City of Philadelphia
Philly Rising Workshop Teaches Students to Shine at the Philly311 Youth Engagement Program
Philly Rising Youth Engagement Coordinator Alex Peay has a booming voice and immediately commands the room. Our session on Thursday, October 29th was smaller than other weeks due to an AVID awards ceremony that many of our participants were attending at the same time. But, the group we had was focused and very interested in the presentation and the activity that Alex had organized.
Alex opened by explaining what Philly Rising does and how it can help communities affect change. Then he began an ice breaker – the students had to line up in order of birth date without talking. This activity demonstrated how some people naturally want to lead the effort. He talked about leadership and how some students were inclined to take on a more active role trying to direct the group while others seemed to instinctively follow instructions.
After the ice breaker, Alex moved on to his presentation. He spoke to the children about self-branding and how even at their ages (11-18) people are already fitting them into an archetype. The way teachers deem you the class clown or neighbors know you to play music loudly at night for example. He explained that branding plays a significant role in the way that others view you, and what opportunities are available to you. We talked about celebrities, like Mike Vic, who had an extremely successful career until something completely unrelated to football, dog fighting, ruined his reputation and caused him to lose all of his contracts. He gave several other examples. He told the students that it is possible to change your brand, but it is important that you are consistent if you want people to know and respect your brand.
We also talked about the importance of networking. Alex defined networking for the students and he explained that everyone who comes through this program to talk to them can become part of their network. He then gave out his business cards and shared some of the nuances of networking, such as reaching out to people regularly to check in, not just when you need something. Alex used Michael Jordan as an example: “How many of you know who Michael Jordan is? Could you call him for a favor?” Alex asks. “Many people say, ‘It is not what you know, it’s who you know.’ I say, ‘It’s not who you know, but who knows you. Build your brand so people know you and think of you when opportunities arise.”
We closed the session with another exercise. The kids used pieces of paper as rocks and had to get everyone across the river (classroom floor) without touching the water/floor. It took several tries but in the end, the students realized that they had to plan ahead and work together to get everyone across the “river” and successfully complete the activity. It was really interesting to see them work through the process and assess through trial and error the best way to get across the river together.
It was really great to see how engaged the students were with Alex’s presentation. He caught their attention and talked about some important concepts in a way the youth could relate and understand.
The overall goal of the Philly311 Youth Engagement Program is to teach young people about local government and empower them to make a positive change in their community. By teaching them about leadership, branding, and networking we can empower them to take responsibility for themselves, and their neighborhood. Another major factor of our program is that we are humanizing government. Instead of government being some mysterious entity, we are showing students that government is run by people who are just like you. I think that by putting faces like Alex Peay and Joy Soto of the Youth Commission to City government we are really changing the way these students think about government. Hopefully, by meeting these different government employees and getting to know us, the students will be encouraged to work with local government and help make Philadelphia better for all of us.
National Customer Service Week: Day Two
A brief recap from yesterday’s great presentation from the General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, Darryll Adams:
There were a lot of takeaways from Adams’ presentation, but perhaps the most valuable element he brought was opening up the floor for questions and comments. For City workers, having an opportunity to ask a question to an expert outside of the public sector is incredibly valuable. Granted, not everything relates between the two, but the fundamental principles of customer service are universal. Adams pointed out that his employees—no matter if they are on or off the clock—are instilled with a customer-centered attitude. Even when we are not at work our friends, family, and neighbors know that we are city employees, therefore, our actions and attitude should reflect that in our day-to-day lives.
For many departments, customer service is not the highest priority, and that’s why workshops like Darryll’s are important; they are geared towards training and development of the every day heroes. These City employees came out to discuss the importance of quality customer service because they believe in their calling. Getting employees invested in your mission is directly connected to your efficiency. In a cyclical way, when your employees are invested and believe in what they are doing they provide better services and the customer satisfaction rate increases dramatically.
In the private sector, companies compete for customers. The choice of service provider helps keep companies working to improve their services. The customers of the City have their families here. People who choose to work for local government have decided to participate in the civic responsibilities of this city. That is an admirable commitment. Our motivations in the public sector are driven, not by competition, but by the desire to help build a better city for all of us. We want our customers to keep coming back to Philadelphia. As a place to live, start a new business, or to visit and enjoy.
