UK E-Government Expert Espouses Snap
September 2004
Local authorities in the UK have been set a tough target: to deliver all customer-facing services electronically to the public by 2005.
For many authorities this is mission impossible but luckily there is expert help available with firms like RSe Consulting on hand to provide them with invaluable strategic advice on meeting e-government targets. There are also useful tools, such as Snap software, that can be implemented quickly and easily by authorities for the conducting of e-consultations.
RSe, a specialist in e-government strategy, recently helped the West London Alliance (WLA), a partnership of London borough councils, to develop an e-consultation solution.
The WLA needed a cost-effective, versatile means of producing online surveys and managing the data collected. RSe and the WLA began a lengthy process investigating the products available on the market as well as a bespoke alternative.
The process left them in no doubt that Snap software was the best choice to meet WLA's requirements. David Crellin, a Consultant with RSe, explained, "We rigorously assessed each product against categories including functionality, price and ease of use, and Snap came out on top."
The WLA ordered the required software and sent relevant staff on training to give them the necessary knowledge to 'hit the ground running'.
The partnership recently launched a pilot e-consultation on the issue of Crime and Disorder resulting in over 1500 responses - a major e-government success.
Since David and RSe's work on WLA's e-consultation solution, he and the firm have come to recognise the usefulness of the survey as an information gathering and marketing tool. "We've done a fair few online surveys recently, which we're really pleased with. They help us in our research and also show authorities what the software can do."
RSe is a firm with passion for local government. They have worked with one in five local authorities and have lent their considerable expertise to a number of partnerships at strategic and operational levels.
A particular aspect of RSe's consulting work has been the improving of public access to services provided by authorities and partnerships such as making payments electronically.
To find out more about RSe Consulting visit their website at www.rseconsulting.co.uk
To find out more about Snap as an e-government tool contact your local sales office.