Better Deal for Business Presentation to LSC West Yorkshire Skills Team Pat Lister Better Deal for Business Officer at Yorkshire Forward

Agenda Who is involved in Better Deal for Business (BD4B)? What is BD4B? Key delivery principles of BD4B Role of Business Link in business support Customer journeys and IDB model Benefits - customers, partners & region What has happened so far? What do you need to do? Focus on NETP Taking BD4B forward

Who is involved in BD4B? Created in partnership by: –Yorkshire Forward –Business Links –Learning and Skills Councils (LSCs) –Supported by GO-YH and SBS To encompass all organisations involved in business and skills support: –Other funding or commissioning bodies –Representative Groups –Public Sector Business/Skills Support Suppliers –Private Sector Business/Skills Support Suppliers

Better Deal for Business Aim To ensure that publicly funded business & skills support services in the region are coherent and will help to achieve economic success

What is BD4B? A vision for the business & skills support networks to: Become more customer focussed Make best use of resources Be driven by the needs of the customer Ensure that business support is accessible Ensure that business support helps to achieve economic success for the region

Key Features Strong “Front of House” No “Wrong Door” Giving the customer what they need, when they need it Ensure businesses receive best advice Clarity of roles of different agencies Quality assurance of Suppliers and their staff –Ensure support is of a consistent high quality –Appropriate accreditation

Better Deal for Business Key delivery principles Customers are able to choose which business support provider they wish to work with Business Link Operators will be the primary access point for business support services All providers will operate in the best interests of customers at all times Customers are able to access appropriate impartial services from any part of the network

Role of Business Link Business Link operations refocused Information Diagnostic Brokerage Entirely impartial Do not compete with Service Providers

Customer Journey - IDB Client Contact Business Link Support Provider Diagnosis Deliver Provide Information Diagnosis Specialist Diagnosis Action Plan Broker Deliver Support Provider I B D

Benefits – The Client Simplifies access to services Quality services ‘Joined-up’ solutions and packages Needs met in full Improved customer care Impartiality Consistency Confidence in services provided

Benefits – Partners Improved image through joined up approach Increased referrals → Increased business Reduced costs –Project management –Delivery infrastructure –Marketing & promotion –Enables money to be used for the benefit of the client.

Benefits – Improved image through joined up approach Increased referrals → Increased business Reduced costs Reduced risk Improved market intelligence –Knowledge of client needs –Knowledge of services provided by other organisations –Feedback on quality of services

Benefits – Improved image through joined up approach Increased referrals → Increased business Reduced costs Reduced risk Improved market intelligence Joint planning: –Effective use of public funds –Identify gaps in provision –Avoids duplication –Avoids conflict

Benefits – The Region Stronger businesses Improved economic performance Improvement in skills Improved value for money Excellence in delivery and quality of service Consistency

BD4B -What Has Happened So Far? Definition Communication BD4B Extranet ( Demonstrator projects Champions identified Measuring progress Contracting Organisational and sub regional plans

BD4B-What Has Happened So Far? Regional and Enhanced Gateway pilots Client Data Sharing System Knowledge Bank FE network capacity development Customer First

BD4B- Ongoing activities Revision of the Standards for Business Support as a Profession ( Business Link University & SFEDI) NETP Briefing and Tenders - contracts to be awarded by March 2006 Development of Quality Mark for Colleges and providers Business Support Review - to be completed by June 2006

Better Deal for Business So what do LSC’s need to do? Coordinate marketing Strengthen front of house Integrate Skills development and business support Increase integration of in-depth specialist support Clarify Roles and increase understanding across the business support network Assure quality

What Do You Need To Do? Use Business Link to supply IDB elements Coordinate with other partners Ensure service delivery can be brokered Ensure Business Link understands service offered Ensure suppliers refer clients to Business Link Ensure providers adopt minimum service standards ( Customer First and SFEDI) Share customer/market intelligence Share best practice in service delivery

So Really… What is BD4B? Putting customers at the heart of how we operate Common sense Making a difference Customer satisfaction The way that we should be working

LSC – the Opportunity to Take BD4B forward NETP (Train to Gain) ‘A new way of working with employers which offers them access to a full range of solutions to their skill needs through an independent and impartial brokerage system’

NETP - What is it ? It is a service rather than a programme It is a way of working with employers designed to put their business and skills development needs first It will require funders to adopt the BD4B principles It will require learning providers to review their provision and current methods of delivery

NETP The NETP core service offer will provide: An independent and impartial brokerage service through skills brokerages managed by the LSC and linked to the IDB services delivered through the RDA to identify training needs linked to business needs at any level An overall training solution which identifies clearly those elements which attract LSC funding and those which the employer will have to pay for

Key requirements of the Skills Brokerage service Easy to access and available to large numbers of employers Fully integrated with the services available through the Business Link brand- but with ‘no wrong door’ Must offer impartial advice based on the needs of the employer Backed up by clear quality assurance arrangements Offered in a cost effective way

NEXT STEPS?

Taking BD4B Forward Consider how you and your team can take BD4B forward on a practical level Planning & design Partner consultation Commissioning Tendering Contracting Outputs/ outcomes/ KPI’s Negotiation Monitoring & review Evaluation Diagnostic methodology Sharing client information Data Collection Referral protocols Existing Contracts Sharing Best Practice Common Language Partner communication Marketing/Promotion Branding

What Do You Need To Do Now? You need to: Own Better Deal for Business Make it the way you work Ensure your suppliers understand and implement the framework Make it happen…

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