A boutique business process outsourcer (BPO) servicing over 800 clients from 4 UK & 2 overseas (India/South Africa) locations, typically operating on clients own systems which are not always cloud based. Work From Home was part of the future operating model but not yet leveraged.
Due to COVID19 there was a need to rapidly get colleagues working from home (WFH) to ensure continuity of 24-7 services. Fast, accelerated project delivery was needed to reduce potential health risks to colleagues whilst maintaining the same level of support for clients.
Challenge
- Solution, build, test and deploy a new secure home working solution for colleagues identified to work from home (this was on the plan for the next 6 months, so had to be brought forward).
- Managing various stakeholders remotely including 3rd parties, on a business critical project, mitigate new potential health & safety risks associated with testing and deployment through effective Risk and Issue management.
Solution
- An agile, fast paced, decisive project delivered with SME’s from each function with clear work streams, go / no go decision points and operational readiness.
- Iterative build & test process to get: a viable product at pace; colleague validation & verification process completed; to inform wave planning of potential home workers across all channels and shift patterns (24-7).
- Wave deployment process set and management of which included: PC Asset Build, Workforce Management, Logistics, Training, Communications (colleague & clients), HR Policy/Agreement & Post Activation Support.
Outcome
- Kick Off, Design the Solution, Build & Test - core platform (Apps), processes, training and ways of working in a week.
- Successfully deployed secure WFH agents & back office colleagues in waves over 5 weeks, via their own device or Woven supplied devices.
- Developed supporting frameworks & tools (processes, training, communication) to ensure sustainable efficient & effective ways of working.
“This required design, test and set up all to be running concurrently, whilst dealing with the constant changes in government guidelines. Quick thinking, pace, decisiveness, collaboration, as well as providing re-assurance to a lot of anxious stakeholders, Custerian provided great project management of this alongside our internal SME’s!” Nicola Collister, COO, Woven Solutions Group
