Page 24 - GCN, Jun/July 2016

SERVING THE CITIZEN
HOW GOVERNMENTS USE TECHNOLOGY
TO BETTER SERVE CITIZENS
Government agencies could learn a thing or two from private enterprise
about streamlining serviT
ce delivery.
HERE’S NO DOUBT technology is having a tremendous impact on how government agencies engage with their citizens. An emboldened level of citizen expectation for streamlined
multi-year push to modernize their IT infra- structure. The year 2015 saw dramatic shifts in governments’ willingness to implement cloud technology, which is not only delivering budget cost savings, but is also helping agencies move faster and with greater flexibility.
Citizen-facing software, apps and services are connecting residents, tourists and businesses directly to government services, and fostering greater community engagement and satisfaction in the process. The adoption of mobile 311 apps, online portals and easy online access to civic data are all ways government agencies are demonstrat- ing their commitment to innovation and service delivery in a modern and efficient way.
Working Together
Consolidating government services is emerging across the country as a means to provide services more efficiently and improve the quality and
type of services individual agencies might not be able to offer on their own. Collaboration helps public agencies move away from a traditional IT approach and increasingly make use of shared services offered by a common—and usually cloud-based—platform. This is a trend poised for growth. In fact, according to a report by PwC, the potential value of the sharing or collaborative economy will total $335 billion by 2025.
For many cities, embracing innovation has become the critical differentiator in being able to not only attract residents and businesses, but also continue to deliver ongoing value and provide rea- sons for those residents to stay. The technological tools to more effectively serve citizens are here— and with them, the ability to thrive as connected, innovative and efficient government agencies.
Maury Blackman is the President and CEO of Accela.
SPONSORED CONTENT
MAURY BLACKMAN
PRESIDENT AND CEO, ACCELA
service delivery and transparency has pushed local governments to explore innovative solutions to keep up with residents’ demands.
Innovators such as Amazon, Facebook and Uber have dramatically shaped how consumers and citizens expect to be served—from tracking de- liveries and requests to offering speedy service and timely product feedback. Government leaders are now turning to technological developments to offer a similar seamless experience, and it’s changing the landscape of citizen satisfaction and interaction.
Delivering New Value for Citizens
While streamlining processes and efficiencies is not a new pursuit, there is a distinct
shift occurring with agencies, pushing the possibilities of technology to help them become truly connected with their communities. This has far-reaching impacts on both business
and personal lives. The demand is growing to deploy technologies that improve intra-office processes, as well as apps and software that create direct lines of communication between governments and citizens. Not surprisingly, this deeper, more comprehensive civic engagement is becoming the new reality, and increasingly expected by citizens throughout the country.
Becoming Proactive and Predictive
Technology and solution providers are working with government agencies to deliver solutions that put information and access directly into citizens’ hands, when and where they want it, and even before they know they need it. To fully achieve this, governments are embarking on a
S-20