Riding the Wave of Efficiency: Huntington Beach’s Parks & Recreation Success with CivicPlus
City:
Huntington Beach, CAPopulation:
198,711Products:
Making Waves in Community Engagement and Efficiency
Located on the sun-soaked coast of Southern California, Huntington Beach is a lively community known for its expansive parks, active lifestyle, and world-famous surfing culture. The city’s Community & Library Services Department plays a pivotal role in supporting the recreational needs of its diverse residents, from organizing sports leagues to offering art classes and community events. However, as the community’s needs grew, the limitations of the solution had in place at the time, became increasingly apparent. This challenge set the department on a path toward finding a new solution that would streamline their operations and improve the community’s user experience, a goal that led them to CivicPlus.
Outdated Processes and Limited Online Access
The Huntington Beach Community & Library Services Department initially relied on a system which, according to Eric Barraza, Community and Library Services Supervisor, had limitations that became apparent over time.
The system was outdated and didn't provide the efficiency we needed. Our staff had to rely on manual workarounds to complete simple tasks, and the user interface was not intuitive, making it challenging for our team to set up classes and manage registrations.
Eric Barraza
Community and Library Services Supervisor
Setting up each class took an average of 30 minutes per session, significantly impacting the department’s efficiency. This inefficiency, combined with an increasing demand for digital services, prompted Huntington Beach to seek a more modern, flexible recreation management system,” he says
A Seamless Transition to CivicPlus
Following a comprehensive search process, the City of Huntington Beach chose to implement CivicPlus’ Recreation Management solution. Barraza noted,
“We needed a system that was intuitive, adaptable, and capable of growing with our community’s demands.”
CivicPlus provided the functionality Huntington Beach required, offering an improved user interface and a streamlined workflow for setting up classes and managing facilities. Since switching to CivicPlus, the setup time for each class has been reduced from 30 minutes to just 5 minutes, a time savings that allows staff to manage programs more efficiently and focus on enhancing resident engagement.
Transformative Results: Time Savings, Increased Revenue, and Community Independence
Since implementing CivicPlus’ Recreation Management solution, Huntington Beach has experienced significant operational and financial benefits:
- Time Saved in Program Setup: The streamlined class setup process in CivicPlus’ Recreation Management solution has reduced setup time per session from 30 minutes to 5 minutes, allowing staff to allocate time to more impactful tasks.
- Increased Revenue and Participation: By October 2024, the Community and Library Services had already exceeded their revenue from the previous year, underscoring increased program participation and the effectiveness of CivicPlus’ registration processes.
- Shifts to Online Registrations for Senior Registrants: CivicPlus’ Recreation Management solution has empowered senior participants to register independently online, significantly reducing the need for in-person registrations at the senior center. This shift not only minimizes lines but also frees up staff time for other duties, improving both efficiency and resident satisfaction.
- Fast and Reliable Customer Support: CivicPlus’ customer support has been highly responsive, typically replying within an hour or two. Barraza emphasized the importance of this support in maintaining smooth operations, stating, “Their quick response time makes it much easier for us to resolve issues promptly, ensuring minimal disruption for our team and the community.”
Barraza highlighted these operational improvements, saying,
With CivicPlus' Rec Management, our team is now able to focus on providing excellent service to our residents rather than struggling with inefficient software. We've seen increased satisfaction both internally and externally.
Eric Barraza
Community and Library Services Supervisor
A Brighter Future for Huntington Beach Parks & Recreation with CivicPlus
Reflecting on their experience, Huntington Beach’s Community & Library Services Department is optimistic about their ongoing partnership with CivicPlus.
The switch to Recreation Management has not only improved our day-to-day operations but has also provided us with a robust platform that can adapt as our city grows.
Eric Barraza
Community and Library Services Supervisor
The department looks forward to exploring additional features within CivicPlus to further enhance their service offerings and streamline operations. With CivicPlus, Huntington Beach is well-positioned to continue evolving its recreational services, strengthening community engagement, and ensuring a high quality of life for all residents.