Published date: 18 December 2020

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 18 January 2021, 6pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Call centre - 79512000

Location of contract

SE1 8WA

Value of contract

£3,000,000 to £3,500,000

Procurement reference

KCL-00001291

Published date

18 December 2020

Closing date

18 January 2021

Closing time

6pm

Contract start date

1 April 2021

Contract end date

31 March 2024

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

During May - September 2020 King's Brand & Marketing Department set up two externally-run contact centres undertaking conversion and completion activity to offer holders on a one to one basis, at scale. The pilot is considered to have been a success, and as a result there is now a requirement for this to continue on a longer-term basis.
There is also the opportunity to address the significant customer service challenges experienced by our Admissions team in recent years. The demand for contact by prospective students (approaching 200,000 email, telephone, Admissions Portal messages) has increased consistently in recent years, leading to an average response time of at least 2-3 weeks in 2020 and consequently complaints, negative social media and increasing frustration for offer holders as they have sought answers to their queries through multiple channels. Admissions have determined that c.85% emails/telephone calls and c.50% portal messages could be addressed through the contact centres, enabling admissions staff to focus on added-value activities such as offer making.

As a result King's is looking to appoint one or more suppliers to provide the following services for a minimum 3 year period:
o Proactive outbound engagement with King's undergraduate, taught postgraduate and foundation offer holders on a 1-2-1 basis, providing information, advice and reassurance to support their journey through to enrolment;
o Reactive enquiry management for prospective students and influencers on a 1-2-1 basis to support their journey from initial enquiry through application, offer, acceptance and enrolment.

The appointed supplier will be required to work as an extension of King's Brand & Marketing and Admissions departments, providing a service that integrates into and complements the marketing campaigns and admissions service that King's itself delivers. In addition, as one of the first points of contact for all of King's prospective students the successful supplier will need to absorb, understand and fully represent the King's brand.

More information

Links

Additional text

https://www.kcl.ac.uk/aboutkings/orgstructure/ps/procurement/suppliers/etender


Funding Type (WEFO or EU) : University funded

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : Yes

About the buyer

Contact name

Gerry Burns

Address

57 Waterloo Road
London
London
SE1 8WA
United Kingdom

Telephone

+44 02078484431

Email

gerry.burns@kcl.ac.uk