Case Study Georges River Council Pre-merger preparations, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Case Study – Georges River Council

Pre-merger preparations, Proclamation Day and Customer Service Transformation Project

Pre-merger preparations

The councils formerly known as…

YOUR TITLE HERE Parallel integration teams

• Hurstville & Kogarah set up Integration teams

to focus on merger preparations

– Kogarah team: Working on a ‘Custom’ Checklist & Advice from consultant – Hurstville team: LGNSW Amalgamation Tool Checklist – Planning for amalgamation in isolation

Parallel integration teams

One day…..Allowed to talk!

YOUR T…ITLE HERE Integration teams co-operating

Happiness…. …followed by…

YOUR T…ITLE HERE Integration teams co-operating

Confusion!!!!!!!!!!

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Decision making framework for Integration teams

• How do we make decisions?
• Two different cultures and different paces of

change.

• Who is the leader?
• How does communication take place?
• What’s most important?
• Different focus - Day 1 vs first 100 day list?

Who’s the boss?

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Decision making framework for Integration teams

• Agreement on decision-making framework – reports

to both GM’s via Integration Managers

• Communication framework
• Guiding principles
• Assumptions
• Focus on Day 1
• Abandoned due diligence exercise and 100 day

checklist…for now

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Outcomes & Recommendations Report

Action Responsibility Due Date Decision to accept all forms as long as no payment is required. Make list of forms we will accept for Hurstville/Kogarah customer service desk i.e. change of address, pensioner rebate, GIPA request Craig & Margaret 13 May 2016 Remind all frontline customer service staff to check address details with customers early in transaction to ensure enquiries are handled by the correct former council. Jess & Margaret 9 May 2016 Create cheat sheet for standard greeting to give to frontline customer service points Jess 13 May 2016 Ensure staff at frontline services know switchboard number for Kogarah/Hurstville locations Craig & Margaret & Jess 13 May 2016 Check with Angelina that she has common seal on her priorities list Jess 7 May 2016 Check with Communications team if they have suggested text for a poster at Customer Service Margaret 9 May 2016

YOUR TITLE HERE Communication Framework

• Multi channel communication

– Intranet, paper based and Outdoor Operations

• Key messages from Integration

– Staff questions, concerns and rumors – “Okay” to not have all the answers – communicate regardless

• Common landing page for GRC

– Direct people back to former Council homepage

YOUR TITLE HERE Communication Framework

• Day 1 Staff Information Pack

– FAQs for Customer Service/anticipated questions from Customers – Guide for staff in changing electronic email signature and voicemails – Interim new web domain and Council Phone Number 1300 – Standard telephone greeting – Consolidated staff contact list on both intranets

YOUR TITLE HERE Farewell Party

• Plan a farewell party (or Wake) for former

Council

– Take lots of photos –hire a photo booth – Have “Memorabilia” to give away (i.e.. Old stationery) – Recognise past and celebrate future

Proclamation Day

Proclamation Day – Day 1

• 12 May 2016 at 12.10pm
• No warning….
• No phone call….
• No lead in time….
• Effective immediately

– Feelings of shock, disbelief & excitement that it ACTUALLY happened!

Proclamation Day – Day 1

• Proclamation itself

– See GRC Proclamation as example – Most high level considerations covered

• Who is the GM & Administrator
• Ward names and boundaries
• Delegations
• References to former Council on legal documents
• Activate Day 1 Plan
• You can never feel sufficiently prepared
• Staff were calm

Transformation & Change

Framework for Transformation

• Business as usual
• Interim measures – “Veneer of One Entity”
• Transformation Project work

Business as usual

• Do your best to maintain “Business as usual”

– Retirement of Kogarah Customer Service Manager – Hurstville Customer Service Manager seconded

• n Transformation & Change T

eam – 12 months – New/Acting Coordinators to maintain operations – Recruitment delays and short staff in both centres

Interim Measures

• Georges River Council website landing page
• Pressure for Quick wins & benefits of amalgamation
• No reduction of services
• Centralised GRC Phone number

– Press button options for Waste, former Hurstville and former Kogarah Councils

• GM directive for Hurstville’s PO Box to be GRC PO BOX

– Internal courier service between service centres for hard copies – Centralised email for GRC with triaging to former Hurstville and former Kogarah emails

Interim measures – Quick wins

• Standardisation of Service Centre hours
• Payment of rates at both customer service

centres

– Expansion to enable rate payments for former Kogarah residents at Hurstville Library after hours

Transformation Project Work

• Transformation team set up

– Director, Project Manager, 11 Stream Leaders – Direct report to GM Office

• Project Manager - Marissa Racomelara seconded from

Sutherland Shire Council

• Stream Leaders officially seconded for 12 months - 24 months

– Stream Leaders with various backgrounds

• Mix of “Subject matter experts” and non-subject matter experts
• Mix of staff that are Managers, Coordinators and Officers
• Selected for ability to drive and promote change

Customer Service Project Stream

• Project Initiation Document (PID)

– Scope, key deliverables, inclusions, exclusions, risks, communications

• Project Plan
• Framework, Charter, Service Centres, Satellite Sites, Non

face to face contacts, After-hours telephone service, CRM, Customer Service Initiative Program, Electronic ‘Quick reference’ tool for internal knowledge management

• Working Groups

Lessons learnt

YOUR TITLE HERE Lessons learnt

• GM Calls the shots

– Once the Interim GM and Administrator commence, they have their own priorities for the organisation. Get ready!

• Preparation is key

– But remain flexible. The goal posts will move constantly.

• Regroup the Integration Team

– Post Day 1, regroup to decide which 100 day tasks need to be completed, which tasks can be abandoned, which tasks are

• wned by business unit managers. Things can get missed!!

YOUR TITLE HERE Lessons learnt

• Confusion is rife

– There will be confusion and uncertainty Day 1 and beyond.

• Communicate. Communicate. Communicate. Even if it’s

reiterating the obvious.

• FAQs

– Maintain regular Staff FAQs – Good way to keep everyone up to date with changes.

• Be kind…

– ...to yourself & each other. Even Change Agents need time to cope and make sense of the changes.

YOUR TITLE HERE Any questions?

Contact details Margaret Le: mle@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au Angelina Aversa-Morassut: aaversa-morassut@georgesriver.nsw.gov.au