Winslow digitizes citizen request processes to fulfill 8,400 annual request submittals

At A Glance

The Town of Winslow identified the need to improve resident request submittal and fulfillment processes. By digitizing citizen request processes, Winslow was able to better fulfill 8,400 requests annually and enhance communication between departments.

Challenge

The Town of Winslow, NJ (pop. 40,000) is focused on continual, data-driven improvement and set goals each year to improve internal processes and better serve its residents.

The town lacked visibility into resident interaction with town departments. Services prompted by a citizen request, like a pickup of bulk materials, required residents to visit in person or call, and it wasn't always clear what department handled which request. Separate paper-based processes for managing requests made passing information between departments difficult and inefficient. The paper-based process for managing 3,500 annual utility mark out requests even left the town vulnerable to fines from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

It was clear that the town needed a more efficient way to manage requests that was less time-consuming for residents and freed up time for town staff to perform other more complex tasks.

Solution

The town administration consolidated the systems used to track and document citizen requests and made submitting them more intuitive for residents, both with GOGov.

Rather than calling, residents can place a request that is automatically routed to the correct department and sends notifications using the mobile app, “My Winslow”. Staff can now pull up a list of a resident's interactions with the town to holistically answer questions or address concerns instead of transferring calls between departments. Requests like utility mark outs were also made simpler with the ability to tag important information to the digital service ticket to prove completion to the contractor or the state utility board.

The town has renewed its focus on continual, data-driven improvement with the ability for administration to access a request activity dashboard and narrow in on areas for improvement.

Outcomes

Outcome 1

Winslow’s digitization of its citizen request processes allowed the town to better document and fulfill 8,400 requests annually

Outcome 2

Residents can submit and keep updated on service requests via a service portal or mobile app

Outcome 3

Town staff can more efficiently respond to resident calls for updates on their request by having visibility on every interaction with the town’s departments

Outcome 4

Winslow’s administration can better manage department productivity and identify areas for improvement

Outcome 5

Digitizing request processes allows staff to better document tasks including notes and photos that can be used to prove completion to utility authorities