2 May 2008
City of London scoops European award
A pioneering project to boost customer service in the City of
London has been given European recognition.
The City of London Corporation was honoured by Microsoft at a
ceremony in Porto, Portugal with The Local and Regional Government
Solutions Award for Citizen Service Solution 2008 for the
introduction of its contact centre.
The City’s contact centre was established in January 2007 to
help deal with customer queries more quickly and efficiently.
Located in the Guildhall, in the heart of London’s financial
district, it has 18 staff to deal with thousands of calls each
week.
Susan Attard, Deputy Town Clerk at the City Corporation, also
gave a key note speech to European local government leaders at the
Local and Regional Government Solutions Forum, highlighting how the
organisation adopted new practices and the latest technology to
transform its method of customer service. The aims behind the
project were to create a system of customer service fit for a
world-class city, use existing resources more efficiently, provide
reliable and consistent information and to encourage business
change.
The new systems have not only been invaluable in better and more
quickly answering queries, but also by creating a state-of-the-art,
efficient and secure database – vital for the City which regularly
hosts banquets and events for heads of state, key politicians and
other dignitaries.
Susan Attard said: “I was delighted to accept this award on
behalf of the staff who all work hard to make the City’s contact
centre a great success. This is a system which reflects the City’s
reputation as world-leading in finance, business and communication
and we intend to build on the progress we have made so far.”
Gordon McKenzie, Director of Microsoft Worldwide Local and
Regional Government Solutions, said: “I am very happy to recognise
what the City of London Corporation has been doing. I am pleased to
be working with Susan and her team to share to the wider global
community some of the best practice. They have been pioneers of
change.”
Ends
Notes for editors
The City of London Corporation:
The City of London provides local government services for the
Square Mile, the financial and commercial heart of Britain, and is
committed to maintaining and enhancing the status of the business
City as the world's leading international financial and business
centre through its policies and services. Its responsibilities also
extend far beyond the City boundaries and include the Guildhall Art
Gallery, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the Barbican Arts
Centre, the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey, 10,700 acres
of open space including Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest and three
wholesale food markets, as well as acting as the London Port Health
Authority. There are City representative offices in China, India
and Brussels, and the City Corporation supports a wide-ranging
programme of partnership regeneration work with other boroughs. The
City maintains (at no cost to the taxpayer) the five City bridges
on the Thames, and provides £4m in sponsorship to fund three new
City Academies.