HomeMy WebLinkAboutMAJORChallenge#818
Challenge #8- Internal Operating Efficiency & Service
Quality
A growing population, increasing service demands, and higher community
expectations for quality programs have led to larger workloads for most City
departments. Training and employee development has not kept pace with program
growth or complexity, and historic independence among departments has curtailed
necessary levels of communication and collaboration. Only in the past several
years has the City begun to integrate efficient new computer technologies, stronger
business processes, and better long-term planning into City operations. As plans
are made for the future, emphasis will be on broader and better customer service,
easier public assess, quicker response, more collaboration and joint planning,
stronger community partnerships, and a focus on both performance and
productivity.
Major Long-Term Goals
To increase the use of accepted business processes within City government.
To increase the use of appropriate technology to achieve greater efficiency.
To increase the overall competence and skill level of the City’s employees.
To increase the number of partnerships between the City and many
community organizations and agencies.
To increase the City’s overall operating efficiency, productivity, and
performance.
To reduce the number of citizen issues and complaints associated with
access to information, program or staff response, or customer service.
Key Strategies
Develop a Citywide process or initiative to formally explore means of using
new, efficient systems, business processes, services, equipment, or training
to increase program quality, efficiency, and effectiveness.
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Commit to annual strategic planning and annual variance reporting to
evaluate progress toward goals, how issues are being addressed, and what
actions have been successfully undertaken. Establish “Benchmarks for
Success” that can be used to measure programs and developmental actions.
Support the development of a comprehensive management and employee
development program to raise core competencies and introduce a broader
array of skills throughout the employee base.
Establish a program that encourages employees and citizens to begin
identifying the methods and means of gaining more quality, access,
productivity and program performance.
Establish an IT capability that integrates the City’s information technology
and creates a sensible plan for both developing and sustaining the City’s
electronic computing and record keeping capability.
Begin a better process of tracking customer issues and complaints so the
City and its departments can develop better and more permanent responses.
Establish higher performance standards and better means of assessing both
program and individual performance. Connect all performance assessments
with the strategic plan and annual variance report. Establish quality and
consistent performance as essential elements of City operations.