Better Business for All my thoughts and experiences William Benson Chief Executive, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

“The most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help’.” Ronald Reagan “I thought I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it was just some b*stard with a torch, bringing me more work” David Brent

The idea is not new… “I have found that services focus predominantly not on the citizen, but on an aspect of the citizen called ‘the customer’. The end result is that the citizen who needs multiple services is left to join up the various islands of service to meet his or her needs. As we do not accept each other’s identification of the citizen, the citizen has to validate his or her identity at each service transaction. This model of service provision is underpinned by a mass of helplines, call centres, front-line offices and websites. A similar situation applies to interactions with business resulting in business being required to provide the same information to many parts of government” Sir David Varney, December 2006

My thoughts…. Why Better Business for All makes sense Importance of customer insight and feedback mechanisms Digital service offering and behaviour change Final thoughts

Why Better Business for All makes sense Importance of customer insight and feedback mechanisms Digital service offering and behaviour change Final thoughts

Objectives of the BBfA Providing advice and support to businesses Increasing the business awareness of regulatory officers –Many businesses fail in the first year –Symbiotic relationship between the public and private sectors. Effective coordination across regulatory services Simplifying the local regulatory system and processes –The public sector is in the UK is extraordinarily fragmented Establishing an ongoing partnership between regulatory services and local businesses

The view from business “The volume of regulation is more than a single human can possibly cope with” “As a small business you have to be your own VAT, personnel, health and safety, environment and legal compliance manager I need help and support so I can get on with running my business” From the Business End of the Telescope, LBRO, 2010  66 % businesses find it burdensome keeping up to date with requirements for their specific circumstances  33% found advice inconsistent and not easy to understand how to comply  48% feel that regulators do not understand businesses well enough to regulate them

Five principles of good regulation Targeting Consistency Transparency Accountability Proportionality

The public sector is fragmented… Our view of the customer/business The customer/business’ view of us

Why Better Business for All makes sense Importance of customer insight and feedback mechanisms Digital service offering and behaviour change Final thoughts

Insight and feedback Complaints: –‘A free gift’! –Personally deal with all Stage 3 complaints and feedback to directors at 1:1s –Included in staff competency framework –Regular reporting to Cabinet alongside performance and finance with an emphasis on lessons learned Other mechanisms: –Social media –Business breakfasts, lunches, landlord forums etc –Networking/business representatives (FSB, Chamber etc) –‘Voice of the Customer’

Denotes a council expense not met by applicant

Why Better Business for All makes sense Importance of customer insight and feedback mechanisms Digital service offering and behaviour change Final thoughts

How do businesses want to access our services?

Digital offer Access services as the customer would (walk the walk, use the website) –Remember we can speak a different language to customers (refuse/bins, hereditaments/houses) –How does it compare with your experience of using the web in your own life? –Can the customer sort themselves out? –Is it good enough? Think about letters and marketing material: –Is it clear? Would you understand it?

Messenger we are influenced by who communicates information Incentives people tend to avoid losses rather than seek gains Norms we are strongly influenced by what others do Defaultspeople will tend to ‘go with the flow’ Salience we act on information that seems novel and relevant to us Primingusing sub-conscious cues to influence decisions Affectsemotional associations strongly influence decisions Commitmentspublic commitments are more likely to be honoured Egopeople do things that make them feel good MINDSPACE (key ‘nudge’ techniques)

Reviewing correspondence 45 per cent inquiries/complaints

Reviewing correspondence 17 per cent inquiries/complaints

Why Better Business for All makes sense Importance of customer insight and feedback mechanisms Making sure our digital service offering is correct Final thoughts

Mindset and approach ‘An Enabling Council’ –E.g. events Think “Yes, but….” not “No, because…”

Getting it right…. “Without the rigorous process I was helped through, I would not been granted a licence … not only did I get plenty of free advice and support but a lot of tips that I did not pick up at college or working for someone else. I recommend anyone starting out in my line of work to contact the Council first – it puts you above your peers”. Ashar Boyle, Confidence Couturier

Questions?