Contact&Connect - FAQs
HOW CONTACT&CONNECT WORKS
How does the platform know what to ask people?
We work with you to co-design the ‘script’, which is essentially the call introduction, the questions you want to ask service users and any resulting ‘outros’ or additional information. Questions are underpinned by conditional logic, so should a person answer ‘No’ to a question, they would jump on to the next relevant question, rather than just going through all questions in a linear fashion. One of the nice capabilities of the system, is that we can send web links to people based on answers to questions. For instance if someone doesn’t have access to good Info & Advice, we can automate the sending of a link to your ASC Info & Advice pages.
How do I generate the calls?
Calls are generated by uploading a spreadsheet of the service users who should receive the call that day. There is an ‘upload window’ for this to happen, the calls are then generated by the platform and go out to all the listed service users.
How are the calls scheduled?
Partners have the choice of a one off call or building in ‘scheduling’, so that the calls continue to go out to service users on a regular basis – e.g. every three months. We can also schedule a call to go 50 weeks after the first call, for instance. The scheduling is discussed during the scripting phase and embedded into the system configuration.
What time do the calls go out?
Calls can go out to service users whenever you think would be most appropriate for them. Typically calls go out around 10am, once service users are awake and up. We can also confirm with you what day they go out on, to ensure there is resource internally to pick any issues up.
What happens after the first call goes out?
The call scheduling is discussed with each partner and again embedded into the system configuration, it’s all bespoke and very flexible. For instance, if the first call goes out to service users on a Tuesday at 10am, we can leave a voicemail should they not answer, schedule an SMS to go through 30 minutes later and then a follow up call maybe five hours later. It is these multiple attempts to get hold of people that not only validate that the calls are real, but gives people the best chance of answering.
Are we restricted to the number of questions we can ask?
Typically call scripts are between 6-8 questions – the most we ever build is 14 questions, as people do not want to be on the phone for too long.
Is there a preset of questions for the script or can we have our own?
We have a range of scripts that have been co-designed with councils which can be reused and tweaked to be specific for your services, or we can start from scratch. It mostly depends on what you want the calls to do in terms of collecting ASC feedback.
Is there a limit to service users that can receive a call at any one time?
No.
How are the calls personalised?
We are able to bring in the name of the person (or their advocate) and the name of the council/organisation and the service within the first 10 or so words. For instance, a call might start with “Hello, this is a call for Anne Smith from Example Council, we are calling to ask you a few short questions about your recent care and support assessment….”
How does the SMS work in relation to the calls?
An SMS can be scheduled into the process (typically we suggest Call 1 > Voicemail > SMS > Call 2 approach to drive up response rates). The SMS has particular value as it includes a link to a webform, and a) remains on the phone for completion at a later time and b) can be used when a service user is with family or friends to support them.
Can you send calls to landlines and mobiles?
Yes, calls can go to both landlines or mobiles. We work as a ‘mobile first’ service, as that way we can deliver SMSs’, and people often have their mobile to hand. We can also report response rates split by landline/mobile – mobiles typically get a higher response rate than landlines.
What happens if the number is wrong or out of date?
The system generates a report of all numbers that are incomplete, incorrect, disconnected or out of date. This is available in the dashboard for partners to access and improve their data hygiene.
DATA & INFORMATION GOVERNANCE
What about IG/GDPR?
We only need the minimum data set required to generate the calls, in line with GDPR. Typically this includes: first name, surname, a unique ID (e.g. Mosaic number), telephone number 1 and a back up telephone number if there is one available, plus advocate names and telephone numbers where appropriate. Some partners add in additional non-identifiable fields (e.g. equipment type) to support improved reporting. We can also add in data flags to improve support for people with hearing impairments (in this case they just get an SMS) or who have different language requirements. The IG is fully covered in the Contact&Connect terms and conditions, and we have additional information on processing, data handling, deletion protocols etc available on GC13 and on request.
Are there any data sharing issues?
No, we have a comprehensive model which outlines the data sharing approach, as well as organisational roles and responsibilities.
Where is the data stored?
Data is stored in Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud-based infrastructure. All data instances are exclusively held within UK Availability Zones.
How do we know what format the data needs to be in?
