SKDC Automates Using Blue Prism RPA
South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) provides key services like public housing benefits and building planning permits to more than 65,000 households in the east of England. Not one to get stuck with traditional approaches to government services, SKDC looked to modernize its organization through strategic use of technology. SKDC knew it could deliver services more efficiently and improve customer service. And it knew the best way to do this was with intelligent automation.
The Challenge
Many of the services provided by local governments are key to residents’ health and wellbeing. None is more critical than housing. SKDC manages 6,500 council houses which are offered to residents who qualify for housing benefits. Each month 115 new applications are submitted to the council which require rapid processing. Additionally, SKDC wanted to make sure customer support was accessible all day, every day. So, when residents send a request, they receive a response quickly, giving them comfort in knowing there is progress with their case.
The Solution
When residents experience homelessness, they are understandably also experiencing a lot of anxiety. Imagine if their applications are delayed by several weeks due to a slow approval process? Their concern would increase, and so would the number of inquiries to SKDC.
The Results
SKDC set to out create a positive experience for their residents from start to finish and to ensure that residents are well informed through the process. The council, in partnership with EY, designed an intake form that housing applicants complete. The form is then passed to a team of Blue Prism intelligent digital workers. The digital workers, without delay, take the information from the application and send it to ANITE, SKDC’s internal system for review. Once the form is submitted and indexed in ANITE, the digital workers immediately alert the staff if additional information is required from the resident. If not, the application is submitted to the housing approval system. And all of this is done the very day that the resident submits the application. Intelligent automation has created a more positive experience for residents and SKDC employees. Staff focus on quality interactions with residents, proactively providing them with the status of their application and ultimately placing them in a residence. Best of all, the housing application backlog has been eliminated, meaning the most vulnerable residents of the council are helped swiftly and promptly.
Business Impact
