APD helps forces improve productivity

APD Communications, a global leader in mobile information, resource location/tracking and control room solutions, has announced significant enhancements to its Aspire CRM system. Following the Home Secretary’s recent announcements making police forces subject to local accountability, customer relationship management tools (CRM) will be playing a major role in achieving this aim, not only in making forces more accessible to the public, but also helping increase productivity and public satisfaction.

Aspire CRM is a powerful, feature-rich CRM system which provides forces with access to critical data from a comprehensive range of traditional and new communication channels, including phone, email, fax, SMS, MMS, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube at a touch of a button.

The system also supplies forces with a citizen-focused approach allowing members of the public to receive a high level of service and targeted policing to be deployed when required. Forces can access historical data providing an accurate demographic view of the needs of its citizens, allowing effective targeted policing to be deployed. Using this approach, repeat callers can be effectively managed and vulnerable callers quickly given the support they require by the appropriate organisation.

Aspire CRM delivers complex information to operators at the touch of a button, driving improvements in staff productivity and data accuracy. All interactions are made via Internet Explorer web-based browsers, simplifying navigation and minimising training costs – ensuring a quick ROI. The ability to process and access information from the very latest communication channels, such as SMS 999 requests and social media tools like Twitter, ensures operators and frontline officers alike have access to the latest information.

“Dealing with large volumes of calls from the public can put a strain on any organisation – police forces are no different. Force call centre staff not only have to process a large number of calls from the public, but also provide them with the latest information on their cases. To do this effectively, staff need access to information from a range of communication channels at a touch of a button.

Aspire CRM is the perfect system for the modern-day police call centre,” said Steve Denison, managing director at APD. “The new enhancements to the Aspire platform have been developed through our user group forums and working alongside police forces ensuring the product meets the needs of the modern police force.”

Traditionally it has been difficult for forces to accurately measure demand across front-facing teams. The new functionality offered by Aspire CRM changes this – knowledge management and staff forecasting within the system effectively capture data, allowing forces to provision the appropriate support for tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, ensuring resources are accurately matched against the current demand. As well as managing personnel, Aspire CRM also enables forces to improve the efficiency of the overall communication process ensuring a greater number of calls are actioned each day. A range of productivity tools within the system, such as screen popping, save staff valuable time, allowing key information to be sourced instantly and shared faster with appropriate organisations.

“Management and reporting functionality within the system will provide forces with business performance metrics combined with specialised reporting tools allowing forces to dramatically improving the service they provide the public and officers on the front line. The modular nature of the system enables forces to implement an entry level solution at a low cost point and then add further functionality as required – making it a perfect solution to meet new budget reductions implemented by the new British government,” concluded Mr Denison.  

In order to meet the needs of local communities, it is essential that information is kept up to date and a complete record of inbound and ou