It was 2009 when SJS Solutions Ltd first started to work with UK Police Authorities. The key objective back then was to deliver call handling metrics to TV screens as fast as possible, trigger alarms and ensure police control room officers have the best possible chance to successfully answer 999 calls within government targets.
More recently our role has changed somewhat, and although Optymyse still provides super-fast refresh rates, our role has also been to assist our emergency services clients in the reduction of stress, anxiety, and police officer burnout.
“I’m no graphic designer and don’t claim to be brilliant with software, but with the help of SJS and Optymyse I’ve been able to create wallboards I never thought were possible.“ – Performance Manager, UK Police Authority
Working in any call or contact centre is stressful, there are KPI’s to achieve, call volumes can fluctuate dramatically and technology is ever changing, add to that the need to protect and in some cases save lives, abuse received by officers and the ever-increasing pressure on resources, and you have the perfect environment for high levels of stress, mental health issues, sickness, burnout and staff churn.
“Throughout the project, install and BAU you and your team have been extremely helpful and readily available to assist us, even when the issue is not your fault or responsibility.” Business Systems Development Manager, UK Police Authority
To help the Police in their battle to protect officers from the very real dangers of stress, we work closely with control room personnel to ensure that Optymyse not only delivers the data they need in the fastest possible time, but that we are conscious of the impact every metric has on morale, and that we are careful not to over report or trigger unnecessary alarms. We also help our clients to support their officers by allowing them to schedule the delivery of timely information essential for call handlers to be able to confidently respond to the public. This information could be changes to processes, up-coming events or expected incidents, training reminders, advice on dealing with aggressive callers and how to tackle stress and anxiety at work.
“I’ve learnt some very useful motivational techniques which have helped me to create a more people friendly, engaging police control room and because Optymyse is so flexible I can change things with very little effort.“ – Performance Manager, UK Police Authority
All content is delivered seamlessly in an engaging format via flat screen TVs and desktops, and with smart triggers used to make sure officers are aware of resources and demand without being assaulted by countless, stress inducing KPIs we aim to improve performance without increasing stress.
“We all enjoyed the workshop and have taken inspiration from it to help and support our team. Everyone has said how much they enjoyed the session, and it has definitely given us food for thought.” – Support & Development Officer | Corporate Customer Relations | UK Council
At SJS one of our key objectives is to protect police officers working in control rooms, to ensure they feel valued, certain and fairly treated. By using the latest neuroscientific principles, we deliver readymade templates and design advice, plus the education needed to understand how visual communications can effectively be used to reduce stress while still providing the alerts and metrics needed to ensure 999 calls are answered within target.*
*According to police.uk 4 of the top 5 performing police forces for 999 call handling use Optymyse.
“I feel lighter after the SJS workshop and can’t wait to get back to the contact centre” – Customer Service Manager, NHS Trust
If you would like to find out more about our workshops or would like to experience Optymyse either at your neighbouring force control room, or via a remote demonstration, please send an email to [email protected]