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

Header Image
25% Completion
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Adopted At Your Service Niagara Falls model
  • Established organizational structure for the customer service department
  • Created communication plan
  • Initiated recruitment processes.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Finalize recruitment processes
  • Develop comprehensive training plan(s) and program(s), develop related support materials and guides
  • Develop and initiate engagement survey to gather feedback.

Establish a Knowledge Base Portal

Header Image
<25% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Completed procurement process for software and implementation partner
  • Defined Statement of Work and implementation schedule.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Develop detailed software implementation plan
  • Kick-off meeting with implementation partner and staff
  • Establish training programs.

Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System

Header Image
<25% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Completed procurement process for software and implementation partner
  • Defined Statement of Work and implementation schedule.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Develop detailed software implementation plan
  • Kick-off meeting with implementation partner and staff
  • Establish training programs. 

Online Chat Function for Residents

Header Image
0% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Online chat is part of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and will become active once the system has gone live.
Next Milestone(s)
  • 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

Header Image
60% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)

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.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Complete training
  • Add website content.
  • Test the system.

Customer Service Renovations at MacBain Community Centre and City Hall

Header Image
5% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Customer service designs for the MacBain Community Centre and City Hall are finalized.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Complete detailed drawings.
  • Hire a construction company to complete the project.

Next Generation 9-1-1 Implementation

Header Image
<25% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • 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.
Next Milestone(s)
  • 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

Header Image
100% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Implementation of Phase 1 of the project is complete.
  • Building staff are utilizing the system, and online permitting applications are available to the public.
Next Milestone(s)
  • Ongoing staff training
  • Website enhancements
  • Exploring additional features and reporting.

New Electronic Bidding Software

Header Image
75% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • 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.
Next Milestone(s)
  • 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

Header Image
0% Complete
Pending
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • To be reviewed and implemented during the implementation of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
Next Milestone(s)
  • 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

Header Image
100% Complete
On Track
Key Accomplishment(s)
  • Formal Application completed by the Human Resource Team and submitted to Canada's Top 100 Employers on May 1st, 2024.
Next Milestone(s)
  • The committee will review applications from May through July 2024. 
  • The final notifications on application status will be provided in September 2024.