Municipal websites, at the very least, need to be inviting and easy to navigate. The best websites for local government, however, are those that truly engage their citizens and provide a variety of ways for citizens to become involved, informed and an integral part of your municipality’s offerings. Let’s discuss a few best practices to serve your citizens.

Choose a Best in Class CMS

Your Content Management system (CMS) needs to be powerful, agile, and built to allow strong functionality and customization. E-Gov CMS™ expertly integrates market leading technology with customized municipal solutions to deliver world-class websites offering high functionality, ease of use, and long-term viability. Strategically choosing to power our content management system (CMS) with WordPress leverages a multitude of benefits for our customers including long-term efficiencies, access to over 55,000 customized software tools and cutting-edge technology as it hits the market.

Utilize 311

Citizen Request Management Software

Local governments serve many diverse roles for their community and are constantly challenged with the duty of doing so efficiently. In some areas, 311 remains a phone number that residents can call for information about services, make requests, or report a problem.  Citizens now look to their local government website as a source of information and service support across a wide range of needs. Without CRM on-line software, the volume and assortment of daily citizen requests can take a toll on staff. Some examples of these requests include:

• Request for information, including Freedom of Information (FOIA or FOIL)
• Concerned citizens reporting potholes or powerlines down
• Citizens reporting sidewalk repair needed or tall grass
• Request for block parties, streets closed
• Reports of building code violations
• Business or zoning inquiries
• Tree maintenance
• Water service request

E-Gov Link’s Citizen Request Management municipal government software, or Citizen Relationship Management Software can be added seamlessly to your website by just adding a link. Our government IT solutions are provided as hosted applications, which means you won’t need extra internal hardware or software. E-Gov Link’s CRM allows local governments to provide 24/7 service to residents in need of information or request. The system can navigate the request via e-mail to the right person on your staff as well as provide confirmation to the resident that the request has been received. Staff members can also take calls and enter requests directly into the system for the caller. Status updates are available upon request.

E-Gov Link placed a link to CRM directly on the top right of Plymouth Township’s home page, called “Citizen Request”. Once you click that link, an Online Service Request page comes up as shown below. E-Gov Link can design a similar page specifically for your municipality’s needs, enabling staff members and citizens to track requests and improve relationships with their citizens.  Some people prefer to call this Citizen Relationship Management Software.

Provide an Easy to Use, Attractive, Local Government Website Design

A wide variety of website design themes are available and E-Gov Link will help you choose one with visual appeal that best fits the needs of your community. A very significant benefit we are proud to offer is continued simplicity in future re-designs. As you become ready to update your municipal website design, E Gov link can quickly and efficiently help you through the process. Whether you need a complete re-design, want to embellish the imagery on your website, or just add customized touches, you’ll always have access to the market’s latest tools and our team of experts will help you consistently implement them on your website. As experts in WordPress implementation, E-Gov Link will position you well for the future. You will enjoy efficient re-designs and always have access to cutting-edge technology.

Security

Security for your data and information for both staff and citizens is of utmost importance. E-Gov Link websites are not only inherently protected from the hardened security measures taken by WordPress, but our team ensures additional measures and all criteria is met. As the market leader, WordPress has a highly proactive and tenacious security team in place to protect against daily hacking threats. Rest assured with every WordPress update you will benefit from another measure of security and reliability for your website. E-Gov Link then builds ADA compliant websites and uses SSL encryption. E-Gov Link staff members are recognized as experts in security.

E-Gov Link has been serving local governments for over 23 years and understands Citizen Engagement and what it means to serve your citizens. We start with WordPress and strategically integrate additions and customizations through software applications, plug-ins, and settings. Using our Best in Class CMS with our Customer Relationship Management or CRM E-Government Software is a great start to improve relationships and engage citizens.

Our expert implementation provides superior functionality and seamless municipal customizations.

The result is a premium website that engages your citizens, is powerful, yet agile, built to stand the test of time and backed with exceptional security, maintenance and support.