Effective Technology and Management Practices

for the Development and Implementation of

Citizen Call Centers

Public Technology Institute

1301 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Suite 830, Washington, DC 20004 www.pti.org

2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword...............................................................................................................3Introduction...........................................................................................................4A Seamless Approach to Government Call Centers:Focusing on Service Delivery

Corpus Christi, Texas

............................................................................................6Providing Excellence in Service: The Greensboro Contact Center

Greensboro, North Carolina

................................................................................20311 Call Center Implementation: One Call Plus One RequestEquals a Proactive and Responsive City Government

Kansas City, Missouri

..........................................................................................30New York City 311 Customer Service Center

New York, New York

...........................................................................................38NYCHA’s Centralized Call Center

New York City Housing Authority

........................................................................43Additional Resource:

311/CRM Project Coordinating Group

......................................................................47About PTI............................................................................................................49

FOREWORD

Many local governments are looking at how Citizen Call Centers and 311/CitizenRelationship Management (CRM) systems can be used to deliver services moreeffectively within their communities. For citizens, call centers provide quick and easyaccess to government. For local government leaders, these centers keep them in touchwith their constituency, providing real-time data on requests for services within anygiven geographic area and timeframe.As powerful as call center technology can be, unfortunately, much of its potentialremains untapped. In some cases, this is due to ineffective strategies (for example,where not all departments or agencies have bought into the concept) as well asconfusion surrounding the different roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders.To help alleviate some of this confusion, particularly among chief elected and appointedofficials in local government, PTI presents

Effective Technology and Management Practices for the Development and Implementation of Citizen Call Centers.

This paper provides an overview of the implementation strategies and results of five PTI member local governments and agencies: Corpus Christi, Texas; Greensboro, North Carolina;Kansas City, Missouri; New York, New York; and the New York City Housing Authority.In 2008 PTI launched the “Citizen-Engaged Community” designation program. Throughthis initiative, PTI will promote both an incentive and a guide for local governments toconnect their citizen contact and service delivery systems through improved processesand technology, while encouraging more active participation by citizens in governmentperformance management and reporting.This collection of case studies was compiled as part of this effort. Information on thisexciting new program is available at www.pti.org.

Sincerely,Alan Shark, Executive Director Public Technology InstituteNovember 2008