Centrelink annual report 1999 – 2000 Contact officer
Download 0.83 Mb.
|
- Navigate this page:
- Changing Expectations and Needs
- Future Outcomes
- Decision Support (Expert) Systems
- Accessing Centrelink
- Call Centre Automation
Other AchievementsCentrelink Education NetworkIn April 2000, Centrelink launched the Education Network, an interactive distance learning facility that can provide a virtual classroom in almost every workplace. Using business television and interactive keypads, any number of ‘students’ at a given time can answer questions or ask for help, and can speak to the trainer via a built-in microphone. The Education Network has enabled us to target learning opportunities to the needs of specific workgroups, delivering highly consistent learning and catering to different levels of knowledge. In addition, staff can now receive their technical training directly from subject-matter specialists. For these reasons, this technology has proved to be a popular way to learn. Since its commencement, the Education Network has broadcast an average of four learning sessions per day covering a wide range of topics. Within the first 15 days, learning sessions delivered six subject categories to over 2000 participants. This initiative demonstrates Centrelink’s commitment to finding innovative and effective ways of giving our people the tools they need to deliver even better service to Centrelink customers. (See also Chapter 6, Our People, page 84.) 1Business1Business focuses on aligning Centrelink’s I&T capabilities and services to the rest of the business to assure quality outcomes. It is a process for both parties in a partnership to describe current levels of satisfaction, outline the issues or barriers to improved performance and to identify a range of improvement actions in an agreed timeframe. At a local and national level, it enables both sides of the business to better understand the factors affecting the achievement of exceptional service from their customers’perspective. CentrepayCentrepay allows Centrelink customers to voluntarily have regular amounts deducted from their social security payments for expenses such as rent, gas, water, or electricity direct to organizations providing that service. Following increased demand for Centrepay from a number of organisations, various enhancements to the electronic deduction facility will be introduced in 2000–01. Centrelink’s existing IT Model 204 structure and SAP functionality will be combined with developments in electronic communications and networking to enable the timely electronic exchange of information between Centrelink and service providers. ChallengesChanging Expectations and NeedsCentrelink customer expectations are changing, as they increasingly expect faster, more flexible and simpler options to access information and other services. Customers expect Centrelink to organise its business to provide them with the right service at the right time and in the right place. Communities are today becoming wired up online. The ability to find information, tap into services, and communicate with others over long distances is becoming very real. As this empowerment increases, people are beginning to demand the same services from Centrelink, regardless of their rural, remote, or urban location. E-business strategies are growing around the world, to the extent that services can now largely be provided by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Customers are no longer bound by what exists in their locality and brand loyalty has taken on a very different meaning. Centrelink has to develop a new image for both the customers of its services and the purchasers of the service delivery. Within a contestable environment, Centrelink must be more flexible in order to accommodate the diverse business requirements of clients. Business clients want high-quality performance information on their products and Centrelink’s service delivery. Centrelink needs to be aware of emerging technologies in order to position itself ahead of potential competitors, in respect of research and development, technology acquisition and skills. The emergence and availability of the home PC and other electronic devices with the ability to connect to the Internet has meant that new forms of security and customer authentication are required in order to conduct e-business and protect the customer’s privacy. Knowledge management, particularly in relation to its scope and scale, will continue to be a critical issue for Centrelink. Centrelink will need to take advantage of the opportunities that arise to forge a broad range of alliances and partnerships with federal, state, local government, community and private sector organisations to expand its services. Future OutcomesTransforming TomorrowCentrelink OnlineThe Centrelink Online project delivers the new IT infrastructure required to enable Centrelink’s electronic service delivery initiatives to proceed. The goals of Centrelink Online are to:
In essence, Centrelink Online provides application developers with a set of standard functions and facilities that hide underlying complexities and enables the rapid development and delivery of electronic service delivery initiatives. Andersen Consulting, as systems integrator, worked with Centrelink staff during 1999–2000 to develop and deliver two versions of Centrelink Online, namely:
Once testing has been completed in the early part of 2000–01, Centrelink Online Version 3 will support further Centrelink electronic service delivery initiatives including Accessing Centrelink, Customer Internet Services and Expert Systems. Call Centre Automation and FAO will also migrate to Version 3. By the end of 2000–01, Centrelink Online will have provided major components of the robust and flexible architecture and infrastructure required to underpin Centrelink’s electronic service delivery capability and integrate with existing systems and data. This capability will significantly enhance Centrelink’s ability to personalise service, expand choice and increase convenience for customers. Decision Support (Expert) SystemsThe payments and services offered by Centrelink are complex, wide-ranging and subject to high levels of change. In such an environment the development of Decision Support (Expert) Systems will assist our staff to deliver accurate and appropriate service offers to customers (see also Chapter 5, Our Customers and Community, page 63). Softlaw Corporation, an Australian company and industry leader in expert system technologies, has been engaged to assist in jointly developing a Decision Support (Expert) System with Centrelink and FaCS. Softlaw Corporation will provide their expert system software ‘Statute Expert’ and manage overall system development, in addition to providing staff training and support services to staff of both Centrelink and FaCS. Staff from Centrelink, FaCS and Softlaw Corporation were co-located in Canberra from March 2000 to begin development of the Decision Support (Expert) System. The system will:
The Decision Support (Expert) System will assist staff in their day-to-day processing and service functions and address customer concerns about accuracy, consistency, clarity and completeness of information. The system will support the FAO implementation in 2000–01. Customer Service Centres will initially receive the system in stand-alone mode. A version integrated with existing Centrelink systems is scheduled to be released in 2001–02, and it is envisaged that the system will later become available on the Internet for customer self-service. The longer term possibility of extending the Decision Support (Expert) Systems rulebase approach to cover all the business of client agencies and allowing customers access to their own records for restricted access or update is being examined.
The benefits of such a tool are that:
The first phase of the project will be delivered by January 2001 and by April 2001 the second phase will be introduced to cover all major Centrelink services. Call Centre AutomationThe Centrelink Service Delivery Strategy sets a clear direction for enhancing our service offers over the coming decade. Call Centre Automation is the first real step in offering multiple channels of electronic access for current and future Centrelink customers. To move forward into the new online service delivery environment required of all Federal agencies by Government, and to position Centrelink to be at the forefront of developments, the following directions are now ready for development over the next two years:
Centrelink is putting the following building blocks in place in 2000–01 to enable these developments to proceed. These include:
e:CommerceIn line with the Government Online Strategy, developed by the Office for Government Online, the Centrelink e:Commerce project aims to electronically deliver the processes associated with materials and services purchasing and supplier payment by the end of December 2001. The Infolink I&T team is currently performing a technical evaluation of the available e:Commerce solutions through site visits, meetings with suppliers and independent research. A pilot project is planned for late 2000 with a subsequent complete rollout by December 2001. These initiatives will enable Centrelink to take advantage of the business opportunities and operational efficiencies associated with electronic trading. Directory: sites -> default -> files -> documents documents -> North Mankato Taylor Library documents -> In the Red and Brown Water documents -> - documents -> Cbp and Trade Automated Interface Requirements Appendix: pga december 22, 2015 documents -> Ace abi catair customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements documents -> Ace abi catair customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements documents -> Mobile audio/video recording systems documents -> The south australian government gazette documents -> All public acts appearing in this gazette are to be considered official, and obeyed as such documents -> Union interparlementaire inter-parliamentary union Download 0.83 Mb. Share with your friends:
|