Digital at pace

New technology rarely fixes a broken process. It usually makes it faster at going wrong. We redesign the work first, then prototype and test digital services with real customers in weeks, working with your technology teams and selected partners.

A framework for delivering results

Digital programmes in service organisations often follow a familiar pattern. A platform is chosen, the existing process is configured into it, and eighteen months later the organisation has a modern system running an old way of working. Customers find a new front door that leads to the same queue.

We work in a different order. We begin with demand and the journey, using the same evidence as our customer-experience work, and redesign the process so that it is simple enough to automate. Only then do we look at technology. In many cases the answer is modest: a better online form, a workflow tool that routes cases to the right person, or a knowledge base that gives staff and customers the same answer.

Speed comes from small, tested steps. We prototype a new service in days, test it with real customers and staff, and refine it before anything is built at scale. Our consultants work with your own technology teams and, where it helps, with a small network of specialist partners in analytics, contact-centre systems, workflow automation and knowledge management. We have no commercial ties that favour one product over another.

Typical results include a working service in front of customers within eight to twelve weeks, a rise of 20 to 40 percentage points in the share of requests completed without staff involvement on redesigned journeys, and lower build costs because the process is simpler. Each engagement starts with a clear view of what is realistic for your systems and budget.

“They would not let us buy anything until we had fixed the process. It was frustrating for about a month and then it saved us a great deal of money.”

Chief Digital Officer, a UK rail operator
How we deliver digital at pace Six steps arranged around customer demand: understand demand, redesign the work, prototype in days, test with customers, build and integrate, and measure and improve, after which the cycle begins again. 1 Understand demand 2 Redesign the work 3 Prototype in days 4 Test with customers 5 Build and integrate 6 Measure and improve Customerdemand
  1. Understand demand
  2. Redesign the work
  3. Prototype in days
  4. Test with customers
  5. Build and integrate
  6. Measure and improve

Our approach

  1. Insight

    We gather evidence on what customers ask for and where they get stuck, from contact data, web analytics and conversations. It shows which journeys to redesign first and what good would look like for customers.

  2. Design

    We redesign the journey and the process behind it before choosing any technology. A simpler process is cheaper to build, easier to change and kinder to customers and staff alike.

  3. Workflow

    We use low-code workflow and automation tools to route, track and complete work. Prototypes reach real users in days, so we learn from real evidence rather than from long specifications written in advance.

  4. Experience

    We design the screens, messages and letters customers see, and test them with real people. Small changes in wording and layout often move more customers to self-service than new features do.

Our partner network

We work with a small group of specialist technology firms. We choose them for the job, and we take no commission on what you buy.

  • Demand and workforce analytics that show what customers ask for, when, and how often they have to ask again.

  • Cloud contact-centre software that brings phone, chat, email and messaging into one view of each customer.

  • A low-code workflow platform for routing, tracking and automating casework without a long build.

  • Knowledge-management tools that give customers and frontline staff the same clear answer to the same question.