£849,647 collected

following automated campaigns

37,000 automated calls

enhancing early-stage engagement

£7,474 saved

in postage costs in the first 12 months

Background

Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council aimed to transform its Council Tax collections process by improving early resident engagement, streamlining communications, and reducing unnecessary administrative workload. Facing challenges around resident anxiety, inefficient manual processes, and rising costs associated with traditional communications methods, the team at Tameside turned to Voicescape’s automated Collections solution.

Christopher Stuart, Tameside Council Head of Exchequer, initially responsible for implementing Voicescape, explained,

“We were looking for ways to improve communication, get messages out quicker, and adopt a softer approach to debt collection. Voicescape was an ideal fit.”

Implementation and onboarding

Tameside Council implemented Voicescape in early February 2024, with the solution fully operational by April. Voicescape's onboarding process involved dedicated training sessions and technical support, enabling Tameside’s teams to quickly adapt.

Christopher Stuart highlighted:

“The onboarding was straightforward. The Voicescape portal is extremely easy to use. Their training sessions were brilliant and allowed our staff to confidently use the system almost immediately.”

Steve Deakin, Operations Manager, said:

“We’ve made around 37,000 automated calls through Voicescape this year alone. The system integrated seamlessly with our existing processes.”

How Collections works 

Voicescape Collections is an automated engagement solution designed to enhance collection rates, reduce postage costs and prevent future escalations for Revenues and Benefits teams. By automating routine, resource-intensive tasks, it enables local authorities to communicate with residents at the earliest opportunity, fostering efficient and compassionate debt recovery. The technology allows teams to focus on higher-quality, proactive conversations, building trust within the community and reducing the strain on staff. Voicescape Collections can be tailored to various stages of arrears recovery mandated by legislation ensuring targeted and effective engagement that provides residents with opportunities to settle their debts before more severe and costly enforcement actions are taken.

Targeted Campaigns Deliver Results

Using Voicescape, Tameside executed targeted campaigns including pre-final notice, pre-summons, historic debt, and failed direct debit campaigns. The team strategically automated specific messages, balancing technology with human intervention for maximum effectiveness.

Christopher Stuart noted:

“Our pre-summons campaigns have delivered particularly strong results. Residents appreciate receiving alerts before costs escalate, which has significantly increased their engagement.”

Steven Deakin emphasised:

“Voicescape’s targeted approach means we can send messages quickly and with a softer tone, rather than just sending formal notices. This proactive engagement helps us address residents’ concerns effectively, ultimately boosting our collection rates.”

Outstanding Outcomes and Efficiency

Over a ten-month period using Voicescape, Tameside Council achieved impressive financial and operational results:

• £849,647 collected following automated campaigns.
• 9,966 documents prevented, resulting in substantial savings on printing
•  £7,474.00 saving in postage costs in the first 12 months, reducing the carbon footprint.
• Approximately 37,000 proactive automated calls enhanced early-stage resident engagement.
• Resident interactions increased significantly, demonstrating improved resident responsiveness.

Christopher Stuart commented:

“Preventing nearly 10,000 documents from being sent isn’t just about cost savings - it's about giving staff more time to spend on meaningful conversations with residents.”

Steven Deakin added:

“Residents have reacted positively. We’ve seen a clear reduction in anxiety because customers now receive earlier, proactive support rather than formal notices.”

Strategically Forecasting Campaigns

With Voicescape, Tameside Council can strategically forecast and control their communication campaigns, knowing precisely when residents will receive messages. The solution gives the team complete flexibility, allowing them to activate or pause campaigns according to their needs. This level of control has significantly improved service delivery and enhanced the customer experience, reducing queue times and ensuring every resident receives timely, high-quality conversations with council staff.

Christopher Stuart described the shift in resource allocation:

“By automating routine contacts, our teams now spend more quality time with residents, enhancing the overall service experience.”

What Tameside Council Staff say about Voicescape

Staff members at Tameside Council have observed first-hand the positive impacts Voicescape has had on customer engagement and satisfaction:

“I've spoken to a number of residents who said the new approach to communication is excellent - they're impressed we're now sending texts and making calls instead of relying solely on letters, which often arrive late or get lost.”

“One resident mentioned she had been anxious about contacting us first and kept putting it off. She was genuinely relieved and grateful that we proactively reached out to her.”

“One relieved resident thanked us for the reminder call, explaining that due to memory loss after a stroke, she often forgets to pay her Council Tax. The call provided the gentle prompt she needed.”

Future Expansion and Innovation

Building on their success, Tameside is now expanding Voicescape into new areas, including business rates and sundry debts, leveraging email campaigns for even more targeted communication.

Steven Deakin summarised:

“We’re confident in expanding our use of Voicescape. Using email for business rates will allow us to reach the right people more effectively, improving efficiency and results.”

Christopher Stuart concluded:

“Voicescape aligns perfectly with our digital agenda. It continues to enhance our collection processes, resident satisfaction, and overall operational efficiency.”