Saturday 8 September 2012

Reply to Jonty Olliff-Cooper

This one is for Jonty Olliff-Cooper; a more considered response to your comment.  (See the last post).  
 
I was reminded of a comment I received back in September 2009, before your time.  I didn't publish it then, but when everything was going pearshaped for A4e in February this year, I did.  (See this post).  There was a whopping great lie at the heart of it, that they'd tried to communicate with me.  
 
Let's be honest, Mr Cooper, you didn't really expect me to bite and accept your offer.  There might have been a bit of a panic if I had!  The purpose of your comment was to get me to publish it, to show what a reasonable chap you are.  You made no attempt to answer the points I made; specifically your consistent failure to meet targets.  You ignored everything ever published, not just in this blog, but in so many other forums, and stuck to the line that if critics just understood and appreciated how wonderful A4e is, they would change their minds.  
 
When, on my original website, I published comments from A4e staff (which later turned out to be completely vindicated) your company got the site closed down as "defamatory".  I had no chance to communicate with you then.  I have a stack of similar comments, some of them very recent, which I haven't published because they threaten the anonymity of the writer.  You may have noticed that I don't allow comments which are critical of individual staff, or even of your staff in general, because I know that the vast majority are simply trying to do the best job that they can.  What about you?  What are your qualifications for working in the W2W industry, let alone being Director of Strategy and Policy?  (Silly question, I know.)  
 
A4e has a chance to put the difficulties of the past behind it and become just another outsourcing company.  That industry is in no danger of shrinking, and there are plenty of pickings to be had.  But you need to stop insisting on this line that A4e is something more noble than a business.  You need to drop the focus on PR and address the criticisms of clients.  You need to be a better employer.   
 
I commend you for answering the post, and you are welcome to join in the conversation.

29 comments:

  1. Sorry I have been offline for a few days,just read this post and it underlines my concerns about all of the WP providers,what exactly do they provide? This is supposed to be the biggest improvement in social welfare,but when asked what is on offer the answers are vague,"the black box delivery method" but when pushed for specific answers..Silence, after 11 months of asking I was sent to get my CSCS card,brilliant(Passed) brought it in to the WP and they had no clue what to do next to finish the process(I printed the forms and filled them out)..Sorry we were unaware that there would be additional costs..we have no funding,while still sending more people to take the test..Ironic..Started new job,£28 a week better off,self esteem..Priceless

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    1. They provide someone to teach you how to use a computer, apparently using this
      http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise/

      It doesn't work, because I have had to explain to people who have apparently done it how to do various basic things like logging into their email etc.

      I don't know what else they provide, certainly not what I have asked them for (thanks for your reply about that Historian).

      But lucky you if they did you a CSCS card (my office doesn't seem to) and congrats on passing and getting a job!

      I'm intrigued to see A4E has started up in Spain. This will be interesting as IMO A4E and the Spanish character don't fit together. Or perhaps they do given the recent publicity about A4E and fraud. Anyway, I'll be watching that closely with help from my Spanish contacts.

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    2. “I’m intrigued to see A4E has started up in Spain.” Eh? What do they say about a fool and their money” The Spanish Government ia bankrupt allready .....

      Typical and indeed immoral a4e though to take advantage

      http://www.a4espain.com/en/2011/12/22/nuevos-modelos-para-el-fomento-de-la-formacion-y-el-empleo/

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    3. Intrigued because I had just the previous week wondered to a Spanish friend how A4E would actually work in Spain given what we know about the national character. And lo and behold, there they are, I should have known they'd be there sooner rather than later

      I see from your link they are still doing their lack of spelling etc. I think you could say they've buggered this up.....

      "From the Spanish perspective, the following areas were analised: the situation of the Spanish labor market, the role of the Public Employment Service (SPEE) and the private sector’s role after the new labor reform."

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    4. Let's not get too abusive about this. Looking at more of the site, I wonder whether it's a translation from the Spanish. Mind you, that wouldn't account for "analised", which is actually rather wonderful.

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  2. Enemma Harridan AKA Doleitievermin8 September 2012 at 05:49

    Leave jaunty alone! Poor chap's confused enough!

