How can citizen request software promote public engagement?

‍

Citizen request software offers a platform for citizens to raise their concerns, offer feedback, or place a request and seek resolution and support.

Citizens tend to expect a swift response to their queries and resolutions to their problems.

However, a Forrester study shows that only 45% of citizens find it easy to get information, services, or benefits from the federal government.

A suitable citizen engagement platform helps sort the challenge by promoting direct communication between the government and citizens. As it allows citizens to place their requests 24/7 and keep track of the actions taken, it improves citizen satisfaction and trust in the government.

The article sheds light on different ways governments can use citizen request software to drive public engagement and effective governance.

Understanding the need for citizen request software

Citizens and government agencies experience several challenges when it comes to civic engagement.

Traditionally, citizens had to navigate the maze of bureaucratic procedures and make several in-person visits to place their service requests.
On the other hand, with manual workflows, the government response time is perceived to be high.
Also, people feel disconnected from the government as there is a lack of visibility and transparency in the processes.

However, citizens expect the government to service their requests swiftly and efficiently. A KPMG study shows that around 75% of citizens believe that they are customers of a government agency. So, they tend to expect public sector organizations to act with the speed, personalization, and accessibility of a private firm.

In this context, citizen request software offers a convenient platform for the public to raise their requests and keep a tab on their progress. By routing the requests automatically to the relevant authorities, it helps reduce response time.

On top of it, there is greater transparency in the process as citizens can track the status of their requests.

Key features of citizen request software

The following are some of the core features and functionalities of citizen request software:

1. User-friendly interface

The government chat platform has a simple, easy-to-use interface. It enables citizens with limited technical abilities to easily place requests, offer feedback, and report issues. The software can gather requests from different communication channels like live chat, email, SMS, social media, etc.

‍

2. Security features

The citizen request platforms have secure collaboration tools like encrypted messaging, role-based access, and multi-factor authentication. This helps ensure the privacy and integrity of citizen data and avoid breaches.

3. Seamless flow

When citizens place requests, they are directed automatically to the appropriate departments based on the pre-defined criteria and create approval tasks.

4. Real-time notifications

The software provides real-time alerts and notifications regarding the actions taken on the requests. It notifies citizens at every step of the process from request submission until resolution.

5. Mobile access

The government messaging platform allows citizens to place service requests, communicate with the stakeholders, and make necessary updates over a mobile app.

6. Resident dashboard

A user-friendly dashboard allows citizens to sign in and take stock of the requests by providing real-time status updates.

7. Open-source

Open-source platforms are often easy to scale and customize as per specific needs. For example, when there is a spike in citizen requests, they can be scaled to handle without major disruptions. Organizations can also change the look and feel of the interface.

Must-know benefits of implementing citizen request software

Here are the core benefits of digitizing public services through a citizen engagement platform:

1. Quick response

The software helps government departments streamline citizen requests and connect them to relevant departments and authorities. The automated workflow enables the government departments to process the issues with reduced effort and time. It also allows them to focus on delivering a quick response to citizen requests.

2. Enhances transparency

As soon as citizens place their requests, support tickets, and approval tasks. Citizens can track the status of their requests and queries in real time. All these enhance the transparency of citizen service and hold the relevant authorities accountable for responding to the requests.

3. Access to citizen data

Citizen request management software offers extensive data on citizen needs, concerns, and preferences. Governments can use the data to predict potential problems and take proactive measures to solve them before they escalate to become a serious concern.

They can also use the data to assess the performance of different agencies and improve the quality of their service delivery.

4. Boosts citizen trust

The software helps citizens place their requests to government authorities through a quick, easy process. The automated workflow enables the authorities to handle large request volumes swiftly.

As their requests get addressed promptly, citizens feel heard and acknowledged. They tend to rely upon and trust government agencies. As a case in point, a Forrester study shows that only 40% of citizens have trust in the government processes. The right citizen request software helps the government secure citizen trust and boost their satisfaction.

5. Encourages citizen participation

The citizen request software provides a platform and process for citizens to engage with government agencies. The convenience and enhanced accessibility motivate them to share their feedback or place a service request without any hesitation.

The increased participation instills a sense of accountability and responsibility in their minds. It also helps government agencies make informed decisions and strategies which improve the quality of outcomes.

6. Enhances accessibility

The platform can be accessed easily via mobile apps enabling citizens to place their requests anytime. The increased scope of direct interaction and 24/7 accessibility drives stronger citizen engagement.

Also, most citizen engagement software systems have features that address language barriers, disability needs, etc. This drives inclusion and offers equal opportunities for the citizens to participate in government decisions and initiatives.

Elevate citizen experience and build trust with Rocket.Chat

Citizen request software helps government agencies improve response times, transparency, and accessibility of public services. The platform plays a crucial role in meeting the expectations of a digitally empowered population.

Rocket.Chat is a leading citizen communication platform designed with advanced security, collaborative, and customizable features. It is also trusted by several government agencies across the globe, including the US Department of Defense (DoD).

The platform offers several key features that make it well-suited for streamlining government chat and improving public services:

Rocket.Chat meets strict data security standards required by government agencies, with end-to-end encryption, ISO 27001 certification, and compliance with regulations like GDPR, CCPA, LGPD, and HIPAA.
It provides full data sovereignty, allowing organizations to choose from self-hosted, air-gapped, or secure cloud deployment options.

The open-sourced, omnichannel platform enables government agencies to receive citizen inquiries via different channels like email, SMS, Twitter, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger in a unified interface.

The platform facilitates easier, faster, and more intuitive communication among government employees.

Government agencies can implement Rocket.Chat's in-app chat to provide a great conversational experience.
The chat can be white-labeled to match the app's branding and integrated with other systems used by the organization.

The tool is highly scalable and flexible, allowing organizations to customize and extend the platform to fit their specific needs.
It offers open APIs, powerful plugins, and webhooks to integrate with existing tools easily.

Contact Rocket.Chat now!