Transforming Telephony and Contact Centre Communications for Surrey County Council

Surrey County Council (SCC) is the local authority covering one of the most populous regions in the UK, serving over 1.2 million citizens across a broad range of vital services. Handling over 870,000 inbound calls each year. SCC plays a crucial role in maintaining the wellbeing of its residents, providing essential services to keep their communities functioning and ensuring that no one is left behind.

In pursuit of their organisational goals, which include improving service delivery, enhancing citizen experience, and ensuring operational efficiency, SCC embarked on a transformative journey to upgrade their communications infrastructure.

SCC recognised the need to modernise their communications systems to help deliver their digital transformation strategy. To help deliver this goal they appointed 4C Strategies to provide strategic guidance, business case development, procurement support, and implementation advice. Following a formal procurement process, FourNet was selected to provide a replacement Microsoft Teams telephony and Nice CXone contact centre solution to replace the legacy systems. 4C Strategies then provided project management services to ensure that the services were migrated over a single weekend, with no disruption to the residents of Surrey.

Telephony Infrastructure Assessment

The Council and 4C Strategies undertook an audit of SCC's existing telephony infrastructure. The legacy systems had been in place for over 15 years, and the intricate web of outdated technology and scattered DDI numbers posed significant challenges. Following this, the FourNet team, working hand in hand with 4C Strategies, carefully planned the migration strategy, ensuring every detail was accounted for – taking into account the urgency and complexities of the project.

System Deployment

The migration began with the successful porting of 16,000 DDI numbers to Gamma, which laid the foundation for the new telephony and contact centre services. The telephony users and call queues were then migrated to Microsoft Teams, with the published Council numbers then directed to the new NICE CXone contact centre
services.

With the telephony framework in place, attention turned to integrating Microsoft Teams – migrating around 1,700 users and deploying around 500 Teams-certified handsets across 130 locations. This was a massive logistical effort, requiring precise coordination to ensure that all systems were operational simultaneously. On the same weekend, 380 named voice agents were also deployed on the NICE CXone platform. The success of this coordinated effort, completed without any downtime, was a testament to the detailed planning and execution by the FourNet, 4C Strategies and SCC teams.

The new system covers a wide range of council services, with a particular focus on providing a pathway to additional enhancements of customer experience in future. While the initial deployment was voice-only to achieve the tight deadlines, the infrastructure has been designed with future expansion in mind, allowing SCC the future option to add additional functionalities such as omni-channel capabilities as part of their ongoing digital transformation journey.

The outcomes of this project have been transformative for Surrey County Council. The introduction of Microsoft Teams for telephone users, with integration into the NICE CXone contact centre, has not only streamlined communication processes within the organisation, but also improved the efficiency of call handling, making internal call transfers and customer interactions smoother and more effective.

Moreover, the project has laid a solid foundation for SCC's future digital initiatives. With a modern, flexible communication system in place, SCC is well-positioned to enhance its customer service offerings further. Possible future developments that the technology allows for include an expansion of the contact centre's capabilities, with the possibility of incorporating omnichannel features that will allow citizens to engage with the council through their preferred communication channels, whether it be phone, email, or social media.

The successful delivery of this project was a testament to FourNet's internal expertise and project management
capabilities and support from SCC and 4C Strategies' teams. From the outset, it was clear that Surrey County Council faced significant challenges, both in terms of the complexity of their existing systems and the tight deadlines imposed by the looming contract renewal. A failed go-live would have had severe repercussions, not only financially but service continuity for SCC's 1.2 million residents. This made FourNet's role in ensuring a smooth and timely transition all the more crucial.

At the core of this success was FourNet's and 4C Strategies' ability to bring together a team of highly skilled engineers, project managers, and consultants who worked tirelessly to ensure that every detail of the migration was meticulously planned and executed. Our deep understanding of cloud-based telephony and contact centre solutions allowed us to foresee potential challenges and mitigate risks before they could impact the project's success.

Starting this project as a consultancy partner, 4C Strategies also provided hands-on project management services that were instrumental in navigating the logistical complexities of this largescale transformation. Their expertise in managing complex public sector projects, combined with the close collaboration with FourNet, ensured that the project stayed on track despite the tight deadlines.

The risk of an unsuccessful go-live was ever-present. With a hard deadline in August 2024 and the need to migrate systems across 130 sites in a single day, there was no room for error. Any delays
or disruptions could have led to significant financial penalties and service interruptions, impacting SCC's ability to serve its citizens. Thanks to the combined efforts of SCC, FourNet and 4C Strategies, the transition was executed flawlessly, with zero downtime and minimal disruption to council operations.

As Surrey County Council looks to the future, the partnership between FourNet, 4C Strategies, and SCC remains key as we continue to support the Council in enhancing its digital capabilities, integrating new platforms, and refining processes to further improve service delivery and citizen engagement. The groundwork laid by this project has positioned SCC to keep pace with technological advancements and lead the way in public sector digital transformation.

Surrey County Council is now focused on fully leveraging their new systems, with a dedicated design team reviewing the entire customer journey. This team will ensure that all platforms work together seamlessly, enhancing efficiency and streamlining processes. Their goal is to identify and eliminate bottlenecks, optimise workflows, and make the most of the technology at hand.

In addition to boosting efficiency, the team will explore opportunities to improve service delivery, ensuring that SCC's offerings are accessible and user-friendly. By aligning technology with the council's mission, SCC aims to better serve its citizens, providing a superior service experience. These efforts will position Surrey County Council as a leader in public sector digital transformation, ensuring they remain innovative and citizenfocused.