    I'll wager you're all of the type that stops the double-glazing salespeople dead in their tracks on your doorstep, by immediately offering them in for a demitasse, amaretti & a natter!?

    Ignirance (sic) is bliss, dontcha know?!

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    1. Please don't use your latest pseudonym!

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    2. Sorry! Even spelled my original pseudonym wrong! D'oh!

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  3. This is how A4E deals with its critics

    http://johnnyvoid.files.wordpress.com/2012/02/a4elegal.jpg?w=456&h=645

    Ridiculous legal threats against people making entirely reasonable complaints about its conduct.

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    1. Yes - very tolerant and open to rational discussion and criticism. Strange though that the threat of dire legal action came from the media/PR hirelings rather than a solicitor.

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    2. Well I’ve read the letter and I don’t think it’s bona fide. Surely you wouldn’t just quote the source but also the actual words used.

      The letter is not headed or signed. Additionally “Am I” should be “I am”

      I have written to PHA Media asking for theiir comment.

      I also doubt whether any company have the time or inclination to read comments on websites. Articles maybe.

      Delete
  4. I am aware this is off the subject,but have the results for the WP,that were promised to be published in August actually been made public? it seems very quiet on that front,it also occurs to me that Greyling has been "promoted" before the results are available? I have come to the conclusion that I am a cynical person and do not believe a bloody thing that any Quango spouts!

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  5. Iceland seems to be a popular choice for bloggers to have their sites hosted without fear of legal action being taken against them.

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    1. Dear Historian,

      The work that you do with this blog is marvellous!

      Your hard work has brought the many questions surrounding A4E - and other Welfare-to-Work providers - into sharp focus.

      I wouldn't be at all surprised if in future years your blog is discusses on university journalism courses, as an example of public service journalism.

      Delete
  6. Hi Watching,

    Sorry not to reply sooner. I had a busy weekend at the Paralympics and have been on a train most of today to and from Sheffield.

    This is just to say, thank you for replying and I will reply properly shortly.

    My first proper chance to get to a computer will be tomorrow afternoon, so hopefully it will be then.

    Best,

    Jonty

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    1. Hmmm. Just be aware that there's a limit to my tolerance. And don't call me "Watching".

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    2. Perhaps Jonty could answer a few basic questions in his response;

      Why does A4e have the reputation it does?

      Why are so many clients (both former and current) so unhappy with the level of service they have received from A4e?

      Why do A4e keep missing thier basic govt set targets?

      Why does he really think that showing someone, whether Historian or anyone else around an A4e office will instantly improve matters?

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    3. There seems to be problems replying directly to "Jonty's" post. I don't necessarily think the post authentic .....

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  7. Been to the paralympics, eh, jaunty? Touting for more misery, masquerading as "business" were we? Or was it just a "jolly"?

    I'd have reasonbly assumed that someone in your position would've been more concerned with defending your company's strategy & PR in the face of such scathing - but entirely justified - criticism from the public & media (In fact, everyone bar the government) rather than swanning off to a sporting event.

    But that's just me and my idea of priority, I guess, but as a4e staff have told me in the past: "Never assume; it makes an ASS out of U and ME".

    PS. Historian might not appreciate you referring to him/her as "Watching" but you're welcome to call me "Doleite" for short, old bean ;p





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    1. Stick to the point. He has every right to have been at the Paralympics. Tempting as it may be, don't descend to gratuitous insults.

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  8. Perhaps Jonty might explain why it is acceptable for the former A4e boss, Emma Harrison, to receive over £8 million pounds of public funds in a single year for failing to meet minimum W2W government targets during a double dip recession?

    How is this 'socially responsible'?

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  9. I doubt whether Jonty Olliff-Cooper knows anything about the criticisms that A4E was attracting, both from its staff and its 'customers,' before 2012. I doubt whether Jonty would have agreed to be moved to A4E, back in 2010, if he had known the whole story at the time.

    I would guess that the reason why A4E refers to "customers" when it should be referring to "clients" is because A4E is so gimcrack that it does not understand the vast difference between the senses of these two words. Why should it, though? A4E is merely a semi-literate outsourcing company, intent on making profits for its shareholders; in particular, profits for Emma Harrison who still owns the vast majority of A4E's shares.