National Customer Service Week: Day One
Today I asked a group of city workers, “why treat citizens like customers?” The answers were on the right track, but my question drove at a larger philosophy. I’ve spoken before about translating private sector practices to the public sector, but today it’s no longer a question about translating practices. Being customer facing, friendly, or centered is no longer a matter of adaptation but one that should be built into your company or organization’s vision. We treat citizens like customers because they are customers. Our citizens, often unknowing, are giving us feedback about their customer experience and shaping our interactions with them.
This is just one of the topics we touched on during my lecture today for national customer service week. As the week continues Philly311 will invite customer service experts to speak about best practices and how they are making their mark in customer service. Our communications unit has organized a series of workshops and lectures featuring Darryll Adams, General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, Stacey Mosley, Data Services Manager for the Office of Innovation and Technology, Layla El Tannir, Manager of Social Interactions, and Sarah Levitsky, Marketing & Special Events Manager, for Reading Terminal Market.
We look forward to hearing from all of the speaks.
Do you have any plans for customer service week? Share your plans with us!
Creating a Welcoming and Connected City: The story of Philly311’s Youth Engagement Program
A few weeks ago I posed a challenge to my Philly311 Customer Service Programs and Engagement Strategist, Amanda V. Wagner: Create a program that encourages young people to be civicly involved. Amanda leads the Philly311 Customer Service Programs and Strategies Unit which is responsible for Philly311’s customer service innovative programs and communications.
She was excited by the idea; however creating the program would be a challenge within itself. Daniel Ramos, Philly311’s Community Engagement Coordinator managed a similar program in the past with the 311 Youth Neighborhood Liaison Program. The experience that Daniel acquired during the 311 Youth Neighborhood Liaison Program would shape what recently became the Youth Engagement Program.
I strongly believe that by engaging young talent early we can help resolve future neighborhood problems, and encourage a younger generation to consider a career in government. At the core of Philly311’s philosophy is one simple idea. Philly311 connects citizens to city services and resources, and there is a plethora of city services available to people outside of what citizens see on a daily basis. We want to educate adults about those city related services, and especially kids who could benefit most from it.
For example, one of the organizations we have partnered with on the youth program, After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP), works to serve the 45,000 kids citywide that spend an average of “20-25 hours a week alone after school between 3pm and 6pm, the most dangerous time of day for youth according to the Police Department.” Organizations like ASAP are a huge resource to citizens and meet a significant need in the community.
The Philly311 Youth Engagement Program (Y.E.P) kicks off in July for five week sessions. Y.E.P’s programming will teach a group of early middle school kids how to interact with Philly311, including a discussion on our award winning mobile app, and how to engage with community resources. Y.E.P has partnered with several City of Philadelphia affiliated youth programs to provide a well-rounded roster of opportunities. Under the supervision of Amanda V. Wagner, and Director of Communications for Philly311 Customer Service, Gabriela Raczka, the program has created long lasting alliances with community partners.
I am grateful for a great Philly311 team that shares my passion for government customer service, and I’m looking forward to the feedback we’ll receive and the impact the program will create for the children of Philadelphia.
Philly311 named a 2015 United Nations Public Service Award Finalist
I am honored and excited that the City of Philadelphia Philly311 Contact Center was named a finalist for the 2015 United Nations Public Service Award in the category of “Improving the Delivery of Public Services.”
We have grown so much from our days as a startup organization serving 1.5 million residents, businesses, and visitors. The journey has had its challenges, but every step of the way we have learned something valuable about our operations. Today we have revolutionized the traditional 311 operations through a customer centric model. We are changing the culture of city government to be more collaborative, connected, and welcoming.
Philly311 knows that to deliver impeccable services we must meet our customers where they are. Knowing this, we have modernized our system through a new customer relationship management solution, and have taken large strides in connecting with our customers through social media and visual messaging.
In addition to a wide variety of community engagement initiatives we are very proud of our efforts seen through the 311 Neighborhood Liaison program, which has expanded and doubled within the last few years. Philly311 is also the first in the nation to have a mobile app with dynamic language capabilities accessible in 17 different languages.
Hats off to the leadership that provided guidance through our journey, and the United Nations Committee of Experts in Public Administration. And of course, we can’t go without thanking our customers, partners, vendors, staff, and city administration for their ongoing support. We see your support everyday when you connect with us through social media, on our world-class mobile app, and through our many other platforms.
For more information see http://www.unpan.org
Measurement Matters: What does ROI look like in government?
