BUFFALOBUFFALO311 CRM-CM Overview311 CRM-CM Overview

CITY OF BUFFALOCITY OF BUFFALODivision of Citizen ServicesDivision of Citizen Services

311 Overview311 Overview

The 311 system will be a “one-stop shopping” center for access to city services, city information and non-emergency police services. Residents can call 311 to report service needs, check the status of previous service requests, obtain information regarding city programs or events and take care of non-emergency police matters. Service requests can also be submitted to the city utilizing the Internet.

The Advantage of 311The Advantage of 311

By simply dialing 3-1-1, City of Buffalo citizens, visitors and guests can receive customer-friendly access to information regarding city programs or events and take care of non-emergency police matters.

Buffalo’s 311 MissionBuffalo’s 311 Mission

To provide citizens of the City of Buffalo with access to city services, city information and non-emergency police services with the highest possible levels of customer service. Our 311 Call Center will strive to help City agencies provide efficient service delivery by allowing them to focus on their core missions and manage workloads efficiently, while providing insight into the needs of residents and ensuring that accurate and consistent services are delivered citywide to improve the quality of life for the citizens of Buffalo, New York.

Goals for Buffalo’s 311Goals for Buffalo’s 311

Buffalo’s 311 will:Buffalo’s 311 will: Simplify citizen access to city services and informationSimplify citizen access to city services and information Enable city employees to deliver services more effectivelyEnable city employees to deliver services more effectively Track requests for service delivery from inception to Track requests for service delivery from inception to completioncompletion Provide access to city services by voice, e-mail and the Provide access to city services by voice, e-mail and the webweb

Overall, Buffalo’s 311 will provide Overall, Buffalo’s 311 will provide efficientefficient and easy to use and easy to use equal access for individuals and organizations while equal access for individuals and organizations while empowering our employees to have a more efficient empowering our employees to have a more efficient knowledge base to accommodate the caller’s request.knowledge base to accommodate the caller’s request.

Closing the Service GapClosing the Service Gap

Citizen Relationship ManagementCitizen Relationship Management Establishment of the proper Establishment of the proper

infrastructure to increase citizen value infrastructure to increase citizen value and satisfaction while improving internal and satisfaction while improving internal handling of requests for service:handling of requests for service: Understand citizen’s service experience & expectationsUnderstand citizen’s service experience & expectations Improve inter-agency communications and data Improve inter-agency communications and data

sharingsharing Identify ways to reduce the cost of doing businessIdentify ways to reduce the cost of doing business Target use of technology to improve customer serviceTarget use of technology to improve customer service Leverage existing resources (staffing, facilities, etc.) to Leverage existing resources (staffing, facilities, etc.) to

support an enterprise citizen response strategysupport an enterprise citizen response strategy

Before Buffalo 311Before Buffalo 311

300+ published phone numbers to access non-300+ published phone numbers to access non-emergency City servicesemergency City services

The city provides traditional municipal The city provides traditional municipal government services including:government services including:

PolicePolice FireFire Public WorksPublic Works Corporation CounselCorporation Counsel Regulatory Services (Inspections, Licensing, Zoning, etc.)Regulatory Services (Inspections, Licensing, Zoning, etc.) Office of Strategic Planning (OSP)Office of Strategic Planning (OSP) Assessment and TaxationAssessment and Taxation Department of Community Services Department of Community Services City ClerkCity Clerk Other various City DepartmentsOther various City Departments

Consequences of the “Status Consequences of the “Status Quo”Quo”

Inability to cost effectively meet the challenge of Inability to cost effectively meet the challenge of a city built of diverse communities & decreasing a city built of diverse communities & decreasing citizen satisfaction.citizen satisfaction.

Inconsistent, incomplete & inaccurate data Inconsistent, incomplete & inaccurate data hinders governmental policy and decision makers hinders governmental policy and decision makers in their decision making and prioritization efforts.in their decision making and prioritization efforts.

Ad hoc, incremental investments in similar tools Ad hoc, incremental investments in similar tools & incompatible, silo systems.& incompatible, silo systems.

Continued use of 9-1-1 for non-emergency calls Continued use of 9-1-1 for non-emergency calls and missed opportunities to direct more police and missed opportunities to direct more police time towards crime prevention & emergency time towards crime prevention & emergency preparedness activities.preparedness activities.

Unable to mitigate the impact of future federal, Unable to mitigate the impact of future federal, state and local budget challenges.state and local budget challenges.

311 Call Cycle311 Call Cycle

311 Center

6,500 calls per

month on average.

Calls Received in 2006: Over 85,000

Calls

Service RequestIntake

Service requests are routed to

the appropriate City

Department

Information Request

DepartmentalAction

Resolution

Buffalo’s 311 GuaranteeBuffalo’s 311 GuaranteeBy dialing 311 for any information and non-emergency city services, our citizens will be able to:

•Get Answers

•Agents will be trained to get the information our citizens want.

•If they don’t have the answer, they’ll look for someone who does.

•Get Action

•Many service requests can be filled out for callers, making it easier than ever for them to get help.

•The requests include tracking numbers so they can follow up on their report.

•Get to the Point

•311 is not just a switchboard, it’s where people can get results. For many callers, a 311 agent will be the first and only person they will need to talk to for a particular problem.

311 Cities Across the 311 Cities Across the NationNation

*Information current as of January 2005.

Buffalo’s 311 VisionBuffalo’s 311 Vision

The 311 system will be fully transparent and will foster accountability. This transparency will make it possible for residents to track the progress of their requests, allow managers to establish customer service goals and oversee the work of their department, enable local elected officials to monitor the delivery of services to their constituents, and help city administrators render informed decisions regarding the allocation of resources based upon the identification of emerging trends.