Five Ways To Drive Constituent Satisfaction with Online Citizen Services
Constituent expectations are at an all-time high. Modern constituents are wanting more from their government officials – proactive customer service, streamlined services and personalization. Moreover, they are wanting this online.
These rising expectations may be traced back to the evolution of the customer experience in the private sector, like Amazon providing seamless one-click transactions and Netflix intuitively curating ques based on your personal preferences and viewing history. These customer experiences are built to delight and excite customers. As a result, constituents expect this superior treatment from any business they interact with.
Here are five ways you can better drive constituent satisfaction:
1. Be transparent
Keep constituents informed and up-to-date on their various business matters by providing open lines of communication. When your constituents know where they stand and what still needs to be done, you can ensure you’re on the same page and align your goals.
2. Be efficient
Recognize that helping your constituents reach their business goals in a timely manner requires effective collaboration. Constituents learn from experience, so if you respond to requests quickly they will follow suit, resulting in increased efficiency for both of you.
3. Be accountable
Take responsibility for your decisions and actions. Simply put, do what you say you’re doing to do. Constituents need to know that you’ll be a reliable partner who’s holding up their end of the bargain in any situation.
4. Be accessible
Searching endlessly for contact information or a guide on how to file a permit isn’t an enjoyable experience. People appreciate direct access to information and user-friendly features. Make yourself available and listen to the needs of your constituents.
5. Be Online
To drive satisfaction with constituents, a government has to meet them where they are, and where they expect you to be. In 2021 and beyond, the expectation is to allow constituents to do business with the government online. From applying for a new permit to renewing existing ones, people are beginning to expect to do this online. It is thus important to ensure that your government has the capability to do so.
Serving constituents is truly a lesson in customer service, so treat your constituents the way you’d want to be treated as a customer.
Now, let’s look at three benefits of meeting constituent expectations by augmenting your permitting, licensing and code enforcement workflows with a modern citizen services software.
Happy residents & staff
- Having the ability to file permit applications from the comfort of home saves time for residents and your staff. Instead of going to city hall or picking up the phone, constituents can simply submit an application in the online portal.
- Seeing your investment in a modern technology platform that directly benefits residents will make constituents feel like their tax dollars are being put to good use. They’ll actually be able to experience their return on investment and will be more inclined to do business with you in the future.
- Redirect time spent on administrative tasks to strategic initiatives. Your staff can focus its efforts on improving processes and accomplishing department goals, resulting in increased satisfaction and talent retention.
Enhanced reputation for your municipality
- Making the move to the cloud shows your constituents that you’re an innovative agency. Modern workflows and online access make you better equipped to adapt to change and more likely to go out and search for ways to continuously improve.
- Remove the friction for contractors by introducing a better way to tackle approvals and inspections. An agency that can confidently and seamlessly do business is more likely to attract large companies, meaning you’ll secure vital revenue streams for your agency.
- All of this can help build up a reputation for your municipality that you are ‘easy to do business with’ which can attract new businesses and development.
OpenGov Citizen Services
OpenGov and the OpenGov Citizen Services suite are revolutionizing the way government agencies are doing business with modern permitting, licensing and code enforcement solutions to benefit your constituents and government officials, alike.
Learn More
To learn more about constituent expectations vs. reality, what to look for in modern permitting technology and ways government leaders are utilizing OpenGov Citizen Services to maximize performance outcomes, watch our on-demand webinar or read the full eBook HERE.