We only need the minimum data set required to generate the calls, in line with GDPR . Typically this includes: first name, surname, a unique ID (e.g. Mosaic number), telephone number 1 and a back up telephone number if there is one available, plus advocate names and telephone numbers where appropriate. We work on a standardised data template with you as part of the scripting and configuration phase – once agreed the data template remains the same throughout the lifespan of service, so it is easy to build reports internally.
Is uploading the data time consuming and resource intensive?
No, it’s really quick and easy. Council partners generate their service user report automatically each week (based on the agreed data template) and upload it into the C&C dashboard (in the ‘upload window’). All of which – once set up – is only a few minutes.
How often do we need to upload the data?
Typically partners upload data on a weekly basis, but this depends on the service they are delivering and the frequency of the calls – this is all confirmed in the co-design phase.
How is the data uploaded and in what format?
Data is uploaded via the Contact&Connect dashboard in an excel spreadsheet.
Is the data uploaded manually or is it automatic?
In most cases councils choose to upload the data manually, but we can set up a secure SFTP to manage it automatically should you prefer.
What if the data is out of date?
If the data is incorrect or telephone numbers are out of date, those service user details will be logged in a report (within the dashboard), for colleagues to pick up and address.
What do you do when someone has passed away?
Service user details can be uploaded into the system at any time to remove them from all future calls. This is again simple to do and is covered in the system training.
DASHBOARDS & REPORTING
How do we access the call response data?
All the call response data is held within your Contact&Connect dashboard, for which you will have secure access.
What data do we see?
You will see all the data in relation to the calls; what time the call went out, to what number the call was sent, whether the service user answered the call, answers to the individual questions and if an SMS was sent off the back of the call (for instance sharing a website link or additional information).
How do you drill down into responses and gain that qualitative feedback?
Specific reports are automatically generated and available in the dashboard (these are agreed within the co-design phase), but there is also a search capability for partners to interrogate the data based on their own parameters (including – but not limited to – timeframes, specific answers, people who cite multiple issues etc).
Can I generate reports from the dashboards?
Yes, reports can be generated within the dashboards and we also offer an Insight Report, where we generate regular reports (e.g: monthly, quarterly) based on your criteria.
How does it link with case management systems?
Contact&Connect does not directly connect with your back end systems (although technically it is possible, there is yet to be a business case for doing so), however all data can be exported via CSV files directly from the dashboards.
Can we have several scripts?
Yes, you can have a range of scripts. One of our partners has 6 different scripts asking a different set of questions to people in receipt of different ASC services. Once logged into the dashboard, each of the services is listed separately and the response data is logged separately.
What if we are working with other providers – can they access this system?
Yes, you determine who has access to the call response data, and there is no limit to the number of people you can give access to.
What response rate can we expect?
Typically we get somewhere between 40-60% response rates, we also work with you around marketing the calls so that the service gets the best rates it can.
USER EXPERIENCE
How does the recipient know that it’s not a scam call?
A lot of work has gone into differentiating the calls from scam calls, key elements we work on include the personalisation of the calls, working with key colleagues to promote the calls and marketing the service to service users. Critically, with marketing materials, we are able to confirm what number the call will come from, when the call will take place, what the service user will be asked – all of which can be added to leaflets, letters and so on, to help service users and their advocates understand that the calls are genuine.
How do the elderly feel about automated calls and what if they are wary about answering them?
Over 100,000 calls have gone out to people in receipt of ASC services and only 2 people have asked to be unsubscribed. Response rates (c50%) suggest people are happy to respond to the calls on their phone, it is easy to do so and in that they do not need an internet connection or digital literacy to engage with the service, it is highly accessible to people of all ages (98% of all UK adults have a phone).
How much time does a person get to answer the question?
Answers are given by pushing numbers on the telephone keypad, service users are given 5 seconds to answer, then the question is repeated. They can also ask for the question to be repeated should they not have understood it.
What happens if all the calls are unanswered?
If the service user does not engage with any other calls, the SMS or voicemail, they are reported as a non-responder.
How do you accommodate people where English isn’t their first language?
If there is a business case to do so we can build a service in any language. To date, we have built Bengali, Arabic and Somali services. As long as your data can identify the preferred language, the system will send the appropriate script. Alternatively, we can send the call to an advocate to answer on the service user’s behalf.
What about people who are hard of hearing or visually impaired – how do you contact them?
If someone has hearing impairments and your data can identify that, the system will only send them an SMS. Should the service user have visual impairments – and again your data can identify that – we can remove the SMS from the call cycle (although they may have a screen reader which they use to support text).
