Single source partnership.
Appointed as DWP’s furniture supply and associated services provider, Southernsbroadstock’s role incorporates wide ranging requirements – from a single chair to Cornwall or a multi-faceted office re-organisation.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is one of the UK’s largest public service departments operating out of more than 800 locations and with over 90,000 employees.
Primary responsibilities for any supplier must be to not only demonstrate ‘Best Value’ but also provide proactive support to DWP personnel, at all levels, allowing them to focus on their core business role delivering critical services to the nation.
What were the challenges?
One of the key challenges is the need to understand and accommodate the varying requirements and priorities across the DWP Estate. This can only be achieved through collaboration with the numerous inhouse teams as well
as external providers, such as architects, designers, and workplace professionals, to develop a cohesive and holistic approach.
As well as ‘business as usual’ orders, we also handle larger-scale transformational projects. This requires a structured discipline across all our activities with outcomes being monitored using exacting KPI metrics, such as
handling of requests, on-time deliveries, defects, and complaint management as well as contractual and sustainability criteria.
An important part of our role is to provide advice and updates on industry developments and ‘best practice’ within office workplace strategy as well as customer-facing environments. This requires us to actively disseminate current thinking, design ideas, working practices and new products to support the Department’s commitment to continuous improvement.
How did we overcome the challenges?
Regular contact with multiple stakeholders is fundamental. Structured meetings incorporate reporting mechanisms for the overall contract performance as well as individual projects. Resource management and contingency planning tools are also applied ensuring timely and effective dissemination of relevant information throughout the value chain.
Change management is particularly important within
DWP. We work to support the implementation of new initiatives whilst maintaining the continuation of day-to-day operations. Through a clear understanding of the ‘business as usual’ ways of working, our team can carry out project plans and achieve outcomes with minimal disruption.
Being a leading furniture specialist, we also work with many major organisations and utilise our knowledge and experiences within other markets to add further value to DWP.
What was the outcome?
We believe that our collaborative and process driven approach is fundamental to success. We aim to be an extension of the inhouse team and fit seamlessly into the Department’s structure. Our thorough understanding of the organisation and its operations allows us to work to DWP’s exacting standards.
We recognise the imperative need to accommodate the differentrequirements of the various stakeholders whilst working to the time, budget, and specification criteria.
Testimonial.
“We recognise the imperative need to accommodate the many different requirements and priorities whilst working to the time, budget, and specification criteria. Our highly experienced and dedicated account management team provides a main point of contact and is supported by a contingent of experts specialising in different disciplines to deliver ‘best in class’ performance and service.”
Robert Moore –
Head of Public Sector Accounts at Southernsbroadstock.
