key ‘enabler’ of improved customer access to services and as a result generate ‘year on year’ cost savings for the council.
'Having an effective Customer Access Strategy underpins the delivery of the Council's aim to continue to demonstrate improvement and innovation by providing excellent customer services by putting the customer at the centre of everything we do.' Waveney District Council, Customer Access Strategy.
The Council worked in partnership with Jadu, a market leading web content management solutions provider to local and central government organisations, to develop the new web site, replacing a CMS that had become outdated and no longer fit for purpose.
Jadu was setting the standard and we wanted to raise the bar. We have had an overwhelmingly positive response to the site, the way it looks and its functionality. It is much easier to find information and carry out transactions and there is genuine excitement around the fact that we are now able to deliver services more effectively.
Phil Harris, Communications Manager, Waveney District Council
Waveney's new web site delivers transactional capabilities to improve efficiency and deliver the financial savings targeted. It is also customer facing and enables people to go on a journey around the web site, with the page structure and functionality ensuring that the experience is very straight forward.
It was built using Jadu CMS 1.8, which includes a number of additional features such as Publishing, Marketing, XForms, Rupa (a Google search capability) and Jadu Galaxies to support distributed web sites. The new site will transform the 'customer experience' for Waveney's residents and encourage greater involvement from the local community. Social media will also be developed to enhance the 'consultation' and 'conversation' with customers.
Waveney will also be working closely with other users within the Jadu community from across the UK, to draw on their experiences and knowledge. For example, Waveney is considering the development of widgets that replicate and guide 'a day in the life of a resident' and to also utilise new functionality as it emerges from the Jadu community of local government users.
What excites us as a team is the access we now have to the Jadu user community from across the UK and being able to draw on their experiences.
Phil Harris, Communications Manager, Waveney District Council
We are looking forward to working with the Council to deliver a 'customised' service for each customer. We are also very pleased to be able to welcome Waveney to the Jadu User Community and welcome the knowledge and contribution that they bring.
Suraj Kika, CEO of Jadu Ltd
About Waveney District Council
Waveney is the most easterly district in Britain situated in north-east Suffolk and within the East of England Region. Visitors and residents value the outstanding quality of life of the area, its coastal resorts, the beautiful market towns of Beccles, Bungay and Halesworth, the countryside and The Broads National Park. In a recent survey, more than four out of five residents are satisfied with their area as a place to live - above the national average. The areas of Lowestoft, Kessingland and Southwold have some of the finest beaches in the country and vast tracts of the coastal strip have wildlife and natural landscape of designated national importance.
The district is a mixture of urban and rural areas covering 143 square miles with an attractive beach coastline stretching for over 16 miles and an estimated total population of 117,700 as at mid 2008. The population of the district is estimated to be 97% White British, higher than both national and county averages.
