It’s been over 12 months since we undertook a business improvement project that included a thorough business process analysis of our Bureau services department. This analysis, coupled with the implementation of a management information tool and an increase to staff volume by 25%, led to significant improvements within the Bureau.
A key part of this project was to reshape the operational structure of the team. We made a big transition from having multiple, small teams of recovery administrators working on assigned customers to having a structure that facilitates improved internal communications and transparency.
Our Bureau structure consists of:
- The Services Delivery Team. Responsible for customer interaction and the delivery of the Bureau service
- The Recovery Team. Specialises in the resolution of queries and the realisation of cost recoveries
- The Data Management Team. Endorses data quality and are responsible for the receipt, processing and maintenance of bills and consumption data.
So how does this benefit the organisations we work with?
All organisations have internal changes that impact data quality, such as holidays, sickness, department growth and budget cuts. Within the new department structure, we have implemented standardised processes that ensure world-class data quality and a consistent service all year round. Whatever the reason for you, our energy service is constant.
With standardised and best practice processes there is extra clarity around tasks and how they are measured. Measurement improves efficiency and facilitates proactive task management. A task focused Bureau team promotes efficient scalability, accuracy and increased data quality. Individuals in the recovery team can focus on dealing with utility suppliers and data providers, building strong relationships, and can liaise with one contact across numerous portfolios. Our customers benefit from this rich experience and our network of contacts. This maximises the priority and success rate of the resolution of billing issues for our clients.
A shared knowledge infrastructure ensures industry relevant expertise can improve recovery rates and keep organisations up-to-date with changes and legislation.
Data is at the heart of everything we do
All Bureau customers are assigned to a dedicated Services Delivery Manager as a main point of contact. Supporting the Bureau Services Delivery Manager are the individuals in the recovery team and the data management team. The Bureau services management information tool includes smart search and dynamic features, improved reporting, dashboards and KPI reports, helping the team compile insights more efficiently, increasing utility recovery success rates.
Ultimate service transparency is delivered to our customers on a monthly basis by the Service Delivery Report. This is generated by the management information tool and includes information like rolling annual performance, potential and realised savings and an overview of recovery queries.
Smarter bill processing
A more recent development in our business improvement project has been in automated bill processing. Through the use of industry-leading technologies, we have developed capability that enables our Bureau service to automate the accurate processing of large volumes of paper and PDF bills. This process removes the burden of manual entry, enhances data processing quality and speeds up billing data processing.
Our expert Bureau service supports customers across both the public and private sectors. Public sector organisations can access our outsourced bill validation and cost recovery services through the Shared Business Services (SBS) framework.
For a more detailed overview of our Bureau service, contact us today.