Welcome Northwest Business Support Simplification Event 27 March 2007 th
Mark Gibson Director General DTI Enterprise & Business
Business Link Northwest
Peter Watson, Managing Director
PURPOSE OF THE CHANGE • Address Business Link market position: – Lack of awareness/understanding – Confusion about service offering • Clarify role of Business Link: – Independence of brokerage service and service/product split – Consistency of core service across the region – Increase resources directed to front line service delivery • Improve efficiency and interaction, increased role for private sector partners
BUSINESS LINK SERVICE PRINCIPLES • Customer focus • Primary access point for integrated brokerage • Provide a free to use service with no charging or product/service delivery • Provide an impartial and independent service and support • Focus on IDB (Information, Diagnosis, Brokerage) only and broker to public/private sector suppliers • Deliver a consistent, high quality service
Service Operation c 10k customers c 100k customers
The Knowledge Platform Front Office Systems
Universal Brokers
Customer Touch Points
CRM
Web-site
Product/ Supplier Catalogue
Diagnostic Tools
On Demand Customer Interaction Centre
Reports & Analytics
Targeted Brokers
OUR PROPOSITION The free to use, complete resource for business people in the North West, impartially providing information and helping to find solutions that keep businesses moving forward.
JUST ASK ……………..
BUSINESS SIMPLIFICATION • Budget announcement March 2006 – “RDAs and Gov’t Departments to work together to streamline the current 3,000 ‘offerings’ by 2010 to a balanced portfolio of 100 products and services that are flexible and meet the needs of business” – Business Link will be primary access point
• The system is too complex and leads to: – Customer confusion and lack of take up – Inefficient delivery – Patchy/inconsistent evaluation of impact
LATEST PROGRESS UPDATE • Operational from April – 5 days away! • One Organisation not Five – – – –
75% of employees customer facing Significant marketing drive, initially on universal service Consistency of service provision throughout the region Universal Target Brokers up by 40%
• All Employees transferring will be formally inducted and trained in new system by April • Significant investment in Knowledge Platform • Not everything will go according to plan ………….
SUMMARY • Independent, trusted Brokerage • Information, Diagnosis, Brokerage (IDB) – No direct delivery • Universal Service, 7 days a week – open to all • Targeted Service, Alignment with RES Priority Sectors and growth companies • Economic payback – Significant increase in take-up of usage • Building of best in class Knowledge Platform and sector expertise
Steve J.Bennett Vice-Chairman; IoD North West Business Owner
Business Support Simplification Programme
Business Support Simplification Programme
• Introduction – 23 years in North West manufacturing Industry – Private sector experience; ‘Corporate & SME’ – Technical, Commercial and Business Leadership roles – Established own business in 2004 – Recent public sector experience; NWDA & RLN-NW – IoD has 3000 North West members (52,000 in the UK)
Business Support Simplification Programme – Past?
Business Support Simplification Programme – Past?
• What was missing: – Where was the Customer?
• Designed from the top, for the top: – How were business needs considered?
• 3000 products and services: – Too many or too confusing?
Business Support Simplification Programme – Present?
• Top down guidelines? • Bottom-up discussion & consideration? • Who is the simplification process for? • Allow for regional variations? • Be innovative in approach? • Consolidation vs. rationalisation? • Skills availability?
Business Support Simplification Programme – Future?
• Design for the customer • Align with business & market needs • Consistency of offer • Be inclusive • Rapid and effective response • Report KPI’s • Remove confusion
Business Support Simplification Programme – Future?
• Clarity – of the offer and effectiveness
• Communication – of the service, successes and failures
• Competence – of the people, training and systems
• Commitment – to deliver consistency and constancy
• Culture – Geared to business, leadership & entrepreneurship
Sophy Krajewska Head of Strategic Development Business Liverpool
Mark Hughes Executive Director NWDA
Structure • Why? • Progress • Issues • Business Link • Future • Workshops
Why? • GVA Gap • Customer Confusion………. • VFM
Progress to Date: • NWDA - National Steering Group: − Evaluating current: Shaping Decision Aid Tool − Future thinking: 9 Product Areas (Skills Lead)
• Review of NW products in National Database • Identification of 1,500 products in the NW • Implementation of new Business Link service • BSSP in draft EU Operational Framework • Channel and Product Simplification - Examples: − Clusters: Food and Automotive − Start-Up Programme, Resource Efficiency
Issues • Customer • Need - Public Sector Intervention • Market Failure • Symptom - Products • Cause - Disconnected Policy & Funding. • Cause - Also Channels • Local Needs • Efficiency, Effectiveness, Evaluation • Related Agendas……….
Issues - Related Agendas
Business Link • Information, Diagnosis, Brokerage • Private, Public and Voluntary sectors • ‘Primary’, not Sole access point • Market Maker not Market Taker • Market Intelligence – For All • Product & Service Database – Please Register
Future – Success will include: • Economic Impact • Shared Framework • Knowledge / Intelligence led • Customer Focused • Clarity of Purpose, Activity and Roles • Local Needs • Efficient, Effective • Evaluation Feedback
Workshops - Areas for Discussion: • Presentations: Q & A • Simplification Themes: − Products & Services − Routes to Market − Funding
• Next Steps
Next Steps • Synopsis and Feedback from Workshops • NW Simplification Work Groups • Framework for Business Support in NW: • Vision & Principles • Product Development Guide • Impact & Evaluation
• Client Feedback Mechanism • Private Sector, Business Organisations & Public Sector