How and Why Online Solutions Meet Constituent Expectations
March 29, 2023 by Julie Breaux
Online capabilities set the bar for customer service — from retail to banking and the public sector. Virtual technology is replacing in-person permitting at the city counter because customers expect online options for everything from banking to ordering groceries. The City of Rancho Cordova, California, replaced legacy systems with convenient and transparent enterprise community development and business management software to meet constituent and staff expectations.
In two phases, Rancho Cordova chose Tyler Technologies' solutions and deployed Enterprise Permitting & Licensing with Civic Access, a community-facing web portal, and Decision Engine, an application wizard. Business and pet licensing through Civic Access went live in March 2020. Community development modules for building permits, planning, public works, and Decision Engine, launched in August of 2020.
They learned a few best practices during deployment and offered their insights in a recent webinar. We're sharing Rancho Cordova's best advice on a successful implementation strategy, including incorporating front counter-to-customer information exchange into the web portal experience.
Before deploying Enterprise Permitting & Licensing, Jessica Crone, management analyst for the city, noted how frustration led to change. "Customers struggled to select the correct application type online. They weren't sure what type of business license or permit to submit. Customers were getting frustrated." Crone explained how a better customer experience and the city's rapid growth prompted the switch to a centralized platform.
The Best Advice on Implementation Strategy
Implement an Online Community Portal With an Application Wizard
A portal's integrated platform opens communication and visibility across contributors, while an application wizard intuitively steers users toward timesaving, correct application types.
"Decision Engine solved our main issue of confused applicants frequently submitting wrong application types,” Crone said. Decision Engine's simple interface navigates applicants through thousands of lines of an ordinance in minutes. After implementing this solution, the city saw a 76% decrease in the wrong application types, saving staff time and making their customers happy.
Approach the Order of Configuration With Purpose
Crone suggested configuring Civic Access first to simplify the configuration of Decision Engine. She explained, "Civic Access has all your case types, such as permits and licenses. Configure your case types first, so it points to those case types when you configure Decision Engine." Easily configure Civic Access data before Decision Engine for a smoother implementation.
Gather Input From the Best Sources
Include staff expertise to configure Civic Access and Decision Engine. Crone suggested, "Talk to your front-counter staff to gather the types of questions customers normally ask that lead them to the right applications." Front-counter staff helped lay out all the questions asked to the customers and successfully outlined the different routes to different application types. The right questions help guide applicants based on their answers.
Go For It!
Most importantly, Crone encourages city leaders to implement the technology. Customers expect online planning and development options. Staff relies on digital workflows to shorten those processes. "We wish we had started with Decision Engine from the start. We recommend it!"
Conclusion
Online technology sets the bar higher — calling for digital permitting and licensing from anywhere at any time. Legacy-reliant cities are now embracing technology that accelerates development with digital workflows and 24/7 online access. Make it easier to do business with local government. Crone said it best -"You're empowered to do the configuration on the fly. You don't have to wait — go for it."