Sutton Council is the local authority for the London Borough of Sutton in Greater London, England. Sutton’s council’s contact centre is the contact for over 205,000 residents and needs to provide that support in a way that is efficient, cost-effective and caters to diverse needs of different age groups and needs.

Three years ago, Sutton Council embarked on transformation project to revamp their customer service strategy, including its telephony system and hardware. The solution had to be a more efficient way of providing support to different diverse resident groups, more secure and use friendly for agents, whilst meeting council budgets.

Solution

Previously, Sutton faced challenges with a locally hosted server for their telephony platform, leading to frequent downtime. Recognising the need for a transformative solution, Sutton initiated a tender process, seeking an omnichannel platform that not only delivered voice services but also enabled engagement through various channels, accommodating diverse age groups and preferences. The objective extended beyond voice communication; Sutton aimed to break down silos within existing systems. Integrating their CRM and incorporating email management were imperative components to enhance the overall customer service experience at Sutton Council.

After thoughtful consideration, Sutton opted for Puzzel’s Customer Engagement platform. Puzzel, being cloud-native, offering omnichannel services, and approved by the UK Government’s Crown Commercial Service (CCS) G-Cloud framework (RM1557.13), provided a consolidated, cost-effective solution that aligns with Sutton’s evolving business needs.

The implementation of a universal queue has revolutionised their workflow, allowing colleagues to easily gauge each other’s availability for swift support, enhancing efficiency and teamwork. This real-time access to colleague availability has significantly improved productivity while fostering a sense of unity within the team. Pam Bowell, Director Customer Care – Transformation, explains, “I can glance at my desktop and see all my colleagues, knowing they’re available to offer quick support when needed.”

The Results

In just a few weeks, Puzzel was implemented. They saw the value right away thanks to Puzzel’s ease of use and the amiability develop in-house. With Puzzel’s cloud-based serve, Sutton Council no longer experienced frequent downtime, providing the Sutton Community the reliable customer service they pride themselves on.

This seamless integration not only streamlined their processes but also enhanced overall operational efficiency. The synergy between Puzzel’s functionality and their specific needs has propelled them into a new era of productivity and excellence, demonstrating that simplicity and effectiveness can indeed coexist.

Sutton Council’s customer service agents also love the ability to work remotely, whilst having everything they need consolidated in one easy to use platform. Agents can view calls, emails, case management and more, in one interface.

Now equipped with a cloud-based contact centre, Sutton is excited and prepared for the future. Embracing a forward-thinking strategy, Sutton is ready to unleash AI-driven chatbots and automation.

Puzzel is thrilled to be a part of Sutton’s journey to redefine customer service for their community of 205,000 residents and is excited to continue to help Sutton deliver empathic and reliable service.

Hear from other front-line agents

“I appreciate the flexibility and the ability to create customisable reports, monitoring real-time performance.”

“The freedom to work from home and various locations has been a game-changer for me, something we couldn’t do before.”

“Everything is on Puzzel, easily accessible for me. It’s a breeze to use.”

“It’s user-friendly, login is a breeze, and everything runs seamlessly. I love it!”