Managing demand through behaviour change has become a major principle of Colchester Borough Council's approach to transformation. The council has recognised that to change customers' behaviour the organisation must first develop new behaviours itself. This case study forms part of our demand management, Council tax and benefits, resource.
For example the council conducted Randomised Control Trials to test the effectiveness of text messaging for influencing behaviour. When text messages were sent to 277 people owing council tax, the average amount paid per head was almost £10 more than the control group, at £50.73. Two-thirds of the group receiving a text message made a payment, 11 per cent return of 150 times the cost of the texts).
See also Colchester's work on letter writing
Adrian Pritchard, Chief Executive at Colchester Borough Council
How Colchester has taken to embed demand management tools and techniques throughout the council to make it ‘business as usual'.
Mandy Jones, Customer demand and research manager, Colchester Borough Council
Mandy Jones talks about Colchester's approach to demand management.