As part of the 2012 City Council Strategic planning process, pursing efficiencies and improving customer service through the use of technology was identified as a priority.  Staff and Council discussed the potential use of Citizen Request Management (CRM) software as a solution.  The purpose of this case is authorize staff to enter into a 3 year contract with GovQA to provide the City with CRM services.  NOTE: This case was originally discussed at the April 24 City Council Worksession.

CRM software serves many purposes.  In general, CRM enables the City to provide efficient and effective management of customer requests and relationships through the use of software. 

At a basic level, CRM allows customers (citizens) to make a request online or over the phone.  After a request is made, both staff and the citizen have the ability to track the request.  This benefits the citizen by providing transparency, ease-of-mind and professional service.  This benefits the City by increasing efficiencies (in a number of ways), increasing the quality of customer service provided by the City and by providing a method to quantify services provided by the City.  Furthermore, CRM can be used internally to increase efficiencies (in a number of ways).

Staff has reviewed nearly 20 CRM software options ranging from private sector to public sector solutions, large to small city capacity solutions and robust to simple solutions.  Four products were reviewed in depth and demoed by department heads including: GovQA, CitizenServe, GovPartner and FastTrakGov.

Part of the process in researching CRM solutions spilled over into other local government software solutions such as planning and community development products, economic development products, building permit software and many others solutions.  NOTE: each of the final four software companies do offer multiple solutions beyond CRM (known as modules).

Staff considered a partnership with Anoka County and utilizing their facility management software as a potential solution.  However, this software is in it's initial phase of implementation and it would be some time before a CRM module would be available.  This remains a possibility in the future if the City expands it use of management software into other functions.

Attached to this case is a breakdown of costs, and a fact sheet, for each of the final four companies.

Staff is recommending GovQA as the CRM software solution for the City. 

GovQA is a subsidiary of a company known as WebQA; which provides CRM solutions to the private sector.  GovQA, based on numbers, is the most widely used CRM product in the U.S. with over 500 cities serviced today.  Also, GovQA is currently used by Eagan, Woodbury and a couple other metro cities (unlike the other three products).  Staff did have the opportunity to contact Eagan regarding the use of GovQA; and received positive feedback. 

After much discussion, staff has identified the following items as reasons for their recommendation:
---When compared amongst the final four companies, GovQA is the most cost effective solution
---CRM is the best solution that GovQA provides (Compared to other companies specializing in community development solutions)
---GovQA is a proven and reliable product; and staff is confident that GovQA can deliver a high quality CRM solution
---The remaining three products only become cost effective if multiple modules are purchased by the City (beyond CRM).  In which case, the City would need to abandon existing software used by multiple departments.  With current staffing levels, such a large change in software is not recommended

In 2012, savings from staff reductions will be able to cover the cost of implementation.  Costs are estimated to be about $9,000 in 2012 and $6,000 in 2013.