The project contributed to increasing the effectiveness of services of the Municipality of Central Corfu and the Diapontian Islands. Therefore, the project digitised the services of the municipality, making them more efficient and cost-effective while increasing citizen engagement and satisfaction. By partnering with Novoville, the municipality adopted a digital system, available via the municipality’s website or the Novoville mobile app. Through this platform, citizens can submit requests online instead of doing by phone, e-mail or face-to-face.
In this way, the municipality took the pressure off the call centre by introducing new digital communication channels that would allow citizens to access municipal services instantly, thus reducing costs and bureaucracy, enhancing engagement and promoting transparency. Currently, citizens can report issues they encounter in their neighbourhood (e.g. potholes, fly tipping, suggestions for the renovation of public areas) from their smartphones, and receive automated notifications about the progress of their report.
Each request is automatically assigned to the competent department of the municipality, a process which speeds up service delivery and improves internal operation. The municipality employees have real-time visibility of all issues and of organisational performance. The visualisation of data and metrics enables accurate, instant and dynamic reporting for the rest of the organisation. Municipal officials can easily track KPIs, allowing them to make data-driven decisions, and can save time due to the efficient tracking of the repair and maintenance crews.
To further enhance civic engagement, the municipality utilised Novoville’s chatbots to consult with residents about municipal matters. Furthermore, the municipality can instantly communicate with residents and visitors regarding important news, announcements and events, and receive citizens’ feedback on any local matter through mobile polls and chatbot consultations.