ADD2663 Customer Relationship Management for Economic Development – renewal of subscription for a further year

1.1.    The Economic Development team leads several engagements and programmes that aim to ensure London’s businesses thrive and contribute to the city’s economic and social wellbeing. Examples include:
•    business engagement activity by officers, the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor for Business
•    economic Fairness programmes such as the Good Work Standard.
1.2.    This requires the team to manage large volumes of data about businesses and key contacts. Previously, ADD2422 and ADD2524 authorised purchase of licences for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool for one and then two years, at a value of £25,000 annually. The second of these subscription terms is now coming to an end. It is therefore necessary to take a further decision to renew the subscription.
1.3.    The benefits of a CRM tool are that duplication of efforts from officers is minimised; and the ‘customer service’ offer to businesses better meets the standards that businesses and Londoners would expect. It also enables the team to track performance of activities and specific key performance indicators. 
1.4.    The funding comes from the 2023-24 Economic Development budget.
1.5.    The IT reseller framework will be used to procure the renewal.
 

2.1.    The single integrated system will continue to provide the team with an effective and efficient way of managing the unit’s business engagement, in comparison to previous tools (Excel spreadsheets and Access databases) by enabling the following:
•    consolidation of our data: better coordination and collaboration between sub-teams
•    quality assurance: monitoring and oversight of business engagement that takes place across teams
•    efficiency: more efficient ways of pulling together all correspondence and engagement relating to specific stakeholders; collating and managing mailing lists; and managing invite lists collaboratively and efficiently
•    insight: automated reports on business engagement and business support activities; and tracking outputs and outcomes over time.
2.2.    The Economic Development team contracted a consultant to revise the team’s needs and usage requirements in 2021.
2.3.    We regularly communicate with the Technology Group, and have shared our experience of adopting a Customer Relationship Management tool across City Hall. A corporate project is being initiated to look at CRM options. Should a corporate system become available, the Economic Development team could give notice to our CRM supplier. 
 

3.1.    The GLA is subject to the Public Sector Equality Duty. Overall, no adverse impacts have been identified as a result of entering into a licence agreement for a CRM.

3.2.    The Mayor wants London to be the best place in the world to live and work. He wants to tackle low pay, improve workplace conditions, and boost diversity across employers of all sizes and sectors. 
3.3.    A CRM database assists with collection of data that can be used to draw insights into the businesses the GLA engage with across London. It also aids the understanding of the impact of policies and programmes on groups with a protected characteristic under the 2010 Equality Act.
3.4.    The Mayor’s Good Work Standard and broader business engagement activities all seek to improve outcomes for Londoners. Londoners spend a great proportion of their time at their workplaces. We have a significant role to play in supporting the financial wellbeing and healthy lifestyles of Londoners and all protected groups among them. All engagements have a focus on supporting diversity and inclusion. 
3.5.    The Mayor’s Good Work Standard sets the benchmark for high employment standards. It covers paternity leave, flexible working, financial wellbeing initiatives, the gender pay gap, employee representation at senior decision-making level, personal development and career progression, among other vital elements to employee wellbeing and engagement. Pillar four of the Mayor’s Good Work Standard concerns equality, diversity and inclusion. A key part of this pillar is ensuring that employers have an equality, diversity and inclusion strategy in place. 
 

4.1.    The Economic Development team’s business engagement activities are key to delivering the outcomes included in the Mayor’s Economic Development Strategy, such as the key polices of strengthening partnerships and promoting economic fairness. 
4.2.    Risk assessments are in place for the Good Work Standard activities. This investment seeks to mitigate the risks that a lack of coordination of engagement means businesses disengage, and that policy benefits for Londoners are therefore not delivered; or that GLA activities are less efficient and effective. 
4.3.    The implementation of the CRM will comply with the GLA’s obligations under the GDPR. 
4.4.    There are no conflicts of interest to declare for any of the officers involved in the drafting or clearance of this decision form.
 

5.1.    Approval is requested for expenditure of up to £25,000 for licences and support costs of the preferred Customer relationship Management software.
5.2.    This expenditure is budgeted for within the approved Economic Development Unit’s budget for 2023-24 financial year within the Good Growth Directorate.