Charity

About the customer

When COVID-19 reached our shores in March 2020, the consequent forced closure of UK businesses came as a shock. For a charity working with 80-90,000 vulnerable people, the shock was palpable. The entire operating model relied on face-to-face contact between service users and counselling and support services, so there was an urgent need to ensure that support wasn't severed, that those who relied on these services weren't left to fend for themselves, and that people battling mental health issues and alcohol and substance abuse weren't isolated during the pandemic. The charity needed to find a different way to engage.  

The challenge

As an existing Wavenet* customer, we began a conversation about whether pay-as-you-go mobile handsets, given to service users in place of face-to-face appointments, would be a viable option. However, the existing mobile fleet setup – which ran off the corporate network to enable staff to carry out their core workloads – was not designed to support the needs of their service users as well. There was a real risk that such a setup could be open to abuse and that providing handsets might, in some cases, lead to misuse.

This sparked a bigger conversation about ownership and responsibility: who would decide who received a phone, who would manage topping up handsets, and who handle the ongoing administration? The charity did not want the corporate responsibility of deciding who got a phone, how it was paid for, and how it was used. 

The implications for time and resource was significant. There would be billing queries to manage, mobile usage to oversee, and all the general admin that comes with running a large mobile fleet. The charity faced a dilemma. 

The solution

Fortunately, we were already well on our way to making this work. 

• Decentralised decision-making and cost control
  Each individual project (initiatives run at branch level across the country) was put in charge deciding who would be provided with a handset. Costs and billing for each set of devices were handled by the projects themselves, each with its own cost centre. Thanks to the existing working relationship, we already held the granula data needed to support this model.
• Wavenet-managed project delivery
  We took on the management of the entire undertaking, removing the burden from the charity's corporate team at a time when every organisation was dealing with major disruption to BAU operations. With the potential to reach up to 90,000 service users, the charity was understandably nervous about how big the need would become, making our project management support the most sensible option.
• Best-fit network and secure configuration
  After reviewing all networks, we selected O2 as the best fit. Through O2, we could lock down SIMs to prevent misuse and ensure handsets were used solely for maintaining contact between service users and the charity, mirroring the pre-lockdown support model.
• Right devices for the right use cases
  For most users, we provided O2 voice-only SIMs (removing the need for data plans) paired with Nokia handsets, which were simple to use and easy to replace if lost or damaged. In exceptional cases, we also supplied MiFi devices, laptops, and tablets to enable access to the charity's online services, including counselling sessions, seminars, and focus group meetings.
• Managed mobile service wrap
  For an extra 50p per handset, we provided a managed mobile service wrap. We handled each connection, including stopping or changing numbers and dealing with any requests that would usually require a call to a service desk. Changes were then communication directly to the relevant project, minimising administration for the charity.

The results

Handing this large and complex undertaking to us meant the charity could concentrate on running its services and navigating a period of unprecedented upheaval, without the additional strain of managing a new mobile estate.

• Scale and responsiveness
  What began as around 100 connections at the start of the pandemic grew to 7,000 handsets delivered on an ad-hoc, as-needed basis, supporting users through lockdowns, tiering systems and beyond. 
• From temporary fix to core service
  The initial short-term solution led to formalising the arrangement into a one-year contract, which has since been renewed for another year. A stop-gap measure to bridge the gap in face-to-face services evolved into a core element of the charity's operating model.
• Improved engagement and life-saving impact
  The mobile solution not only maintained continuity of support but improved engagement and enhanced the services provided. Most importantly, in the customer's own words, it has "genuinely changed lives."
• Choice and flexibility for service users
  The solution now gives service users greater choice in how they communicate. Many still prefer face-to-face contact, but others find that phone-based check-ins reduce anxiety around appointments and lower the risk of missed sessions. 
• Recognised organisational success
  During the charity's annual review of key achievements, the mobile project with us was highlighted as a major success. Increased engagement with service users has had a profound impact across the organisation.

This project has demonstrated that the charity is willing to think creatively and adapt its approach to reach vulnerable people in new ways. For now, that means providing mobile handsets and an alternative communication channel that remains fit for purpose even after the worst of the pandemic has passed. Looking ahead, evolving with the times will stay firmly on the agenda, as we continue to explore new ways to support those who need them most. 

*The initial engagement was with Daisy, acquired by Wavenet in 2024.

If you’d like to find out more about how Wavenet could help your business with the areas covered in this case study, then get in touch at enquiries@wavenet.co.uk.