Kempsey Shire Council
Case Study: Modernising Billing Processes with Kempsey Shire Council
The Client
Kempsey Shire Council, a local government body in the NSW mid-North Coast, provides essential services to 28,000 residents and local businesses. The council is responsible for distributing 14,500 rate notices and 9,000 water bills quarterly, generating nearly $80 million in revenue.
The Challenge
The council was seeking a solution beyond traditional printing methods to modernise its rate notice distribution process. They aimed to improve efficiency, reduce time spent on managing lost notices, and decrease the number of emails going to spam.
The Solution
interAction stepped in with a technology-driven approach to modernise the council’s billing process. The solution included:
- A redesigned, more professional-looking rates notice.
- A simplified distribution process requiring only one file.
- A portal for council staff to easily retrieve lost notices and other billing information, with future plans for self-service options for ratepayers.
The Outcome
The council experienced immediate efficiencies. While the cost savings were not significant initially, the potential for future savings and efficiencies was clear. The council was able to continue sending a single file of information, which interAction efficiently split into email and print files. This process eliminated the issue of emails going to spam for ratepayers who opted to receive bills via email.
The introduction of the portal allowed council staff to quickly retrieve lost notices, saving time and improving service. The success of the project has led to plans for a second stage of the digital service rollout, which will allow ratepayers to access their information directly, leading to further savings for the council and improved service for ratepayers.
Client Testimonial
Council Officer Nicole Poe praised interAction’s expertise and approachability.
Nicole Poe
Council Officer, Kemspey Shire Council
Previously we had to change some programming but with interAction they do the hard work to suit us. When you request something they will have a go. Nothing is too hard for interAction,” she said.
Nicole also appreciated the understanding and patience of interAction’s staff, who made complex technology concepts easy to understand.
The success of the project has led to an ongoing partnership, with the council now working with interAction on the introduction of a single rates and water bill from mid-2015.
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