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Improve your customer experience using the NZBN

7 Jun 2018 9:36 AM | Anonymous

As we move towards a truly digital business environment, councils are discovering opportunities to adapt and change, in order to embrace innovations and offer better services to customers. One of the initiatives that’s helping government agencies do this is the New Zealand Business Number (NZBN). Jo Tarleton from the NZBN team explains.  

The NZBN makes doing business easier 

The NZBN makes it faster and easier for councils to interact with their business customers, and access accurate, up-to-date information about these businesses. An NZBN is a globally unique identifier for every business in New Zealand that links to the information they’re most often asked to share – like a trading name and phone number. By using the NZBN, councils will improve customer experience and reduce duplication. And it’s not just for your business customers – think about your interactions with suppliers too. Using the NZBN right across your organisation means businesses won’t have to repeat the same information multiple times when dealing with you and other government agencies, saving everyone time and money.    

How does it work? 

Information about businesses is held securely on the NZBN Register, which can be accessed at nzbn.govt.nz, or plugged into your systems directly via an API [Application Programming Interface]. This information is provided by the business itself and can be updated at any time, so you can be certain it’s the most accurate information available. When a business you work with makes a change to its information, you can be notified instantly, and choose to update your records also.  

How could your organisation benefit? 

Central government agencies are already building the NZBN into their systems and processes because it speeds up interactions and helps link information togetherBetter data about your business interactions can provide insights that in turn inform your strategy, policy and investment. 

Your organisation could use the NZBN to: 

Streamline transactions. Use the NZBN to speed up interactions with your customers or suppliers – e.g. to pre-populate fields in online forms. 

Connect information. Use the NZBN to connect internal or external data sets. By automating the process and cutting back on manual handling, you can spend more time doing the work that matters. 

Consider new services. Explore ways the NZBN could allow you to optimise and innovate, such as providing new tailored services to your customers. 

Future-proof. The NZBN should be considered ‘part of the process’ when a business or technology change is proposed. Add an NZBN section to your business planning or new initiative documents. 

It’s time to get involved 

In an increasingly digital environment, the NZBN will become central to the way we do business in New Zealand. With over 94 central government agencies involved in NZBN implementation, now is a great time for local government to begin exploring the benefits and opportunities the NZBN can offer. There’s support available from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s NZBN team, including workshops and tailored advice. Visit nzbn.govt.nz or get in touch to learn more.  

Jo Tarleton, NZBN Principal Implementation Adviser 
Email: Joanna.Tarleton2@nzbn.govt.nz 


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