Welcome to our new website!

Welcome to our new City of Niagara Falls website! Explore our updated pages, improved navigation, and new features designed to serve you better.

Please note that for approximately 24 hours, you may experience intermittent changes or minor glitches as the update is completed. By January 8, the website will be fully updated and operating smoothly.

If you encounter any issues after January 7, please report them by emailing service@niagarafalls.ca or by calling 905-356-7521.

Strategic Plan - Customer Service

We will deliver a welcoming and consistent customer service experience centred around the people we serve.

Objectives

  • Embrace innovative technology and processes to efficiently meet customer needs, fostering greater engagement with the City
  • Ensure the City is inclusive and accessible for customers across all services. Establish policies and practices that enable respectful, fair, and equitable treatment.
  • Build and maintain customer trust through addressing customer requests and responsive communication
  • Foster a culture of collaboration within internal departments for a consistent customer service experience
  • Engage with customers to understand their needs, expectations, and preferences

Actions

Customer service plan and implementation

Image of the entrance of the At Your Service Niagara Falls customer service room at the MacBain Community Centre. Showing the City logo and name at the top and glass doors and windows. The service counter is inside the room in the background.

<25% complete | On track

  • Completed procurement process for software and implementation partner
  • Defined Statement of Work and implementation schedule

  • Develop detailed software implementation plan
  • Kick-off meeting with implementation partner and staff
  • Establish training programs

Establish a knowledge base portal

<25% complete | On track

  • Completed procurement process for software and implementation partner
  • Defined Statement of Work and implementation schedule

  • Develop detailed software implementation plan
  • Kick-off meeting with implementation partner and staff
  • Establish training programs

Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system

<25% complete | On track

  • Completed procurement process for software and implementation partner
  • Defined Statement of Work and implementation schedule

  • Develop detailed software implementation plan
  • Kick-off meeting with implementation partner and staff
  • Establish training programs

Online chat function for residents

0% complete | On track

  • Online chat is part of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and will become active once the system has gone live

  • Online chat is part of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and will become active once the system has gone live

Website and intranet updates

60% complete | On track

Intranet

  • Established an internal working group to develop a new Intranet using Microsoft SharePoint Online
  • Established the initial front page of the new intranet and any secondary departmental communication pages
  • The new intranet has been launched and is in production

Website

  • Acquired GovStack solution from GHD Digital for the creation of a new website.
  • The project kick-off has been completed
  • The website sitemap has been approved

  • Complete training
  • Add website content
  • Test the system

Customer service renovations at MacBain Community Centre and City Hall

5% complete | On track

  • Customer service designs for the MacBain Community Centre and City Hall are finalized

  • Complete detailed drawings
  • Hire a construction company to complete the project

Next generation 9-1-1 implementation

<25% complete | On track

  • Staff from various departments, including Information Systems (IS), Finance, and Fire, met for the project kick-off to establish a working group
  • Acquired Federal Engineering to complete a comprehensive review and report back with an implementation plan and key recommendations

  • Once reviewed by staff, Federal Engineering's report will be merged into a report to the council on implementation and recommendations for a single source with a third-party provider

New electronic building permitting software

Two storey house under construction
100% complete | On track

  • Implementation of Phase 1 of the project is complete
  • Building staff are utilizing the system, and online permitting applications are available to the public

  • Ongoing staff training
  • Website enhancements
  • Exploring additional features and reporting

New electronic bidding software

Keyboard with a bids button
75% complete | On track

  • The bidding software, which will provide the functionality for publicly posting bidding opportunities through an electronic platform and receiving and verifying bidders' submissions electronically through the system, was implemented on February 1, 2023

  • Phase 2: Recalibration of the system to implement additional tools to create efficiencies in the City's procurement processes, specifically the Award and Contract Administration processes

Upgrade "back-of-house" programs and systems to allow for seamless integration of customer interactions and workflow

Staff serving a customer at the counter
0% complete | Pending

  • To be reviewed and implemented during the implementation of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system

  • To be included in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation schedule

Establish a three-year people plan to become an employer of choice and implement strategies and initiatives to attract, develop, and retain top talent

Group of people at a table chatting
100% complete | On track

  • Formal Application completed by the Human Resource Team and submitted to Canada's Top 100 Employers on May 1st, 2024

  • The committee will review applications from May through July 2024
  • The final notifications on application status will be provided in September 2024

Contact Us

City of Niagara Falls
4310 Queen Street
P.O. Box 1023
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5
Canada
905-356-7521
service@niagarafalls.ca