SW09110 - Customer Engagement: Initial Engagement

Business Units are responsible for engaging with the Customer Organisations with whom they want to use Shared Workspace.

Initial interest in Shared Workspace

Shared Workspace is not a service on demand. The HMRC Business Unit must first approach the Customer Organisation(s) with whom they are interested in using the service (unless the Customer Organisation has approached them).

The Business Unit will need to take into account:

  • If Shared Workspace is already deployed, is it appropriate for membership to be extended to the new customer organisation?
  • If Shared Workspace is not already deployed the Business Unit should explore whether the service would enhance their own business processes, as well as those of the customer organisation, and pursue implementation if appropriate. SW09105

National Business Unit Approval

The introduction of Shared Workspace could influence business processes across an entire Business Unit. A strategic view needs to be taken and therefore approval to use Shared Workspace with the customer organisation(s) must first be given at National Stream level.

When to use Shared Workspace with Customer Organisations

Shared Workspace is most successful when there is:

  • Frequent use (daily or weekly)

and/or

  • High volumes of information

These principles should apply to both the Business Unit and the Customer Organisation. Where it is evident that there will not be a high volume of information and the service will not be used frequently, Shared Workspace is unlikely to be beneficial.

Marketing Shared Workspace with Customer Organisations

It is important that Business Units have an agreed mutual approach when promoting Shared Workspace. They must:

  • Ensure National Business Unit approval to use Shared Workspace exists before promoting the service to Customer Organisations
  • Agree a marketing strategy to ensure a consistent approach across the Unit.

  • Ensure the customer organisation understands

    • how Shared Workspace operates
    • what it can and cannot offer

    • what they need to do to have Shared Workspace deployed

    • involve all stakeholders from the earliest practical phase of the project
    • ensure staff involved with any Shared Workspace implementation are empowered to make decisions on behalf of their organisation