In light of Covid-19, one of the biggest challenges faced by local authorities in determining a citizen’s eligibility for a Blue Badge or a Freedom Pass is the inability to have a face-to-face assessment. 

Unfortunately, Covid-19 and, therefore, ‘social distancing’, are here to stay for the foreseeable future.  This means that a citizen who has applied for a Blue Badge, Freedom Pass, or Taxi Card, and needs to attend an appointment for an Expert Assessment, is unable to do so.  This becomes frustrating for both the citizen and the issuing local authority and looking at other methods to undertake this process as quickly as possible is therefore in everyone’s best interests.   

So how can IEG4 help in making this happen?

Technology, already developed within IEG4’s portfolio of products, can help.  This is where IEG4 stands out from the crowd.  ’We Do Tricky’ to make things simpler for everyone.

In a previous blog, Sales & Marketing Director, John Jervis, stated that ‘Transformation is about continual change, and needs versatile, flexible digital tools to deliver over the long term’.

The importance of versatility and flexibility of the Concessionary Travel solution, in use within three other local authorities, was recently discussed with our latest Blue Badge & Concessionary Travel customer site.  London Borough of Lewisham’s Concessionary Awards & Pupil Support Team Manager, Claire Pierpoint, stated that, along with other local authorities, Lewisham are evaluating the possibility of asking their citizens to follow the route of videoing themselves, so that an Expert Assessor can review the video against set criteria.  This supporting evidence will be used to determine the capabilities of the applicant and whether or not a Badge/Pass should be issued.   

To assist local authority Concessionary Travel teams, IEG4 has added the capability to download a .MP4 file, up to 20MB. This latest addition can be accessed securely by the applicant, through the self-serve portal element of IEG4’s Concessionary Travel solution. An example, where simple technology can be used to enhance a citizen’s journey through a difficult process, and again where simple technology can help the local authority to overcome a significant pain point.

As we emerge from lockdown, the way in which we operate has and will continue to change. The use of transformational technology will be enhanced.  Local authorities, if not all businesses, will demand, are demanding, better, quicker, and responsive technology that will help and support their citizens and businesses beyond the pandemic.

The functionality being developed by IEG4 will not only overcome the current challenges but will also be used in the future by those applicants who find it difficult to attend an appointment due to their physical or mental disability. 

Supporting and responding to needs and implementing the features to resolve challenges is an IEG4 forté.  Responding positively and swiftly with flexible digital tools will continue to highlight and enforce the importance and true worth of digital service transformation.