Comms revamp enables NSPCC to help more children in need

Alcatel Lucent system lets kids reach the charity via email, text messaging, web chat and the phone

Improved comms helps NSPCC help more children and young adults in need

UK charity the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) today revealed how a new communications system from Alcatel Lucent has enabled it to offer help to a greater number of vulnerable children than was possible in the past.

The NSPCC said it can now reach vulnerable kids through email, text messaging and web chat – as well as over the phone – and consequently has seen the volume of cases it handles increase by 24 per cent.

Since the system was implemented 10 months ago, the NSPCC has handled some 50,000 web interactions alone.

The NSPCC chose Alcatel Lucent's Genesys contact information management platform to form the bedrock of its Helplines Development Programme, which is designed to give children a choice of channels for contacting the charity.

“Genesys provided the reach and the flexibility we needed for our expansive new system, and contact centre consultancy ProtoCall One helped us fine-tune the technology to best fit our unique requirements,” said NSPCC CIO Phil Reed.

The NSPCC also invested in new online tools including an integrated chat function that enables web site users to chat with a counsellor directly.

Because certain children find it easier to express themselves by writing or drawing, rather than talking, the NSPCC also installed interactive white boards on its web site.

Reed said that adding new functions has enabled more children, young people, and adults to talk to the charity in a way that suits them.

"Between May 2009 and March 2010, there were 40,500 one-to-one chats between children and counsellors, and we have answered over 14,000 Personal Inbox messages. Personal Inbox is an email service allowing users their own private area on our web site," added Reed.