GO Best Customer Engagement Initiative of the Year Award

The public procurement landscape is constantly evolving, and this new Award for 2012/13 recognises themes that are increasing in prominence: commissioning and localism.

The GO Best Customer Engagement Initiative of the Year Award is designed to recognise either a single procurement activity or a series of procurement initiatives that have demonstrated an unwavering focus on outcomes for the end-users of public services. The public’s expectations of government services have risen as they compare them with the services they buy from the private sector. Such comparisons will continue despite reductions in public spend, so highlighting the importance of a customer-centric approach.

This Award puts the customer first by recognising that a pound spent on delivering the right things is worth far more than a pound saved on delivering the wrong things. As a consequence, hard evidence of the benefits that have accrued and the tangible differences that the activity has made are essential in support of entries to this category.

Deadline for submissions: 27 January 2012

Timescale:

Initiative must have been active prior to January 2011

Open to:

Public or third sector organisations

Evidence keywords:

Customer engagement, consultation, outcomes-based procurement, localism, innovation, diversification, stakeholder involvement, measurable benefit

Awards:

One winner, one highly commended (if merited)

Entry Questions

1. Please describe the customer engagement initiative that your organisation has implemented (including how long it has been provided for and to which specific customers).
2. What issue or issues has the customer engagement initiative resolved?
3. What aspects of the customer engagement initiative have been particularly innovative, unique, creative or groundbreaking (while remaining within the bounds of current procurement legislation)?
4. What aspects of the customer engagement initiative have been the most challenging to overcome, and how has this been achieved?
5. How closely have customers been involved in or consulted on the engagement initiative?
6. What were the expected outcomes of the customer engagement initiative, and what success has been achieved to date? Please provide evidence of specific targets set, feedback received and performance or other measurable benefits achieved or expected.
7. Please provide any other information that you believe supports this entry.