Executive Summary

The UK's leading provider of train travel information services faced a rapidly transforming customer landscape, marked by a significant shift from live voice support to self-service and mobile technologies. With an expiring contract and the necessity to retender, the company sought to evaluate and renegotiate its strategic partnership to minimise risk and align with evolving service requirements. Envisago was engaged to manage a robust, objective vendor selection process, ensuring compliance with OJEU regulations and facilitating a partnership that would meet current and future needs. Through comprehensive procurement support and best practice advice, Envisago helped the client confidently enter into a new contract that enhanced operational performance and fostered a collaborative vendor relationship.

 

Background

Client Profile:

• Type: The UK's leading provider of train travel information services.

• Responsibilities:

  • Accountable to train operating companies (TOCs) and the public purse.

  • Deliver tightly budgeted services adhering to high-performance customer experience targets.

• Operations:

  • Outsourced a wide range of information and customer support services.

  • Managed by a small team of channel development, commercial, operational, and vendor management specialists.

Existing Vendor Relationship:

• Services Provided:

  • Live voice information support.

  • Back-office customer relations services.

• Vendor Operations:

  • Split across two offshore sites.

• Contract History:

  • Spanned a period of immense change with multiple extensions.

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Challenges

Rapidly Transforming Customer Landscape

• Shift in Service Demand:

  • Reduction in live voice demand from over 60 million calls per year to 4 million and declining.

  • Rise of self-service and mobile technologies increased overall service demand and customer expectations.

• Operational Impact:

  • Average Handling Time (AHT) increased substantially due to the complexity of remaining calls.

  • Required significant process and management changes.

  • Necessitated renegotiation of pricing multiple times.

 

Vendor Risk and Contractual Constraints

• Vendor Acquisition:

  • The incumbent vendor was acquired by a larger organisation with ambitious growth plans, introducing new risks.

• Contract Limitations:

  • Further contract extension was not possible under the original terms.

• Need for Retendering:

  • Presented an opportunity to review strategic and operational requirements.

  • Access to the global marketplace of potential new partners via OJEU's open tendering process.

Resource and Timing Pressures

• Limited Internal Resources:

  • The client's small team needed to maintain focus on business as usual in a dynamic environment.

• Imminent Contract Expiry:

  • With 15 months before contract lapse, timely action was critical.

 

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Solution Implemented by Envisago

Phase 1: Procurement Support and Planning

• Engagement:

  • Envisago was engaged to provide expert resources to support the procurement of the new contract.

• Objective:

  • Enable the client's core team to focus on ongoing operations.

  • Ensure a robust and auditable retendering process.

Phase 2: Managing the OJEU-Compliant Retendering Process

• Process Management:

  • Publication of OJEU Notice:

    • Managed the official publication to initiate the tendering process.

  • Drafting Documentation:

    • Created the Statement of Requirements and Request for Proposal (RFP) documentation.

  • Evaluation Criteria Development:

    • Developed and managed weighted evaluation criteria and scoring framework.

    • Enabled objective, evidence-based evaluation aligned with strategic and operational needs.

  • Vendor Communication:

    • Managed vendor questions and communications throughout the process.

  • Site Assessments:

    • Ensured shortlisted vendor offshore site assessments validated claimed capabilities and experience.

Phase 3: Contract Enhancement and Risk Minimiation

• Contractual Improvements:

  • Re-drafting of Statement of Work and Contract Schedules:

    • Reflected key changes and enhancements to accommodate evolving service requirements.

  • Operational Performance Metrics:

    • Advised on enhancements to performance management metrics.

  • Pricing and Incentives Framework:

    • Provided input on pricing structures and incentive mechanisms.

• Stakeholder Management:

  • Managed candidate and stakeholder expectations.

  • Provided feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

• Negotiation Support:

  • Supported the client during contract negotiations to help both parties minimise risk.

 

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Results and Impact

Successful Strategic Partnership

• Confident Contract Renewal:

  • The client confidently entered into a new contract with the incumbent vendor.

• Risk Minimisation:

  • The new contract minimised risks associated with vendor acquisition and market changes.

• Alignment with Service Requirements:

  • Terms better reflected and accommodated current and future service needs and customer behaviours.

Enhanced Operational Performance

• High-Performance Facilitation:

  • The contract was designed to facilitate high operational performance.

• Adaptability:

  • Effectively accommodated continuing reductions in voice demand and increasing AHT.

• Resilience:

  • More resilient to changes in the customer management environment.

Strengthened Client-Vendor Relationship

• Collaborative Focus:

  • The redesigned contract facilitated a more objective and collaborative relationship.

• Operational Excellence:

  • Emphasis on high operational performance aligned with the client's strategic goals.

 

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Conclusion

By partnering with Envisago, the UK's leading train travel information service successfully navigated the complexities of retendering a critical contract amidst a rapidly transforming customer landscape. Envisago's expertise in managing an OJEU-compliant procurement process, enhancing contractual terms, and minimising risks enabled the client to secure a strategic partnership that supports high performance and aligns with evolving service demands. The collaboration resulted in enhanced operational performance, minimised risk, and a strengthened client-vendor relationship focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences.