The City of Palm Coast announced a new initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of interactions between citizens and city staff. In response to feedback from residents, the City is taking significant steps to ensure that every interaction meets the high standards of our mission: “Delivering exceptional service by making citizens our priority.”
“We have heard from our citizens that there is room for improvement in how their concerns are addressed through Palm Coast Connect and other channels,” said Acting City Manager Lauren Johnston. “Our goal is to ensure that every resident has a positive experience, regardless of which department they’re working with or how they’re communicating with us.”
The initiative focuses on streamlining and enhancing service across all channels, whether through phone calls to Customer Service, in-person interactions with Utility or Stormwater department personnel, or case submissions through Palm Coast Connect. The enhancements will unfold in four phases:
Phase 1: Setting the Foundation
The initial phase, already underway, includes the creation of citizen interaction guidelines for all city staff. Customer Service is diligently reviewing Citizen Satisfaction Surveys daily to address any negative feedback promptly. A super user group has been established to work on departmental process improvements.
Phase 2: Refining Communication
In the second phase, the City will revise automated email templates and clean up the citizen portal to eliminate duplicate emails and cases. Customer service training will be rolled out for all city staff to ensure uniform service quality across all departments.
Phase 3: Enhancing the Citizen Portal
This phase will introduce public-facing changes to the citizen portal, Palm Coast Connect, by improving its look and feel. Residents will benefit from clear timelines for case resolution and customizable communication preferences, including options for email, text, or push notifications.
Phase 4: Launching a Mobile App
The final phase involves the launch of a customized mobile app, allowing residents to access their portal on their cellphones. The app will enable users to view or create cases and receive real-time updates, integrated with the city’s website.
To maintain accountability, a brief satisfaction survey will continue to be available upon case closure. Customer Service will monitor these responses to ensure resident satisfaction. Any feedback indicating dissatisfaction (ratings of 1-3) will prompt a follow-up from the appropriate department to address and resolve the issue.
The City of Palm Coast is committed to listening to its residents and valuing their input. These initiatives are designed to enhance our interactions and reinforce our dedication to exceptional service.
