How to Enhance Citizen Service Systems

Jonathan Bolen Assistant Operations Chief,

City of Alexandria

The transformation of local government to meet the needs of 21st Century citizens while performing with the level of resources which are affordable is a challenge. !Government operating efficiently is vital to the lives of every citizen and the well being of the community as a whole. !Effective local governments insist on customer satisfaction. They listen carefully to citizens and restructure basic operations to meet customer needs.

Complex Datasets Lack of Easy to Interpret Data

Problems Facing Local Government:

Slow Response TimeOverwhelmed Staff

AccessibilityGovernment Silos

Public Engagement Disconnect with Citizens

Key Points:

The citizen rather than the provider, must be at the heart of planning and delivery of public services.

Individuals must be able to easily access services without having to know or decode the structures within the City.

How can local government be more accessible to the population it serves?

Web: • Free 24/7 online service • Interactive website • Report non-emergency issues • Click on map and report an issue • Find general information • Create Service Requests • Receive email notifications

Mobile: • Free 24/7 mobile service • Available for iPhone/iPad or Android • Report non-emergency issues • Collect custom crowdsourced data • Create Service Requests • Report issue locations with GPS • Attach photos using your smartphone or tablet • Integrate with Facebook and Twitter accounts • Receive push notifications

AlexConnects: Support, Engage, Empower, Innovate[Citizen Request Management (CRM) System]

FAQs

SUGGESTION COMPLAINT SERVICE REQUESTCOMMENTQUESTION

CITIZEN INITIATED INTERACTION

Q C S C R

SELF SERVICE/DYNAMIC

START A CASESUBMIT A REQUEST

AUTO ASSIGNED TO A SUBJECT MATTER EXPERT (SME)

MANAGES MONITOR STATUSESNEED MORE FEEDBACK?

REPORTING/ANALYTICS FOR IMPROVED SERVICE

HAPPY CITIZENS

How Effective CRM’s Work:

SOURCE: GovDelivery

CRM’s Enhance Government: • Serve more citizens without increasing

staff • Minimize the escalation of issues,

al lowing department heads and administration to focus on other tasks

• Eliminate redundant processes • Assures issues are being addressed • Reduce phone call and email inquiries

• Reduce operational costs per citizen interaction

• P ro v i d e d a ta a n d c u s to m i za b l e reporting for performance measurement

• Allow for better budgeting, resource allocation, and work scheduling

CRM’s Empower Citizens: • 24/7 self service • Access to more information • Ability to communicate about specific issues • Builds trust • Search for the answers needed • Increased community awareness • Opportunity for quick issue resolution

CRM Benefits:

Enables creative and cooperative problem solving.

Makes key information accessible to all people.

Engages citizens to provide useful on-the-streets data governments need to act.

A s s i s t s m o n i t o r i n g efforts that seek to assess reach and quality (meaningfulness, value).

Empowers citizens and community groups to propose solutions.

Promotes innovation identifying areas for joint action.

AlexConnects: Support, Engage, Empower, Innovate

How it Works:Report an Issue & Track the Progress

Year 1 Results 2012 - 2013

Most Common Service Requests: • Street light out/repair • Smell Gas Inside • Sewer Line is Stopped Up • Limbs on Utility Line

692 Mobile App Downloads

AlexConnects:

February 2013 LRAP Workshop - Using AlexConnects, an inventory of existing bus stops was completed as part of an analysis for the Bus Stop component of the ATRANS Improvement Plan. This completed inventory provided essential data for proper bus stop placement and designation. Furthermore, it provided up-to-date and easily classifiable information regarding bus stop improvements.

Crowdsourcing Applications

SafeAlex Neighborhood Watch - Using AlexConnects, neighborhood watch members apply Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles to make service requests helping to reduce and prevent crime. For example, a well-lighted street leaves fewer hiding places for burglars.

AlexConnects: N

EIGH

BORHOOD CRIME WATCH

SafeAlex

How can government relay information to the public in a user-friendly (visual) manner thats relevant and meaningful?

First of the City’s new generation websites displaying information with a visual, user-friendly interface so citizens can track project progress, assess value, and become informed about project development. !FEATURES: Reactive Web Design - easy to view on all screen sizes Centralized Location for All SPARC Information All SPARC Related Projects, including - Before/After Photos - Current Status - Brief description - Geolocation - City District !Project information updated on a quarterly basis, http://www.sparccommission.com/.

SPARC X: Innovate, Simplify, Improve, Inform

SPARC X: Innovate, Simplify, Improve, InformUnifies development process and language i n t o a s t a n d a r d , simplified, format. C o l o r s r e p r e s e n t project development phase.

Reactive web design easy to use on any size screen.

Data is disaggregated and presented in a user-friendly (visual) manner.

Empowers individuals w i t h ea s y a cce s s to information making it difficult for local officials and service providers to misinform the public or d i v e r t r e s o u r ce s f o r improper purposes.

Offers greater clarity about what is expected, greater transparency about how well that is delivered, and an emphasis on accountability for the results achieved.