Access to Minneapolis Services a Click Away With 311 Web Tools

When the City of Minneapolis launched 311 in 2006, it made it easier than ever for people to access city services and information. Now 311 is now becoming more than just a phone number. By visiting www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/311/, residents and visitors can submit service requests to the city through 311 without even picking up the phone.

Dozens of service requests are already available on 311's Web site, and the number is growing all the time. The forms help people report or request a wide range of things, including:

• Pothole reporting
• Traffic sign and signal repair requests
• Graffiti reporting
• Street light repair requests
• Parking meter problems
• Animal control complaints
• Abandoned vehicle complaints

Service requests are sent directly to the relevant City departments. When you submit a request, you are given an estimate of how long the problem will take to fix and a tracking number so you can follow up on the request if you like.

Minneapolis 311 agents answered 343,428 calls during 2006, the first year of operation for the simple three-digit telephone number that gives easier access than ever to City information and services. That's nearly a phone call for every resident of Minneapolis. As part of the city's commitment to providing top-notch customer service to people who live, work, and play in Minneapolis, 311 also met its goal of answering more than 90 percent of calls in less than 20 seconds. The average wait time for callers to speak to an agent was just 10 seconds.

Most of the calls were for information about the city and its services. The top four areas of inquiry were:

• Public safety - 22.6 percent (of calls for information)
• Housing - 13.25 percent
• Licenses and permits - 12.8 percent
• Garbage and recycling - 12.5 percent

About 16 percent of calls were from callers who wanted to submit service requests to the city. During 2006, 61,720 service requests were entered by 311 agents. The top four service requests were:

• Graffiti reporting (9,631 requests)
• Exterior nuisance complaints (7,976 requests)
• Abandoned vehicle reports (6,815 requests)
• Animal complaints (5,041 requests)