Can you contact carers or advocates?
We can address calls to advocates and carers should a service user not have capacity or not speak English. The call would go to the advocate’s number, would be addressed to them and the call would ask them to answer on behalf of the person they care for. (We also have a carers script to check in with carers about their own needs and support).
Can we run user testing?
Yes, as part of the build process there is a user acceptance stage. We create a testing script for each partner to ensure that every way a service user may flow through the call is correct. The calls are fully tested before going live.
PROCUREMENT & COSTS
How much does Contact&Connect cost?
Costs are based on the number of service users you want to send calls out to over the year and how many calls they are to receive. For instance it could be you have 3,000 service users who should receive 2 calls a year, for which we then calculate the cost.
Is there a set up fee?
The set up fee is absorbed into Year 1 costs, so from Year 2 onwards there is a 25% discount.
What if we need more calls?
Within the cost is a 10% ‘fair usage’ calls, as we know numbers may change in terms of ASC service users throughout the year. So if you have bought 3,000 calls, the service will allow you to generate 3,300 without additional cost. If you need more after that, we work out the pro rata cost and invoice that separately.
What if we don’t use all our calls?
We cannot carry calls over to future years, however every service has a 9 month review, where we look in detail at the calls you have used that year and work with you to estimate the calls you will need for the next year based on the current rate of calls/responses, and adjust the cost accordingly.
OTHER
What are the timescales for going live?
Typically we co-design the service with you first, we script all the questions and detail the call configuration. IG is all signed off and once the PO has landed, the build – and contract – starts. The build and testing phase then takes between 8-10 weeks.
How much resource is required from the team?
Once the decision has been made to deploy Contact&Connect, we need key staff for a co-design session which takes max 2 hours. The scripts and configuration documents are then built by us and signed off by you. The next time we need partner resource is to run the user acceptance testing (typically 6 hours over a week), then ongoing resource is required (based on the service the calls are supporting) to pick up with the people that identify issues or need further support based on the call response data.
Do we receive training on how to use it?
Yes, you will receive training on all elements of the Contact&Connect platform, from data templates, uploading data, understanding the dashboards and generating reports. We also have a range of training materials and a really friendly Implementation & Insight Manager, who is happy to jump on a call to support when you need it.
What if we need more training?
We’ll just set that up. It’s a pretty simple system, but we know people change and refresher sessions are always available on request.
Can it be used to schedule appointments?
One of the live services does not generate appointments directly, but it does ask the service user if they want a review or not. This then generates a list of people to follow up with in terms of booking in a time/date (as well as removing people that do not need/want a review), and we could also connect the service user to a call centre to arrange the appointment, if that was available.
What happens if the system goes down at any time?
Service levels and incident management processes are detailed in the supporting documentation. As soon as an issue is identified to us, we communicate with our partners to confirm the details and next steps. The C&C Implementation Manager will help address any issues that downtime might affect with each partner.
Is there a limit to the number of services we refer into (For instance Health Checking, MH services, Loneliness and Isolation, Hardship etc)?
There is no limit in terms of the number of services that could be referred into the calls, it’s more about whether the set of questions we script with you are relevant for everyone. Contact&Connect is all about generating calls en masse, to ask a standard set of questions and collate the responses for you. With every partner we discuss the call purpose, service user group and business process required in the decision making & scripting stages of the process.
Can you connect calls into our call centre?
Yes, we can automatically connect people into call centres should that be the right course of action. We do this on a number of our live services and in those cases the calls are consecutive, so as not to put undue demand on contact centre staff.
Can I speak to some of your existing council partners to understand how they are using it?
Yes, a number of our council partners are happy to talk to colleagues about how they use the Contact&Connect platform and the internal processes and benefits they have built around them. We also have a number of video recordings of councils speaking about their services available on request.
How is the product supported?
First and second line of support is all detailed in the contract. An Incident Management process is agreed and available on request. We have a dedicated C&C Account Manager and a C&C Implementation Manager who typically pick up any issues within 2 hours on working days and work on resolving them with the technical partner as swiftly as possible.
What is an Advocate call?
An advocate call is where we can send the call to a nominated person to answer on the service user’s behalf. This might be a family member or carer, we can also address the call to the advocate as long as you have the relevant data to support this.
