On Familiar Ground

‘Familiarity’ – so they say – ‘breeds contempt’. But taken from another perspective, most people would find it comforting to know that they don’t have to get to grips with a new way of doing things every time they deal with a new supplier – whatever they’re buying.

That thought is what’s driving the work of the Consult21 Systems & Processes Working Group, as the Group’s ‘buddy’, Industry Consultant Tim Short explained:

“Our role is all about relationships. Our starting point has been to examine the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ of the day-to-day dealings that Communications Providers have with BT when they’re placing orders, requesting repairs or asking about a bill for 21CN products and services. But we also have the rare opportunity to take a far broader view. With the proverbial blank sheet of paper in our hands, we’re also out to make fundamental changes and improvements to what works best for CPs when they’re talking to each other – as they often do.”

As with all the Working Groups, the key way to gather in opinions on current methods and generate ideas for radical new ones has been the monthly meetings. Tim continued: “We regularly attract between 20 and 30 stakeholders who are keen to join the debate. There’s a good number of IT experts – such as systems designers. But perhaps the biggest group of contributors are from CP service desks: the people who have real practical everyday experience of talking both to BT and to end-users. Exactly the ones that our new systems and processes are really going to have to work hard for.”

It’s already been widely recognised by those contributors that there are going to be many benefits common to all in having a common vision and approach.

Tim concluded: “Our Group basically has four aims. First, we want to make everyone’s life easier – both the CPs and their customers. Second, we know there are potentially enormous savings to be made by all when there’s no need for wheel re-invention every time a new product is launched. Third, it’s a great opportunity for everyone to start afresh with a ‘best practice’ model. And finally, we want what we’re doing to ultimately set the industry standards that UK organisations want to work by every time they ‘engage’ with their customers.”

The Group is already well down the road, with their first milestone achieved. In May they published their first Consult21 Systems & Processes framework document:a compilation of requirements for provisioning, repair and billing.

This is the third in a series of monthly articles that will be taking a closer look at the task of each of the Consult21 Working Groups, plus an update n their progress. So look out for another profile in the next issue of News21.

For a diary of forthcoming Working Group meetings, please visit the Consult21 website regularly: www.btwholesale.com/consult21