Unlock the power of data handling for councils

Surges in spending combined with funding cuts have resulted in financial hardship across the local government landscape, but positive change could be on the horizon. With recent announcements such as the English Devolution Whitepaper and the proposed reforms and commission on adult social care, a shakeup is certainly on the cards for local government. With additional funding pending, now is the perfect time for councils to capitalise on this opportunity and invest in data handling to boost their operations.

Data handling is an invaluable process for businesses to master. The more insight an organisation has into its operations, the easier it is to make well-informed decisions and deliver effective strategic change and in the public sector, where services impact millions of lives every day, accurate and skilled handling is increasingly vital.

Consider the example of a local council that wants to harness the power of data from its contact centre. We’ve compiled a list of goals that the council might lay out before embarking on its organisational change project and demonstrate how skilled data handling would help achieve them.

In the twenty-first century, organisations are becoming increasingly digitised across the board and contact centre operations within local councils are no exception. Call centres are often the first point of contact for customers who wish to submit queries, complaints or service bookings, so a smooth-running system is essential.

Through data handling, information can be gathered and analysed, providing a solid knowledge base upon which to make an informed decision. Data handling can be a sensitive matter, and any collected data, such as a customer’s contact details, must be stored safely and correctly. Data teams must therefore be trained appropriately and kept up to date with legal and compliance changes.

To run an effective in-house contact centre, reducing queue times for customers needs to be a priority. Data handling helps to ascertain the average waiting length of customers, as well as identify the staff ratio to establish supply and demand imbalances during peak times.

Pinpointing issues is the first step towards streamlining an organisation’s operations and carrying out an effective strategic change project.

A good in-house contact centre needs to ensure its online payment software is secure and compliant with data laws. Keeping digital records of payments streamlines the overall process as records are easier to organise and locate online. Data handling also helps identify issues and slow processes, so that positive changes can be made, boosting the system’s efficiency.

So, there you have it: the power of data handling in a nutshell. With central government’s recent announcements, 2025 is shaping up to be a year brimming with possibilities for local government. Data handling could be the tool to master for local councils looking to streamline operations and boost overall efficiency.