The challenge
Streamlining operations to increase efficiency and enhance capacity
East Midlands Money Advice (EMMA), a charitable network led by the Community Advice and Law Service, helps individuals take control of their financial situation by finding sustainable solutions for a debt-free future. Over the past three years, they have assisted 43,000 people across the East Midlands. However, their entire operations were held back by inefficient processes.
Advisors had to manually extract relevant advice from a cumbersome 70+ page master document during client consultations. This outdated system resulted in advisors spending excessive time on administrative tasks, typically handling only one client per day. After each meeting, advisors had to manually compile case notes and letters, a slow and tedious process. Furthermore, the lengthy letters sent to clients, often extending to 10 pages, were overwhelming.
Realising a significant overhaul was necessary, EMMA sought grant funding for a digital transformation to streamline their operations, increase efficiency, and enhance their capacity to help more people with debt advice. They also aimed to modernise their marketing site. This marked the beginning of a promising partnership with our team.
SME
Industry£80k -£100k
Website emma.uk.net/
The solution
The product ecosystem: a blend of modern technologies
The project’s scope necessitated rigorous product planning, resulting in three key deliverables that formed a complete digital product ecosystem:
• The Case Recording Tool
• The Staff Area
• The Marketing Website
Each component was designed to seamlessly work together, from a client’s initial contact through to the debt advisor providing necessary assistance with minimal effort. Each area was developed with manageability in mind, allowing the EMMA team to make updates based on their permission levels.
The case recording tool: revolutionising client consultations
The primary aim of this tool was to generate a letter automatically during a live consultation with a client, ready to be sent immediately after the meeting. A detailed and granular information architecture was created to support all potential case scenarios, including issues like bailiffs, unpaid council tax, or child support arrears.
This tool, an app built with Nuxt.js and interfacing with the WordPress API, offered guided questions for advisors. It automatically compiled the letter by the end of the session, with options for advisors to make manual adjustments tailored to individual circumstances, dramatically reducing the turnaround time from days to minutes.
The staff hub: streamlining advisor operations
Designed like a comprehensive portal or intranet, the staff area included a dashboard with links to frequently used services, creating a central hub for EMMA advisors and administrative staff. Integrated with Microsoft Entra for single sign-on and equipped with a 2FA system, this area also featured a unified document sharing space to enhance collaboration among colleagues.
The marketing website: a modern, user-friendly experience
The updated marketing website features a clean and modern UX & UI, supported by WordPress for ease of updates and content management. A special interactive map displays service locations and related organisations, enhancing user navigation. Dual navigation bars provide easy access to essential information and critical pages for those seeking advice.
The results
An infrastructure to support the entire East Midlands, everyday
The digital transformation has equipped EMMA with the infrastructure to support the entire East Midlands, offering swift and effective services for advice organisations at scale. This modernisation has revitalised outdated processes and catapulted the entire organisation into the modern era. We continue to be on hand to gather feedback and iterate on the product ecosystem as needed.
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