BasicGov / BLOG

Our California-based customer, City of Beaumont, has added a fifth BasicGov software module and is now running four distinct city functions in a single cloud based database.

This most recent module is for the Permitting and Inspection department to go along with modules for Code Enforcement, Licensing and Planning.  All of these applications sit on the cloud, in a single database, providing for a more complete and integrated history on each citizen and parcel.

Southern California’s City of Beaumont, with a population of 34,217 and growing, strives to keep its rural charm with planned growth for residential housing, recreational parks and facilities, commerce investments and improved transportation. These goals put pressure on City staff to manage community development and land use smartly and efficiently.

The City implemented software to reduce pressure on staff by allowing them to process citizen requests faster, and with reporting tools city staff can make better decisions to support long term community goals.

Like most municipalities, city activity and budgets vary, which is why BasicGov software is so convenient. With a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, BasicGov is flexible and can be changed as required to scale up or down the number of users and modules. And because it sits in a secure and reliable cloud environment, city staff can do their work from anywhere.

The City of Beaumont’s four departments – Planning, Code Enforcement, Public Works and GIS – are all now using BasicGov software.

“We started using BasicGov’s planning software a few years ago, then this year we added additional BasicGov modules for code enforcement, licensing, GIS integration and permits,” said a staff planner for the City of Beaumont, California. “Our City likes the affordable cost and flexibility of BasicGov software that allows us to change our number of users depending upon the level of activity within our community.”

“Many of our customers start with one BasicGov software product and then over time add more staff and more modules. And sometimes our customers want to lower the number of users for a period of time to manage within changing budgets,” said Michael Togyi, Vice President Marketing and Sales, BasicGov Systems Inc. “We find that BasicGov’s cloud computing type of software allows municipalities to work more collaboratively between departments, improve services to citizens, and stay within variable budgets.”

As a web-based software system, BasicGov has fast implementation and customers can have the software up and running in less than 5 weeks. Upgrades and daily support are included in the price.

Click here to request complimentary demonstration of BasicGov products.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as defined in Wikipedia is:

• Customer relationship management (CRM) is a broadly recognized, widely-implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes—principally sales activities, but also those for marketing, customer service, and technical support.
• Many CRM vendors offer Web-based tools (cloud computing) and software as a service (SaaS), which are accessed via a secure Internet connection and displayed in a Web browser. These applications are sold as subscriptions, with customers not needing to invest in the acquisition and maintenance of IT hardware, and subscription fees are a fraction of the cost of purchasing software outright.

One of the most popular CRMs is SalesForce.com.  Government agencies use SalesForce CRM to build stronger relationships with constituents, customers, vendors, partners, and recruits. Salesforce CRM cloud applications are tailored to agencies’ core business processes to give them a comprehensive view of useful data.  Then on top of SalesForce CRM, government agencies are adding specific applications to speed up processes such as permitting and licensing.

If you would like a report by IDC about how this type of technology can save cost and time, email me.

In an article “Beyond 311” the author, Ted Hoisington, talks about ways that governments can use CRMs beyond managing information and requests from residents:

1. CRM can automate more than service requests

“ For example, the technology can play a significant role in managing all of an organization’s activities, relationships and contacts concerning a major issue, such as transportation. A CRM system can help manage key elements from strategic planning and the resulting decisions to paring down a list of all elected officials within a jurisdiction to an ad hoc group of only those with transportation expertise.”

2. CRM helps manage relationships

“In an age of stripped-down budgets, relationships are one of the most valuable resources to help cities and counties better fulfill their missions. Using CRM, interactions between government agencies and those on whom they depend internally and externally can be more efficient, effective and timely.”

3. CRM helps preserve institutional memory

“The real power of technology-enhanced relationship management lies in its ability to track all of a public sector organization’s contacts, relationships and interactions. Knowing what happened, when it happened, and the issues associated with each event or action helps determine what should happen next, and the next steps the organization should take.

Over time, CRM technology and a rigorous process for using it establishes and maintains the public sector organization’s institutional memory, retaining an ever-expanding record of all the interactions between the organization and any official, other organization or member of the public.”

Read related article – CRM selection tips.

View video about SalesForce CRM