Responsible for the timely and accurate processing of annual and daily billing documents to residents within both the Stevenage and East Herts areas, the councils decided to review their processes around 6 years ago. Looking to reorganise their print output, they were keen to work with a managed service provider to oversee their daily and bulk annual print and postage needs.
Originally, the printing, merging, packing and posting of documents was completed in-house, and as well as being extremely time consuming, this left a larger margin for error. The process became unmanageable after a period of time, leading the authorities to explore other options. Open to collaborating with a trustworthy managed communications company, East Herts and Stevenage were looking to simplify the sending of documents and reallocate resources.
Following a selection process, and thanks in large part to our experience within the sector, CFH were outlined as the provider of choice, and a contract was signed. With a number of successful daily and annual billing campaigns completed, and over half a decade as communication partners, the council team were fully confident in the delivery of a successful revenues and benefits output as the 2024 period began.
It was proposed that CFH would oversee the entire revenues and benefits communication output required by the council during the 2024 period, including daily print requirements, and pre-agreed annual billing mailings sent at volume. The current Head of Service and Systems at East Herts and Stevenage Council was part of the original working group that opted for CFH as a communications partner, therefore strong relationships had formed over this period collaborating.
CFH offer a flexible Managed Service solution for organising this output, during which communications are securely produced and delivered in bulk through an IT print process. Whereas annual billing requirements are set out and agreements are reached at an early stage far in advance of the important dates in March, daily billing involves PDFs being sent to CFH through their secure SFTP on a regular basis, from which information is collected, before documents are printed and dispatched accordingly.
To ensure there were dedicated points of contact for the East Herts and Stevenage team to consult should they have any queries, account managers were assigned at an early stage. Pairing the council’s revenues and benefits staff with individual account managers throughout the entire process meant that there was a constant attention to detail and the option for updates throughout, with full focus dedicated to the task at hand.
The process always begins with an initial ‘kick-off meeting’ to gauge requirements, consolidate deadlines and discuss workstreams. Within this meeting, client account managers Shanie Skelton and Zoe Pearson, as well as Business Development Manager Nicki Newburn were able to ascertain the specific requirements of East Herts and Stevenage Council for their annual billing output. Following these discussions, CFH were able to create document templates, which were promptly sent through to the council team and verified.
During the stage at which client needs are confirmed and orders are placed, many teams are involved, from production and account management, to projects, sales support and business analysis. Although the supportive account management team are always happy to jump on a call when needed, communications generally take place via email, and changes are actioned in a timely manner in line with the requirements of the council team.
East Herts and Stevenage Council utilised our unique match and merge functionality during the 2024 annual billing period, where multiple letters (for example council tax bills and benefit letters) are consolidated into one envelope for a single recipient. This not only helps to reduce postage costs, but also ensures all relevant information is available in one place for residents. CFH were able to include additional inserts to provide further information, with these communications contained within closed face envelopes for enhanced security.
The council’s Head of Service and Systems has commented on how dependable the CFH team are at dispatching and checking documents. When minor issues do occur, staff are able to halt processes and quickly rectify these mistakes. All printing is carried out by production staff in a secure manner on-site, meaning that documents can quickly be amended and rectified mid-way through a production cycle should this be required, helping to avoiding mistakes.
Ultimately, CFH handling the process means ‘one less headache to think about’, with processes clear, overseen with a great amount of detail in mind, and with staff reactive to problems. As these actions are held to the very highest security standards, the promise of watertight compliance, GDPR, data protection and cyber security present the council with absolute peace of mind.
With the 2024 annual billing process a significant success, and daily billing continuing to run smoothly, the efficiency of production has been praised. The well-organised processes and willingness of account managers and staff to go the extra mile are seen as what really set CFH apart. The human element of the process is recognised as a hugely appealing factor, with the team all ‘friendly and genuine’ people.
Overall, for the 2024 annual billing period, in excess of 100,000 annual billing documents were successfully printed and posted by CFH on behalf of the council. The East Herts and Stevenage team are enthusiastic to work with CFH in the future, with the contract recently extended for future annual billing campaigns. Summarising the positive relationship and continued collaboration between both parties, the simple feedback was ‘long may it continue’.
Working with CFH for our daily and annual billing communications has made things so much simpler. The processes are completed with minimal fuss, and our assigned account managers are always available for a friendly and open dialogue if we have any queries or additional needs. The structure of the operation and strong relationships we have in place with the team are the main positives.
Head of Service and Systems,
East Herts and Stevenage Council
