CSVUE’s client list includes some of Australasia’s largest companies in industries like energy and infrastructure. However, CSVUE’s origin is very much in the public sector. It was purpose-built two decades ago to solve an immediate issue for Auckland Council.
Councils around the country remain a huge part of our business, and our GM Wayne Fisher has spent years consulting with them. That makes us uniquely positioned to understand when and how it’s best to sell new software and initiatives internally.
And let’s just say it isn’t straightforward—expect long lead times, a bit of strategic thinking and lots of watercooler chats. Here’s where to start.
Get your timing right
Local governing bodies operate with more financial pressure and different obligations from commercial organisations. The additional oversight and regulation mean councils take a structured, regimented approach to budgeting. Very rarely do major projects get approved once the yearly budget has been confirmed. Out of step with the business world, the financial year for local government starts on July 1. Even though it’s April at the time of writing, you’re probably already too late – projects and plans will already have been set. The gears of government work slowly – best to start planning for next year.
Craft a business that aligns with council priorities
In a corporate setting, business cases are relatively easy. You just need to demonstrate a return on investment. Council objectives aren’t so fiscally motivated. Yes, cost efficiency should be a major component of your case, but you’ll also need to show how else the project will deliver on council priorities including its compliance and community obligations.
A product like CSVUE will be a simple case to make – it’s designed to relieve staff of manual busywork while tightening up compliance and oversight. It minimises the risk that council activities will be noncompliant with resource consents and other regulations and also streamlines how a council oversees the resource consents granted to other organisations. That in itself is a selling point – data from 68 of NZ’s city and district councils reveals widespread breaches by 267 companies. Perhaps most compelling, however, is the efficiency gains CSVUE delivers. When automation replaces spreadsheets, staff can spend more time providing better service to ratepayers.
Show a gap in council systems
Many organisations – commercial or not – are making do with software that isn’t fit for purpose. Compliance teams, for example, are often asked to rely on health and safety software. On the surface, this software seems adequate, but in almost all cases, it will fall well short. Take the management of a wastewater treatment plant, for example – it requires constant collection and analysis of real-world data points, something health and safety software simply can’t do. For councils, that’s a concern – their people are spending far too much time trying to work around inappropriate software and meanwhile, councils still fail to meet their regulatory obligations.
Look for opportunities to expand on existing deals
Is there another part of your organisation that’s already running software or a programme you can piggyback on? In many cases, expanding that project, deal or license incurs far lower costs, less time and fewer bureaucratic hurdles than implementing a new one. For example, CSVUE has been used by Auckland Council for years. Expanding it into Auckland Transport has cost a fraction of the annual fee, while increasing the license by 50%. This approach also brings the invaluable benefits of increased cross-organisational alignment and the institutional knowledge that comes from long-term business relationships.
Find solutions with flexible pricing
Senior leaders are more likely to sign off on an initiative if it can slip easily into the council’s financial constraints. That means looking for providers who can be flexible with pricing and timings. CSVUE fees nearly always fall under the purchase thresholds for a tendering process. We’ve also agreed to delay payment to better fit a budget cycle in some cases. Transparency is key – decision-makers need reassurance that they won’t be surprised by additional costs down the track.
Go for simplicity and low-touch implementation
Council staff are nearly always under-resourced in both time and budget. Projects, solutions and initiatives will be easier to sell internally if they require little time investment to get up and running. It’s part of why CSVUE is so widely used by local government. It’s a ready-to-use product that integrates well with existing software and generally requires no custom development to meet specific regulatory needs. The implementation process is all managed by CSVUE, which includes training staff and consultation to amend any processes, if necessary.
Build up and down support
If your project has a tangible impact on the day-to-day council staff, it’s worth earning their support and enthusiasm. While senior leaders are the ultimate decision-makers, they may be influenced by direct reports sharing perspectives of those on the ground. Engage middle managers and project leaders first, then work with them to generate buzz amongst their people.
By the same token, it’s worth having informal conversations with senior staff to soften the ground for your proposal. In the case of selling in CSVUE, it’s a good idea to tailor its benefits to suit the personal or business priorities of each – speak to the CFO about efficiency gains and the CEO about protecting the council’s social license to operate. The leader overseeing infrastructure or environment may be more interested in the compliance nuts and bolts.
Get selling
Whether you work in logistics, compliance, infrastructure or anything else in a council, the reality is that you’re also a salesperson. Your priorities and projects are vying for airtime with seniors and, ultimately, for a place in a new budget. This means starting early enough to drum up support up and downstream and build a business case that aligns with the council’s priorities. Better still, it’ll also give you time to rummage through existing suppliers, software, projects and initiatives to see if you can solve your problem by expanding on something the council is already doing or using. If you need something new, look for partners that can work within council resource restrictions.
After all, you’re in the business of politics – where would we be without a bit of strategic maneuvering?
