17-12-14: Joburg’s App-Proof of Concept proves to be a gem
The City of Johannesburg today announced the temporary shutdown of its Citizen Engagement Mobile Application to make way for an improved application incorporating lessons learnt during the “Proof of Concept” (POC) phase.
As part of its journey to turn Johannesburg into a smart place the City launched a ground-breaking application, Joburg App, which is downloadable on smart and low end mobile phones to deliver the following: .
• Improve COJ Communication with its customers
• Increase engagement and facilitate participation with Johannesburg’s citizens and organizations in matters that affect them.
• Provide effective and relevant service delivery to Johannesburg’s citizens, employees and organizations in manner that is convenient to them.
The mobile App made it easy for residents to log faults, chat with agents, send feedback or receive messages targeted only for their suburb. More than 50% of people who have downloaded the App have been using it during this test period.
The application’s POC phase will now be coming to an end on the 26 December 2014 to pave way for a much improved Citizens Engagement Application which should give residents a complete experience when interacting with the City. Imagine an end-to end integrated platform that brings the entire City’s Municipal Entities services together.
The objective of the POC was to evaluate options for the integration of community and customer information as well as essential services into various systems that can run a mobile app solution that is not only available for smart phones but is also downloadable from entry level phones and to all phones as long as internet access is available. This initiative has demonstrated that the City of Johannesburg can enable the digital inclusion of even the marginalized citizens and ensure that their voices are heard by the City.
During the POC phase the city specifically assessed the following functionalities to enable improved services to residents:
• Use any mobile phone to download it and connect with a broad range of smart mobile service;
• Receive contextualised, relevant and personalised communication from the City;
• Log faults with the greatest of ease;
• Have access to an instant messaging agent chat facility for immediate customer support;
• Get quick access to important phone numbers that can be dialed directly from the app;
• Provide feedback directly to the City about anything and
• Enjoy app sharing function so friends and family can also enjoy being connected to the City.
The assessment clearly indicated that the app is efficient, responsive and ensures financial, environmental and quality service delivery sustainability. It is the fastest, most convenient and cost-effective way to interact with the city.
The concept, planning, design and built of the Joburg app POC phase provided the following key learnings and enhancements to be done going forward:
• There is the possibility of integrating the app into the City’s Customer Relations Management (CRM) as well as the SAP systems.
Here customers will be able to log a fault on: water, power, refuse, parks, Rea-Vaya, Metrobus, illegal buildings, JMPD dispatch requests or any other faults straight to our systems to receive a reference number back from SAP and CRM immediately in the app pop up message.
• Digital Contact Centre
The City and all of its Entities will support citizens via a state of the art, next generation Digital Customer Contact Centre (DC3). This allows the City to efficiently service and support citizens while simultaneously and substantially reducing the cost of engagement for citizens. The DC3 will seamlessly integrate with social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, allowing citizens to engage through any channel they are accustomed to. Truly digital, end-to-end query resolution will be driven through the platform on any channel selected by citizens.
• Integration into City maps.
From the app using Global Positioning System (GPS) capability, one will be able to get the nearest ATM, museum, theatre or any tourist destination.
• Integration into pay-city or city payment systems:
Customers will be able to transact, view and download accounts statements, dispute bills by lodging a bill dispute straight to SAP or CRM on the app and integration to Licensing departments to perform some requests from the App.
• Integrating into City Power’s meter reading capability, so that citizens can log their readings through the App.
• Integration into JMPD systems to dispatch metro police to intersections or by-law interventions.
• Ward Councillors’ details will be In-app functionality for residents to stay in touch with their councillors.
• Ward Councillors and officials themselves will be able to use the App to log faults, call meetings or chat with their residents using the send message by "region/surburb" functionality.
Using the enhanced App, administrators will be able to see all citywide faults from the green to red ones in terms of priority, urgency and importance or risk or severity profile from one platform with access to functionality to escalate or assign the task and responsibility to responsible ME’s and departments.
The City has already put messages in the App stores from today Wednesday 17th December 2014 about the closing of the App which will officially close on the 26 December 2014.
Issued by the City of Johannesburg
For queries contact:
Virgil James
Communications Specialist
082 467 9415
Maremo Ramonyai
Deputy Director Application Development and Support Services ICT
071 360 2019
