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# Citizen Request Management

What is a 311 CRM Solution?

Learn how a 311 CRM solution can help you manage and respond to resident requests.

Authored by Civic Plus Logo

CivicPlus

March 4, 2019
10 min

Civic service exists in many forms for government. From election coordination to funding allocations to public works, successful governing means listening, responding, and reacting. In an era where residents expect the convenience of on-demand, any device connectivity from brands, public entities, and resources, the number and variety of channels residents want to use to reach their leaders to issue requests, inquiries, and suggestions have never been greater. While government leaders used to resort to time-consuming manual documentation and follow-up processes to manage and respond to requests, modern 311 CRM solutions are helping to automate critical aspects of resident service.

What Is 311 CRM Software?

311 CRM software solutions enable automated and streamlined resident service delivery for governments. In many areas, 311 remains a phone number that residents can call for information about services and issue community-based requests, such as reporting that a street light has burned out. Modern 311 CRM tools have amplified the capabilities of the traditional 311 phone number, creating fully integrated internal and external communication and request maintenance tracking tools.

Turn Requests into Work Orders

One of the most significant challenges for government leaders is successfully facilitating the number and variety of service requests that exist today. Where residents used to commonly call or walk into a public office to report graffiti or potholes, today they need a contactless solution that is easy for their leaders to receive and track and that remains visible to the requesting resident.

The most advanced 311 CRM solutions give residents a convenient mobile interface to submit service and repair requests. From there, government leaders can convert relevant messages into trackable service requests for public works and other departments, ensuring accountability and transparency. It is within this model, in which resident requests become automated, trackable work orders, that governments find the greatest workflow and data management efficiency and that residents benefit from the most transparency and expedited responses.

How Does 311 CRM Technology Benefit Municipalities?

For government leaders, modern 311 CRM software solutions offer:

  • Consolidation of service requests into a single management hub
  • The ability to respond to residents more timely
  • The ability to convert resident inquiries directly into internal service requests
  • Automated follow-ups with internal departments until service requests are complete
  • Automated follow-ups with the requesting residents when work is complete
  • Insightful data that can be used to identify trends in resident concerns and community repair issues
  • A high level of transparency and responsiveness to resident needs
  • Streamlined public works request management and operations
  • A greater ability to meet the growing desire for residents to digitally self-service their needs
  • The ability to conserve limited staffing funds by automating workflows that formerly needed to be managed manually by staff

How Does 311 CRM Technology Benefit Residents?

In an era where the public’s expectations for government responsiveness have never been higher, with modern 311 CRM software solutions that residents benefit from:

  • An intuitive tool to submit service requests
  • Transparency into the request management process
  • Guaranteed follow-up and response
  • Direct access to civic leaders
  • The ability to report issues when identified and even include photos and geotagged locations for streamlined request documentation accuracy.

Learn more about 311 CRM solutions from CivicPlus.

Written by

Authored by Civic Plus Logo

CivicPlus