When launching a large project, like the City of Philadelphia’s recent implementation of a new Customer Management Relationship (CRM) solution, you want to keep the final Return on Investment (ROI) in mind. Naturally, the purpose of any project is result and solution driven. For The City of Philadelphia, our goal was to provide the customers of Philadelphia with a robust 311 system that had the ability to store knowledge base, serve as a social contact point, and provide accurate and real-time service request information. In essence, the goal of the new CRM was to create a more responsive, informative, and communicative point of contact with the City and its customers. And though we have successfully implemented this system, the question of how government can track the success of profitless projects comes into question. It is easy to follow a dollar. Money leaves tracks, but how does local government leverage private practice metrics to better inform future projects and practices?
Non-profits use a different measure of value to reflect a more impact-centric formula to measuring ROI. Monetizable outcome and value have taken command of the popular imagination, yet motivation, beliefs, and ethical practice are equally important, and have defined value in the public sector. Regardless, the bottom line is investment creates more investment.
According to a 2008 report from the ROI Institute, and comprehensive measurement and evaluation process data from over 200 organizations, “Global trends in measurement and evaluation” indicate “increased focus is driven by clients and sponsors,” and “ROI is the fastest growing metric.” These two factors demonstrate that increased focus for an organization is directly impacted by the return. Impact can easily be interchanged with the public sector’s definition of value.
The relationship between return, and exterior financial support, points to an across the board paradigm shift between all sectors. Activity is no longer sufficient evidence to justify activity. Activity–whether it is a program, a project, an initiative, or the creation of a product–must be result based. In this there is a need to abandon ambiguous performance measurements, forge more social partnerships, and use efficient CRM systems that capture data. With this paradigm shift, we see government adapting to result based processes.
Dr. Jack Phillips and Patricia Pulliam Phillips note in their review, “Using ROI to Demonstrate HR Value in the Public Sector: A Review of Best Practices,” that ROI methodology is currently being used in the public sector in a multitude of ways by entities like the USA Veterans Administration, Australian Department of Defense, and U.S federal government agency. These entities are using ROI to “demonstrate program success and impact of training on educational programs,” “measure the impact of a new human resources information systems,” and to “measure the cost benefit of a master’s degree program conducted on site by a prestigious government.”
The emphasis on managing data isn’t simply a sporadic interest in government, or a trend that the public sector is suddenly jumping on board with. From a federal level the 2002 President’s Management Agenda (PMA) pinpointed five government wide goals that have influenced this contemporary line of thinking. The goals speak to the need for strategic management of human capital, competitive sourcing, improved financial performance, expanded e-government, and budget and performance integration. The PMA’s goals indicate a need to find a comprehensive formula for combining ROI metrics and analytics that support social impact, program evaluation, and quantitative data to measure both a monetary and a non-monetary return. The outcome of finding this formula would result in more than just saving a few bucks, and could potentially result in productivity and quality increases.
In an earlier document from the ROI Institute, Dr. Phillips provides an example of what this would look like:
“In a government setting, cost savings measures are available from every work group. For example, if a government agency implements a program to improve forms processing–a productivity measure is number of forms processed; the quality measure is the error rate on processing forms; a time measure is the time it takes to process the forms; and a cost measure is the cost of processing forms on a per-unit basis. Improvements in work unit performance in a government setting have many opportunities for program benefits that can be converted to monetary value.”
One of the ways that the Third Sector Organization (TSO), in the United Kingdom, has attempted to qualify social value of their sector is through developing a methodology: Social Return on Investment (SROI). The goal of SROI is to translate social, economic, and environmental benefits into monetary value. Yet the SROI isn’t necessarily applicable to individual programs and initiatives, and still prioritizes financial measurements over, say, what a social audit would result in: qualitative information combined with financial data that informs internal performance.
Ultimately, even with the strides that the TSO has made, there is still a global gap in knowledge when it comes to gauging impact on smaller scale profit-less items. A 2013, working paper from the Tellurid Science Research Center concluded on a similar note, stating:
“There is an extensive body of grey literature on impact measurement practice, however this has tended to be small-scale and boosterist in nature. The field has also suffered from a lack of theorisation of key concepts and critical appraisal of previous research, with a few exceptions. A number of studies are emerging which attempt to address this theoretical and empirical gap, but in general empirical research on impact measurement practice in the UK third sector, particularly which organizations and subsectors are undertaking impact measurement and the practices and tools they are using, is limited.”
