Data sharing improves agency care

The new Yorkshire Forward database goes live in April 2008

Regional Development Agency (RDA) Yorkshire Forward is introducing a single database to simplify its support provided to small businesses through government agency Business Link.

The system will integrate data from all regional Business Link agencies to allow information sharing across the region by government agencies and small and medium-sized businesses.

Justin Leckie, Business Link transition project manager, says the knowledge database will serve Business Link users, the Learning and Skills Council and other organisations delivering specific programmes of support.

‘A common system means an adviser from one office can see if a business has had a call or a visit from another and access a complete history,’ said Leckie.

The regional knowledge system will include a customer relationship management (CRM) system incorporating a supplier database, an e-marketing system and reporting and analysis tools.

The CRM system will make it easier to appoint good suppliers.

‘It also means marketing can focus on specific sectors,’ he said.

The database will be consolidated from four systems and is due to go live in April 2008.

‘Moving to a single system will clearly create efficiency savings though there is an investment to set up and run the new system,’ said Leckie.

Bloor Research analyst Philip Howard said: ‘Tying up customers with potential suppliers across different systems is always difficult without employing special integration software which is very complex.’