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Projex Unlimited helps a small local body get the best from information management software

With just 8000 ratepayers the Banks Peninsula District Council is one of the smaller local bodies in New Zealand. Yet, as acting chief executive officer Sue Davidson says, staff deal with the same vast range of issues as local bodies everywhere - everything from sewerage to wasps' nests. For such a small council an efficient information management system was very important. "We have just 50 employees. If you lose one, and all the knowledge that's in that person's head, it can leave a large gap that also impacts on other staff's ability to do their job."
In 2002 the council decided on the KnowledgeBase information management system software and contracted Projex Unlimited principal Suzie Patrick to implement it..
"Suzie came recommended. We weren't disappointed," Sue said. In two months Suzie helped staff get the information out of their heads into the system in a consistent accessible form, held staff workshops to map out frequently asked questions, showed them how to use the system and liaised with the software's supplier, Hindin Communications, to tailor it to the council's needs.

Suzie's passion for customer service shone through. "She was able to talk to staff at all levels convincing them that ratepayers would benefit, and that they would benefit too. Her indepth experience with this software and her work with other councils was valuable because she could show us what could be achieved and how."

Installing KnowledgeBase was basically an exercise in serving ratepayers better and although there had been little overt feedback from the public there had been a drop-off in complaints. Suzie's predictions about the benefits to staff had been amply borne out. "It has improved their morale incredibly. Even a temp can now access information quickly and reliably. It's relieved a lot of stress," Sue said

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