In 2006, the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) received funding from the Alfred P Sloan Foundation to conduct the first national study of centralized customer service systems for local governments. Because of its size and increasing focus on its website to provide information, the City of Saco was chosen as one of the three sites from across the country to be considered. Participating in this national study was a great way for Saco to get a free, professional, independent analysis of its current systems and on where it might go in the future.

A project manager from ICMA, a Rutgers University professor from the School of Public Affairs and Administration, and a consultant from the Government Finance Officers Association conducted the case study of Saco's customer service systems. Over several days, over 20 Saco staff at all levels and several City Councilors, as well as the Mayor, were interviewed in person by the ICMA team. Saco's current systems, including the website, also were reviewed and analyzed. The result was a report on the status of Saco's customer service systems, and, more importantly, several recommendations for next steps as the city moves forward. A copy of the report can be seen by clicking the link below. Specifically, the city got a "to-be" best case scenario defined within the report document, as well as ten concrete recommendations, to guide its next steps with its online and in person customer service systems.

As a result of the ICMA report, Saco has proceeded with the development in house (by current IT staff and contracted web master) of a new website request-for-service-or-information function. This new feature will now track types of requests coming in, assign a ticket number to all such requests, and notify relevant parties of the request and its resolution; it will be integrated across the organization. A test of this new function is being conducted over the next several weeks, and, after any issues are worked out, soon thereafter it will be up and running.

Saco was proud to be included in this study and to obtain the valuable consultant services of the ICMA team at no cost to taxpayers. Such efforts to improve processes and procedures reflect the city's commitment to "to enhance our community through exceptional customer service." The City of Saco continues to move forward to deliver that vision in all we do!

To link to the ICMA report, please go to: www.icma.org/311