Digital transformation and customer experience specialists, FourNet, and leading dementia charity, Alzheimer's Society, have today revealed how the very latest cloud-based technology is being harnessed to transform fundraising and support services and enhance the charity's inclusive approach. 

Built in collaboration with FourNet's cloud contact centre partners, the contact centre solution has been tailor-made to ensure best-in-class support for people living with dementia, with key input to the design from people with lived experience through Dementia Voice, Alzheimer Society specialists and their Dementia Friends programme. 

FourNet's solution architects have worked hand-in-hand with the Society for more than a year to design, build, install and deliver the new care and support centre, which is expected to transform the charity's dementia support services and fundraising capabilities. 

The bespoke solution supports the Society's core fundraising and dementia support services across its operations including sites in Birmingham, Norfolk and Warrington as well as its offices in Northern Ireland and Wales. 

Richard Pennington, CEO of FourNet, said: "This is one of the most important customer experience projects we've delivered. It has also been an emotional journey for the FourNet team.  

"We were determined to deliver the best possible solution for people living with dementia and to ensure that Alzheimer's Society has world-class technology capabilities to support their work, their fundraising and the community." 

Today, on World Alzheimer's Day, a team from Alzheimer's Society joined FourNet at its Digital Transformation Summit held at Mansion House in London to reveal details and discuss the project. 

Alzheimer's Society selected FourNet after embarking on a procurement exercise in May 2022 to acquire a new cloud-based support centre and telephony system to support their fundraising and dementia support services. 

The broad aim was to replace an existing outdated contact centre setup with a versatile omni-channel contact centre system for their frontline teams, and to migrate 900 staff onto a new softphone application. 

Jennie Mummery, Senior Supporter Care Engagement Manager at Alzheimer's Society, said: "Dementia is the UK's biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime. ​Alzheimer's Society is here for anyone affected by dementia, providing help and hope. 

"We have thoroughly enjoyed working with FourNet on this unique solution, which has delivered an unrivalled care and support centre, harnessing technology, expert advice and input from people living with dementia, which will really help our teams. 

"We collaborated closely to ensure that our fundraising teams have the very latest technology at their fingertips and our dementia support services can deliver the very best experience for people living with dementia. We expect FourNet's new solution will be transformative for Alzheimer's Society and will help us reach more people, so no one has to face dementia alone."  

Typical contact centre solutions would not have suited the Society or those it supports. 

The solution enhances the charity's inclusive approach thanks to the detail considered in designing the system. For instance, people contacting the Society through the contact centre do not have to choose multiple options on their keypad; soothing on-hold music has been tested to minimise upset to a person living with dementia, sentiment analysis identifies vulnerable callers. 

New technology has also been implemented which identifies important emails and contacts for the Society's fundraising teams and will help the charity to maximise support through donations. 

Amanda Henderson, Solution Architect at FourNet said: "We are extremely proud of the strong bonds and collaborative partnership we have forged with Alzheimer's Society. It's been a truly immersive experience where we have learned how a person living with dementia sees the world and how their lives are affected and have designed a technology solution to remove as many of the obstacles in the customer experience journey as possible." 

Paul West, IT Project Manager at Alzheimer's Society, added: "An important aspect of this process for the Society was not just to find a suitable technological solution, but also to find a partner who understood our unique aspirations, and with whom we could continually develop and improve the solution as we go." 

FourNet works with a range of organisations - from charities and local authorities to the housing sector and financial service companies - using technology to support some of the most vulnerable members of society.