Idox’s Swift Response to the Snap Election

Idox rapidly initiates support for local authority customers as election preparation gets underway

The election caught us all by surprise – not least the local authorities whose job it is to organise the delivery of British democracy. The considerable expertise of authorities was dramatically put to the test. With just six weeks to mobilise, the countdown had begun.

Local authorities rely on partners like Idox to navigate immense challenges such as these. That’s why, within 24 hours of the announcement, we designed and implemented a plan to help deliver a fast, accurate, secure election.

This is how our rapid response unfolded.

Rapid Response & Reorganisation

The EMS (Election Management System) Product Development Team moved quickly to ensure authorities had everything they needed. Getting this right was crucial: local authorities have a tough task ahead of them, but Idox’s mission was (and always has been) to make their job as easy as possible.

The team’s first action was to swiftly compile a quick-fire survey aimed at customers, whose responses fed directly into an ever-developing plan to assist their management of the coming election. Over 90% of respondents to the survey said they would install the new update-rich release of the EMS, thereby “demonstrating customer’s confidence in our software”, to quote Head of Product Development at Electoral Services, Vinay Neogi.

With customer priorities rapidly integrated into their fast-moving plans, Electoral Services across the board then redeployed resources: the service desk devised a new support timetable to ensure the highest degree of customer service; capacity was freed up for the engineering team to upgrade the Eros EMS – the product that stands at the core of our electoral services. Our swift but precise action resulted in nearly 30 improvements, geared specifically towards the delivery of the general election, within just two weeks.

Our customers are at the heart of this election process, and their unwavering commitment ensures that the upcoming election will be managed smoothly and efficiently. As we continue to support local authorities, we look forward to maintaining this momentum and ensuring a successful election.

Commitment to Consistent Support

But internal redeployment is only part of the story: Electoral Services is known across the sector for providing expert advice and targeted assistance. For example, local authorities’ Canvass plans – undertaken to ensure everyone in their area is registered – had to be enacted very quickly. Similarly, as part of the electoral process our customers typically contact the Department for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities (DLUHC) to confirm the accuracy of their own information. The Idox team played a key role in liaising with the DLUHC, acting as intermediary between the department and our customers. Throughout the run-up to the General Election, the team have remained on-hand to advise on these processes in swift and accurate fashion.

The team further offered a series of free training sessions so customers could revise their knowledge regarding all things election. One more is scheduled to occur immediately after the election – so, if you’re reading this as a customer, don’t hesitate to get in touch and book a spot for the final session.

Reflection 

Idox is widely respected for its willingness to innovate, to work dynamically in response to rapidly changing environments – all while keeping customer priorities at the very core of what we do, and ensuring work remains secure, accurate, and reliable. The EMS Product Development team’s story here is a superb example of this.

William Quinton, Head of Elections Sales, highlights the team’s philosophy: “Our customers are at the heart of this election process, and their unwavering commitment ensures that the upcoming election will be managed smoothly and efficiently. As we continue to support local authorities, we look forward to maintaining this momentum and ensuring a successful election.”

If you’re a local authority looking to stay up to date with the latest on the Eros EMS and our wider support services, email [email protected] and sign up to the Elections team’s highly engaging and informative newsletter. For details right now, click below for more on what we can offer you.