Contact Centre, CRM, and AI & Automation.

Dear Philip

I am writing to acknowledge receipt of your request for information under
the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Your request is receiving our attention and you will hear from us again
within 20 working days at the latest.

Yours sincerely

Freya Austin

Freya Austin | Information Rights Assistant,

Information Rights, University Secretary’s Office

The Open University, Level 5, Charles Pinfold Building, Walton Hall,
Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA
Email: [1][Open University request email]  

[2]rule.png

[3]Freedom of Information Publication Scheme

show quoted sections

Dear Philip,

Thank you for your request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
dated 16^th January 2023 relating to contact centres.

Information Provided

I can confirm that the Open University holds the information which
constitutes information falling within the scope of your request. Please
see the response to your request highlighted below in blue:

 1. Contact Centre – target to organisations we know have a CC

a. Do you have a customer/ citizen facing contact centre? If not please
skip these questions.

We do not operate as a contact centre however we have Advisers working
within our People Hub, Resource Hub and Academic Services who perform a
role that would be typical of a Contact Centre and therefore we have
provided a response in relation to the questions below.

b. Do you employ and manage your own agents, or do you outsource to a
third party? If you outsource who to?

We have our own staff who work as Advisers however we do employ some
through employment agencies. We do not have a contract with a third party
for this service.

c. How many contact centre agents do you have?

We have 597 staff that perform an Adviser role that would be typical of a
Contact Centre.

d. Do agents work from home? Or just your offices?

Currently staff are employed on a hybrid working model with a mixture of
home working and office based time dependent on business needs.

e. Please confirm the manufacturer of your contact centre system(s) that
are currently in place?

Alvaria

f. When is your contract renewal date?

30^th June 2025

g. Who maintains your contact centre system(s)?

It is a cloud service which is supported internally.

 2. CRM

a. Do you use a CRM in the contact centre? What platform is used?

N/A

b. Do you use the same CRM for the rest of the organisation? What platform
is used?

Siebel

c. Do you use a knowledge base / knowledge management platform? What
platform is used?

Yes, KMS on Oracle.

 3. AI & Automation

a. Does your organisation have a customer or citizen facing chatbot? If
so, who provides this chatbot technology?

Yes, provided by Comm100.

b. Does your organisation utilise RPA technology? If so which RPA
technology provider do you use?

Yes, Uipath and Microsoft Power Apps are used.

Review

If you have any concerns about the way the University has observed the
provisions of the Freedom of Information Act you may apply for your
request to be reviewed.  Freedom of Information Reviews are considered by
the University Secretary or his delegate.  Your request must be submitted
within 40 working days of receipt of this letter/email. Reviews should be
addressed to the above [1]inbox, entitled “FOIA Review”, and should set
out the reasons for the review.   You will have a further right of appeal
to the [2]Information Commissioner’s Office.

Kind regards

[3]The Open University logo

Danielle Pyper (she/her), Information Rights Co-Ordinator
Information Rights Team, University Secretary’s Office

[4]+44 (0)1908 332825
[email address]
[5]open.ac.uk
The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, MK7 6AA

References

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5. The Open University website
http://www.open.ac.uk/