Though there are limitations, the potential remains there for the public sector to find an all encompassing return model, however no formula or practice standard exists at the moment. BUT there is still hope! As the global-municipal conversation circulates around transparency policies, and open data regulations, a dialogue about best practices ignites, and that includes the question of how to apply ROI in the public sector.
Photo by: Tax Credit
Step Up to the Challenge: Modernizing Government using Open Data
Despite the strides city governments have made towards modernizing government, the buy-in still remains a point of contention for some municipalities. Observing what movements city governments are making, helps us see what is being prioritized, and assists in our understanding of why those strides towards modernization are being prioritized. Open data, open source, and cloud service solutions makes sense from a private sector perspective, however when you apply the same approaches to government initiatives, the stakes, and logic behind those actions, need to be rooted in something other than trend and modernization.
Let’s take a look at open data, for example. The Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA) of 2014 largely influenced the open data trend: an act that enforces accessibility and transparency regarding information on federal expenditures. The goal was to help Americans understand how tax money was being spent and to establish a standard for government data. Yet this idea of transparency does not hinge on federal funding. Many Cities have been implementing open data, and in inventive ways. New York, for example, uses NYC Open Street data of trees to identify types of trees and their concentration within the city’s five boroughs. The City of Chicago collects data regarding landlords to create a “Map of Problem Landlords.” Austin, Texas is using transportation and traffic data to argue for one of the largest bike share programs in the world.
In the City of Philadelphia, the Nutter administration has always emphasized the need for transparency. In 2012, OpenDataPhilly, a “portal that provides access to more than 250 data sets, applications, and APIs related to the Philadelphia region,” was established. “OpenDataPhilly is based on the idea that providing free and easy access to data information encourages better and more transparent government and a more engaged and knowledgeable citizenry.”
Comparing the two goals of the DATA and OpenDataPhilly, we find commonality in motivation: the two are addressing a citizen-centric need for openness. Beyond this concept of democratic control, and how open data can self-empower citizens, enforcing open data policies delineates the importance of accurate and useful date. Having accurate and useful data helps in measuring policy impact, which can ultimately drive policymaking. Because of open data–and the publics reception and use of it–elected officials are able to make better decisions.
Having open data goes beyond trend and modernization efforts. Today, open data is a tool of democracy that speaks directly to citizens needs. Open data drives transparency, encourages government, and enhances the customer’s experience with their government.
Planning for the Future of Digital Services in Government
I was recently asked in an interview with Govloop, a government focused social network and online publication, about how the City of Philadelphia is engaging citizens through digital services. Government is changing, and the conversation is no longer about why we need digital services for engagement initiatives, but how we can use them. The key to engaging citizens through digital services relies on getting to know your audience, having a strategic plan, using a wide range of channels to communicate with your customers, and listening to feedback.
The design of our digital service platform is entirely informed by customers. Both our internal and external customers’ wants and needs determine the service we will provide. Having a clear definition of your stakeholders, and framing your relationship around the question of, “how can we make you successful,” is pivotal.
In government, we have to be cautious about spending; as a result, the voice of the community must define what we prioritize in service. Like I mentioned in my interview, “We look at everything in order to define what we want to design…you have to bring the customer’s feedback to the table, not just the internal people. You need everyone’s ideas, but specifically you need to know what your customers want and then design something around meeting their needs.”
Data trends become more crucial when determining citizen needs. As citizens adapt to mobile lives, we see a need to meet the citizens where they are. Forty percent of Philadelphians do not have access to Internet in their homes; however, most have access to mobile devices. Knowing that we have to meet our customers, social media becomes an influential tool. Through Philly311’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, we are able to connect with communities on an inherently social platform. Social media also offers us an opportunity to observe trends; what people are talking about, and what topics generate the most conversations. Being the fifth largest City in the US, means that individual communities have needs that are specific to that neighborhood. Monitoring social media is an excellent way to manage the various voices throughout the city.
In addition to social media, surveys are crucial in getting to know one’s audience. By taking surveys, we collect data that speaks specifically to issues. However, noticing trends, leveraging social media, and collecting data, means nothing if that information isn’t being put into action. Planning a communication strategy is imperative to creating a mainframe for the dialogue. Once you know what is working, creating a blueprint of how you got there, you can apply that template to other initiatives.
