Arkansas Enhances Efficiency With Tyler Technologies
Organization Profile
- Population: 3,011,524 (2020 Census)
- Client Since: 1997
- Solutions Used: Regulatory Licensing & Permitting
- Profile: Arkansas, “The Natural State,” partners with Tyler Technologies to modernize government services. Nearly 500 state agencies and local governments use Tyler’s solutions to enhance the resident experience, create efficiencies, and improve outcomes for Arkansas’ more than 3 million residents.
Challenge
The majority of agencies, boards, and commissions within the Arkansas Department of Labor and Licensing (ADLL) had unique online application/renewal systems that were not unified. Many were still relying on expensive and time-consuming means to manage the workload, including mailing correspondence and certificates to residents, evaluating and processing stacks of forms in monthly board meetings, and accepting paper checks for payment.
The manual paper processes, combined with backend systems that were disconnected and lacked modern capabilities, and which only a few employees had knowledge of, led to a difficult user experience, long lead times, and inefficient use of tax dollars.
Solution
In an effort to improve the state’s delivery of services to residents and streamline budgetary and administrative efficiencies, Governor Asa Hutchinson signed the Transformation and Efficiencies Act into law in 2019, forming the ADLL. Thanks to a grant, Tyler Technologies’ Regulatory Permitting & Licensing software was provided free of charge to the ADLL. This software created a single technology solution for all licensing entities to use, making it much easier for license holders to apply for or renew their licenses online.
Results
Regulatory Permitting & Licensing has had major impacts in many categories. Since early 2021, the ADLL has eliminated nearly 400,000 pieces of paper, saved more than $900,000, and reduced employee workload by 70%. The Board of Electrical Examiners saw an 85% decrease in turnaround times, from more than three months to just an average of five days, meaning residents could generally go to work within the same week as applying for or renewing their license. Along with a major reduction in processing times, a sizeable chunk of savings came from the Board of Electrical Examiners, who within the first full year of processing license applications and renewals online, eliminated 7,000 paper checks, equaling a 93% decrease in manual processing and $92,000 savings in employee labor. Not to be outdone, mailing expenses decreased by a whopping 99%, totaling another $12,000 in savings on paper and postage. Finally, administrative staff saw their workload decrease by 69%, giving them the bandwidth to help and support other licensing entities.
Conclusion
Arkansas chose Tyler to address inefficiencies with manual paper-based processes and outdated technology. This partnership has transformed the department with a 70% reduction in staff workload, elimination of nearly 400,000 pieces of paper, and more than $900,000 in savings. Turnaround times for licensing electricians were reduced from three months to five days, enabling them to get to work faster. This modernization enhanced efficiency, improved user experience, and ensured better utilization of tax dollars, successfully overhauling the ADLL’s licensing processes.