    A4E is in urgent need of a Director of Professional Standards, Quality Assurance and Literacy but it does not appear to possess such a person. Therefore my own, inevitable impression of A4E is that it is a thoroughly down-market enterprise. A4E's own standards should be very much higher than the minimum standards expected by the DWP in these three areas, after all.

    Since Jonty is A4E's Director of Strategy and Policy, it seems to me that this shortcoming is one that he ought to address urgently.

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  10. Dear Historian,

    I am sorry not to be back in touch sooner. It has been a packed week.

    I am really sorry if you have been ignored or stonewalled by the firm in the past. I do not know what lay behind that - I was not in the firm then. It is all to easy to go into one’s shell in the face of criticism, especially since not all of it is as rational and informed as yours.

    What I can say for sure is that that is definitely not the attitude we take now. You and others like you have something really important to tell us: how we can get better. We want a frank and honest conversation about the difficulties of the very complex area called welfare, what we are not getting right yet, how we might fix that.

    I completely agree with you that the focus of the firm needs to be on learning how we can improve by listening to our staff and customers. From here on, we’ll be beginning to look at a range of new ways to do exactly that. If you do choose to come in, I would like to talk you through what we have planned so far and get your feedback on how we could go further.

    I can understand why you might be sceptical. It sounds like the firm did not exactly cover itself in glory in the way it interacted with you a few years ago. But I hope you will take the chance to see if we can change.

    So the offer is still there, and will remain there. If you would prefer another format – perhaps a video or phone call, or a chance to put something to our management meetings for us to reflect on, or something else entirely – I am really open to that too.

    Thank you again for you allowing the conversation.

    Best,

    Jonty


    P.S.
    Thank you to everyone else who has commented here too. Lots of great points and questions.

    It is probably a bit too big a job to go through every one, one by one, so instead, I am going to take what I have heard here, and create some new pages for our website so that everyone has a chance to see them. That will take a few weeks, as we are in the process of migrating the website to a new platform, but I will get to it.

    In the meantime, you may have seen that I have covered quite a few of these sorts of things on Twitter in the last few months. I am on @jontyoc, and the hashtag I have been using is #happytoansweranyqs.

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    1. I'm glad to end the correspondence there, and I apologise to all those whose comments I didn't publish. Mr Cooper, we never did get an answer as to why you chose to prolong the "social purpose company" argument; it really did give the lie to all that you've said about having a new attitude.
      I would love to have a public debate with you, but that isn't likely. I hope that you'll engage with this blog again if you have anything to say.

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  11. I would certainly love to have a public discussion with you. In fact, we are thinking about putting something together in Parliament or at the Hub in Westminster this winter. Would you be interested in speaking?

    On the social purpose point, I am really happy to discuss it. I am not wedded to any particular phrase. But I am wedded to the idea that you can make a big positive, deliberate social impact, and make fair profit too. That is the sort of organisation I am interested in being part of.

    I passionately feel that A4e can be a fantastic force for good (and I know the people I work with feel the same way). We certainly do not get everything right, either today, or in the past. But I think the crucial point is not if things go wrong - they do - but how you respond to it.

    We are interested in tackling where we may be failing head on, be it in customer experience, performance, management, partnering or anything else.

    I hope we can have the chance to meet and discuss these issues more fully in person sometime soon.

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    1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  12. "....I am wedded to the idea that you can make a big positive, deliberate social impact, and make fair profit too. That is the sort of organisation I am interested in being part of...".

    So much dross. Oliffe-Cooper is an ideologue whose starting point is that public services are grossly inefficient, and can only be efficient if run for profit.

    The researched truth is that outsourced public services are mediocre, simply because the money that goes into the pockets of the owners/shareholders is the same money that would normally go to improve the terms and conditions of the employees, and to the customers/clients in the service they receive.

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  13. Interesting is someone using my web name? I haven't blogged on this site for ages, and certainly wouldn't post anything that could be removed or be offensive. Now I am trying to remember what I was doing on the 16th, which was a Sunday and not a day I normally look at Welfare to Work blogs.

    My son does advice and guidence work for a local non W.P charity. Last week he met an advisor from a local WP subcontractor who had a case load in excess of 200-so much for a tailored individulaised programme,

    Now thats much more me!

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