We've talked a lot recently about the benefits of having a government CRM but now let's talk about all the features you want to look for in the best CRM. Rock Solid's OneView, Constituent Relationship Manager contains all of these components, and they are so critical to managing your constituents and ensuring that every aspect of your agency functions at a high level of performance.
Constituent Management Database
The first thing your government CRM should have is a database where you can quickly access information about citizens and complaints they've filed. Being able to go back in and look at complaints from the past allows you to identify deeper issues that may require more attention. It also permits you as government leaders to diagnose problems and solve them permanently rather than bandaging them until the problem arises again.
Open and Active Communication with Constituents
Your government CRM needs an avenue of open communication between you and your constituents. The best CRM will provide citizens with a place where they can go to voice their concerns, no matter how big or small they are.
This communication platform should make it incredibly simple for them to quickly access and file the complaint without having to jump through hoops. Our OneLink, mobile engagement experience allows your residents and businesses to immediately file a complaint with the department leader and discuss the problem in as much detail as they like.
Self-Service Portal for Constituents
In addition to communication platforms, the constituents need a place where they can go to find information about your local area. A CRM is not all about complaints and issues; sometimes, residents are looking for more information about events and activities going on in your local area. Maybe they have a question about something, and they can't find the answer readily available online.
You, as government leaders can import and upload information about things going on in your local area.
For example, residents can access the app to find out information about things like road closures, detours, park hours, garbage and recycling days, and more. All of this allows citizens to get the information they need without having to interact with an operator. This process saves the agency money, and it still gives the constituents what they need.
Dashboards for Agency Members
A government CRM isn't all about the citizens either; it's also about making things simpler and more effective for your agency. When information is confusing or indirect, it is difficult for agency members to complete tasks effectively. A CRM dashboard like the one on OneView gives agency leaders a place where they can go to run through tasks that need to get completed quickly. Officials can check them off as they go.
This process prevents confusion or missed tasks because everything is available in an easy to understand dashboard. Having a simple CRM also makes it easier to implement these changes without frustrating your staff members. When the training is simple, and the CRM is easy to understand, it will not slow down your team members.
Task Management
When a complaint or issue comes in from a constituent, it goes into a list of tasks that need to get completed by a specific agency. The staff member can then quickly toggle through everything that needs to get done in a simple and easy to understand manner. If a task requires additional information or more attention, they could bypass it and come back to it later.
As tasks get completed, they can then let the residents know that their concern is solved and they can then move onto the next thing.
Knowledge Database/Analytics
Analytics are everything, and we understand how important data is to the success of a government agency. The best CRM should have a knowledge database where you can go back and see how things were handled in the past. A good CRM allows you to take notes and import information about the job so you can check up on previous complaints similar to the new one.
Mobile Optimization and App
You want to be mobile-friendly not only for your constituents but also for your agency members. When someone is out of their office on a job, they can receive notifications about new jobs that are popping up, and they can quickly respond to them from anywhere around the city. This factor makes for a faster and more effective response rate to complaints.
Integration with Current Systems
As we've said, the goal is not to replace any current systems you already have in place but instead to enhance them. We want to improve upon what you're already doing so the changes aren't shocking to the system of your employees. All agency members should be able to transition into using a CRM from their current process easily, and after a little training, their job should become much easier and more enjoyable.
