Lessons for US public sector as UK departments exploit simulation modeling to reduce waste and improve performance in face of severe austerity measures.

Houston, TX -- (SBWire) -- 06/01/2011 --Lanner, the process optimization solutions provider says local governments across the US can learn from their counterparts in the UK who are bucking severe austerity measures and boosting performance by exploiting the benefits of simulation modeling following the release of its latest white paper.

The four-page document entitled, “Cutting Costs and Boosting Services in Local Government: Achieving the Impossible with Process Simulation,” highlights the increasing role of process simulation in helping community officials to achieve the seemingly conflicting challenges they currently face.

The increase in the use of process improvement software follows the implementation of an austerity regime by the UK government to cut spending in some areas by up to 28% over four years. The measures to be implemented across the country will see police numbers fall, welfare payments cut and public services pared back.

The program of spending cuts is aimed at reducing a budget deficit that leapt following the bail out of most of the UK financial sector in 2008/9. In the US, community officials face a similar situation. According to the Congressional Budget Office, local governments have cut spending by two percent and reduced their workforces by 241,000 since the start of the recession.

Tasked with continuously improving services to citizens, increasing operational efficiency and providing better access to services, process improvement software is modernizing the way government agencies in the UK do business, and the lessons are transferable to the US, says Mandy Tague, Lanner’s director of US business development, “During the recent US economic crisis, local government finances have taken an epic battering. The financial condition in our 50 states, 3,000 counties and 36,000 municipalities is severe.

“As payrolls are cut, service provision is under threat despite continued high demand. This will stress public education, fire and police departments, infrastructure and many other services. Given the scale of change, local service providers don’t have the contingency to make too many mistakes. The use of decision-support tools such as process simulation will assist budget holders to achieve long term, sustainable cost reductions while improving services and protecting reputations.”

The local government district of Wychavon in the UK turned to Lanner as part of a project to improve call handling. The council’s director of finance, Vic Allison comments, “Using process simulation we have been able to evaluate various options in our drive to improve first call resolution rates and reduce the cost footprint of our call handling functions. The simulation application has shown us precisely how to deploy staff more effectively, thus maintaining control, but providing a better service at a much lower cost base.”

“Process simulation really helps to bring multiple scenarios to life, so it helps us to quickly assess the pros and cons of project planning,” adds Cheryl Peters, Business Improvement Manager at Wychavon District Council. “We can channel the time we would have spent debating the best plan directly into the projects themselves. That means we remove any subjectivity involved, so we can get a clear view on the best option to take.”

Read "Cutting Costs and Boosting Services in Local Government: Achieving the Impossible with Process Simulation" at http://ow.ly/57aeB

About Lanner
Any business can use the proven simulation software and services delivered by Lanner to maximize its performance and optimize the use of resources.
Lanner is an international company with headquarters in the UK. Its simulation software has delivered answers for commercial businesses and government organizations since 1979, helping them move toward operational perfection.

Lanner’s customers include some of the largest and most successful organizations in the world and its technology is embedded within leading software vendors’ products.

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