Find out more about what’s trending in government digital services, here: https://www.govloop.com/resources/future-digital-services-five-trends-transforming-government/
Getting to the Core: Where Competencies and Values Meet in Government Customer Service Operations
Every company, business, and government department should have a set of core values. These core values stand as an ethical code for your work place, and a set of values that your office culture evolves from. For me, and the City of Philadelphia, specifically the Office of the Managing Director, we aim for excellence, passion, engagement, integrity, and encourage strategic and smart risk taking. In this, core values are not merely an ideal, but a set of attitudes and behaviors to strive for. It is with our core values in mind that we assess what we need in terms of competencies.
The way you do your work is just as important as what you accomplish. That’s the importance of competencies. Competencies are realistic, observable behaviors that relate to your goals. In other words, they are the skills you need to fulfill the responsibilities of your job. Core competencies are branches of your organization’s core values in the sense that the strengths of those values are extended and, eventually, complemented by the technical skills and capabilities of your team. While core values are the backbone, creating a foundation for a company, core competencies are what determine the advantage. Having a clear idea of what your company’s core competencies are, result in going above and beyond average profits.
Adapting this model–one that’s often applied to the world of finance and product based corporations–to customer service, leaves us with a unique challenge. When we adjust our concept of profit to mean customer/citizen satisfaction, the elements that contribute to that satisfaction become our core competencies. In a 311 government contact center, excellent customer satisfaction is what brings us to that number. We must ask, on behalf of our external customers:
- What does the citizen need?
- How can we assist in meeting those needs?
- How can we assist in meeting those needs more effectively and efficiently?
These questions, in sum, point to what the U.S Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) has defined as customer service core competencies; a commitment “to satisfying internal and external customers.” In appropriating HHS’s definition, we discover the cyclical nature of the core competencies and core value relationship within the City of Philadelphia. Our values become our key behaviors in customer service that, in return, establish the City of Philadelphia Philly311’s effectiveness which generates an above average service level. For example, when you have a call center agents driving their work with values like excellence, passion, engagement, and integrity, City of Philadelphia Philly311’s overall service reflects that.
Addressing Unexpected Problems on the Road to Progress
My team and I have been working on procuring and implementing a new city wide CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system for nearly two years now. The system will improve the City’s ability to communicate with citizens and internal departments, as well as, create a social platform around 311. The CRM will facilitate collaborations between neighbors and stakeholders encourage them to share practices, and organize events to better their communities.
Like any project, we have experienced ups and downs. I would be lying if I said that the journey hasn’t had unanticipated hiccups. Inevitably with a project of this magnitude, there are bumps in the road. Some of these challenges are foreseeable, and accounted for in the very beginning, and others reveal themselves in the process.
In February 2014 we kicked off our CRM implementation and a new era of citizen engagement in Philadelphia. Before we were able to introduce the project throughout the City, we spent months planning, collecting data, and journey-mapping to ensure that the customers’ needs would be met and their expectations exceeded. Yet in that mission there were some obvious challenges. Anytime you, or a company, are implementing new technology, training your internal customers has to be a high priority. However, who needs to be trained, and when they need to be trained, often fluxes in relation to a number of factors. When schedules, resources, and strategies change in the process, you have to remember to be proactive and not reactive.
Embrace and face change. This isn’t to say that you should spend all your time planning for the unexpected, but to rely on your greater objective as a source to keep from getting discouraged. Part of being a project executive means establishing a strategy to confront the unexpected opposed to simply reacting to them as they come along. Don’t spend too much time planning for what cannot be planned.
The procurement and implementation journey has been long, but certainly worthwhile. With every mention of the new CRM I can’t help but to thank the people who have supported this process. A big thank you to Mayor Nutter, Executive Sponsor and City Managing Director Richard Negrin, Chief Innovation Officer Adel Ebeid, Philly311 staff and our internal and external partners.
Regardless of the inevitable challenges we’ve faced, the ultimate outcome: a transparent government that prioritizes its citizens, is what makes bumps in the road, simply that.
Stay tuned for news of our PhillyInnovates summit on February 18, 2015 with our partners at Salesforce. This will be a huge opportunity for the community to learn about the whos, whats, whys, and hows behind how the City of Philadelphia is connecting with its customers.
Photo by Pulpolux
Innovative Customer Service Leadership Strategies 