How and Why Every Community Should Offer 311 Services

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

Since the 1990s, many cities have started offering 311 services to help residents find information, request city services, and report issues in their communities. These non-emergency resources reduce congestion on emergency hotlines and improve the relationship between constituents and their local...

Outside Inspiration for Citizen Engagement in Local Government

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

Companies like Amazon and Uber have built powerhouse brands by creating easy, enjoyable experiences for their customers. It makes sense: When a product is similar or even indistinguishable from that of competitors, ensuring customers have a superior experience with your brand gives you an edge.

Bridging the Digital Divide with Citizen Engagement Software

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

Early Silicon Valley investor John Doerr famously predicted that the digital revolution would generate more wealth in a few decades than any other technology in human history. He wasn’t wrong. The rapid pace of technological advancement over the past 30 years has created countless opportunities and...

How Solution Accelerators Are Changing Public Sector Software

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

The public sector is changing faster than ever. Amplified by the pandemic, this rapid change is only possible with the support of technology. It isn’t a question of if local governments and communities will need to adopt new technologies but a matter of when. Software as a service (SaaS) solutions...

The Power of an Outstanding Citizen Experience

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

What do companies like Uber, Warby Parker, and Amazon have in common? Uber isn’t the only way to hail a ride, Warby Parker isn’t the only place to buy glasses, and Amazon is far from the only online retailer.

No-Code & Low-Code Platforms' Potential in the Public Sector

Rajiv Desai | 5 Minute Read

When you think about implementing new software in a public sector environment such as local government, what comes to mind? For many of us, we imagine large scale projects that’ll be created by a team of software engineers and developers over many months, and typically at a significant cost.

Creating a Holistic Community Engagement Plan for Your City

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

When you think of community engagement, you may think of town halls, civic events, or community board meetings. These face-to-face venues are a vital part of any community engagement plan, helping to build public trust by keeping local government accessible and accountable to constituents.

How the right technology can help humanize local government

Rajiv Desai | 5 Minute Read

Some would argue that the introduction of technology in interactions between local government and the public makes things feel more distant, even cold. In other words: less human.

Smart Community Engagement Tools for Every American City

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

Trust in government is vital to a healthy democracy, influencing everything from how likely citizens are to engage in an election or offer an opinion on an issue, to how likely community members are to follow public health guidance or comply with local ordinances.

Virtual City Hall: The Evolution of Your Community Engagement

Rajiv Desai | 4 Minute Read

Prior to March of 2020, concepts like a virtual classrooms or doctors’ appointments were nearly unheard of. Such things required physical, in-person attendance. Right? Turns out, we were wrong. And we quickly learned that so much of what we thought had to be in-person could function just as well,...