Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was working as part of a group to create a brand-new electronic solution for separated parents to obtain assistance preparing Kid Maintenance. We would certainly introduced a personal beta of the digital solution in December 2019, and were functioning in the direction of presenting more users on a gradual basis.
Before this, the only means to apply for help preparing Kid Upkeep had actually been an entirely telephone-based service. Nevertheless, as a division we understood that we had to provide a digital choice as part of our dedication to expand our solutions as well as create digital designs based upon our users' demands.
The push to go online
All was going as intended till the pandemic hit. Almost promptly, our coworkers in the contact centres can no longer respond to the phones and also process applications. The department was functioning to get people established to function from house, however a great deal of associates were redeployed to work with various other services. So, our supervisors decided to make our digital solution the primary approach of application from that point onwards, as well as for the near future.
The team had to move fast to safeguard the service as well as make it readily available to all candidates. The strategy had been to ramp up to around 100 applications a day going through the system within a couple of months, and now we needed to get to this phase in a matter of days. The team strove to secure the service so it can manage the rise in users, all while getting used to working from residence themselves.
Producing a 24/7 service
At the personal beta stage we were utilizing responses from individuals to progress the solution-- as we opened it up additionally this feedback came to be much more important. There was a clear need for a few modifications such as 24/7 schedule. The service was at first made to only be readily available when the legacy backend system was available, between 8am to 8pm during the week, as well as out weekends.
We had a lot of comments asking why it was not readily available after 8pm, so we built our own backend to save the application information temporarily, up until the heritage system appeared. Around 20% of users now complete their applications because 'offline' period, which shows the benefits of reacting actually promptly and also taking individual feedback aboard.
Another piece of comments we got from customers related to them wanting to confirm invoice of their application. So, as part of our regular iterations, we provided a feature that enables customers to register for an email confirmation that their application has actually been obtained making use of the Gov.Notify system. Around 99% of online users have chosen to use this center, which simply shows how helpful it has been as peace of mind for people getting Youngster Upkeep.
The effort settles
Throughout the summer season and also right into autumn, the team worked continuously to introduce brand-new attributes, with adjustments released on a practically weekly basis. It was a relentless pace and also was testing at times-- for example for those people home education our kids. Having a shared objective helpful to get money to family members that require it was a truly motivating variable throughout family law solicitors these times.
That hard work meant that we had the ability to take the product through a Federal government Digital Service (GDS) public beta assessment in winter months. It passed with flying colours, which was an actually happy minute for everyone involved in the task. We were likewise recently acknowledged with a team honor at an interior honors ceremony, which was a nice means to celebrate the means we've interacted.
Thus far, over 59,000 individuals have made use of the digital solution to apply for Youngster Maintenance, which is around 80% of all candidates. The telephone solution is still there for those that need it, but the variety of online applications continues to grow.
This isn't completion of the digital trip for this solution either. We're now proceeding a new roadmap for additional change of the end-to-end service, and also we'll continue to listen to customer demands, and also make amendments and also enhancements to make it as simple as feasible for people to apply for and also manage their Youngster Maintenance plans.
It's absolutely been a difficult year for everybody, but I'm glad that I'll have the ability to recall at when our group rose to the difficulty and provided for individuals when they required us most.