Government Technology

Why Do You Need a 311 Contact Center?


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June 4, 2009 By

A 311 call-center model has emerged as a proven standard for municipal communications in numerous cities throughout the world. There are many reasons why a 311 contact center is a critical component in the efficient delivery of effective e-government. For example, opportunities exist to divert calls from the 911 emergency call center, improve citizen service, and better manage costs and budgets.

Consider the following questions to determine if you should consider creating a dedicated 311 contact center to serve your community:

  • Is your 911 contact center overwhelmed by nonemergency calls?
  • Do citizens constantly complain because they are dissatisfied with the way you provide information or respond to requests for services?
  • Are you always struggling to stay within contact center budgets amid ever-increasing citizen demands?
  • Do you feel like meaningful improvement cannot be made because you can't identify the true causes of operational inefficiencies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then establishing a dedicated 311 contact center to serve as an "interaction hub" for citizens, businesses and other government customers is worthy of serious consideration. However, simply diverting calls from 911 contact centers will solve only a small percentage of the overall challenge. Far broader opportunities exist to dramatically transform the citizen interaction experience in a more cost-effective manner. Here are some of the benefits of a 311 center and basic guidelines to follow when implementing one.

 

Reduction of 911 Call-Center Congestion

In the absence of a 311 contact center, a large number of calls to a 911 call center concerning noncritical situations, inquiries and requests can negatively impact its overall efficiency and effectiveness. Thus, a 311 contact center represents a way to deflect nonemergency calls from an overburdened emergency police, medical and fire contact center.


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