Transition Support and Critical Friendship

Getting the best out of existing teams and contractors, driving through service improvements and conducting traditional management responsibilities – the typical responsibilities of a revs or bens manager. It is difficult enough to get the balance right between competing priorities, when your service is running smoothly, add in a large transition programme, and it becomes very difficult to know what to prioritise.

ValueAdding's transition support package is tailored to local requirements. Shaped by our experience in a range of complex transitions including managing the transition of one of the largest in-sources in revenues and benefits history, we have the knowledge and experience to help. Requirements differ, but a standard package would involve input into shaping and reviewing programme plans, and overseeing these, ensuring that delivery does not damage day to day operations. This approach exceeds technical programme management, this is a very practical approach providing input where required linking strategy to day to day operations. Attending board meetings and reviewing plans, highlighting risks and issues and developing performance metrics to monitor progress are all elements that would commonly fall under our transition approach.

"Do we do it ourselves, or do we get others to do it for us?" The current financial situation has ensured that recent conversations about performance, lead almost inevitably to conversations about contracts. "How do we get the best out of current providers""How do we spec a contract that will deliver what we want", increasingly questions have approached the issue of how contracts can be broken and services brought back in house. Research conducted by Unison and APSE "found 60% of council officers felt the need to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs had led them to consider taking services back in-house. The need to improve service quality was a factor for 44% of respondents." In source/out source questions are not decisions that should be taken lightly given the expense and complexity involved. Our experience in the strategic management of contractors and the identification of key service level measures enable us to offer clients some external challenge, and reassurance which they appreciate. It also offers the chance to review options, and identify 'improvement potential' in advance of any strategic decisions being made.