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Cloud 311 Popularity Grows as Cities of All Sizes Move to Remotely Hosted CRM

Tod Newcombe

June 01, 2017 |

Government Technology |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Sacramento, California

Traditional 311 operations can be costly to maintain, so the city of Sacramento implemented cloud CRM in order to cut costs and increase flexibility of operations. While there is still room to expand what is offered, this cloud-based solution does offer the "ability to set up and launch 311 quickly, without the need for IT staff to maintain the servers and networks."

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The Future of CRM and Customer Service: Look to Boston

Tod Newcombe

June 01, 2017 |

Government Technology |

Text |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

To better serve the Boston community, the city launched a mobile app to address gaps in traditional 311 hotline calls. Now, "nearly 60 percent of service requests come via digital channels" and city officials are better able to "track the city’s performance against a benchmark service-level agreement."

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311: From a Hotline to a Platform for Citizen Engagement

Tod Newcombe

June 01, 2017 |

Government Technology |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Kansas City, Missouri

Boston's 311 mobile application, launch in 2009, exemplifies the new customer service-oriented era of the citizen service, which allows users to request services, take photos of potholes, and offer data to city planners. Neighboring Somerville, Massachusetts has a successful 311 app of its own, where an analytics team crunches the wealth of data generated by the app service. But Kansas City, Missouri's 311 services are even more developed, and citizens can access the city via the app, clal-in, Twitter, and social media.

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How 3 Cities Are Using an App Designed to Help Them Collaborate

Johnny Magdaleno

May 22, 2017 |

Next City |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States

Cities are often alone in trying to develop solutions to their problems. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago developed an app— "The Peer Cities Identification Tool"— that matches similar U.S. cities and encourages discussion about challenges and successes.

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In Kenya, Phones Replace Bank Tellers

Tina Rosenberg

May 09, 2017 |

The New York Times |

Multi-Media |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Kenya

Building on the widespread use of mobile phones in Kenya, applications have been developed to provide people with financial services. Through these applications people can securely receive money, save money, and make payments increasing their fiscal stability and their ability to access assistance when adverse events happen. The applications also create a record of financial transactions resulting in people being able to establish credit, receive loans, and access pay-as-you-go programs.

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Going Digital to Rescue Food

Tina Rosenberg

May 02, 2017 |

The New York Times |

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1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Forty-percent of America's food is wasted, but more than 10% of American households don't have enough to eat. New algorithms, apps, and partnerships are working to bridge this gap and eliminate food waste.

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How to Trick People Into Saving Money

Rob Walker

May 01, 2017 |

The Atlantic |

Text |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Salem, Illinois

A large number of Americans are "unbanked or underbanked"—meaning they are not tied to traditional financial institutions to manage their money—which makes saving difficult. Walmart has managed to serve this population with a debit card program called MoneyCard that provides financial incentives to users to regularly put aside money into a "vault." This approach effectively takes into account behavioral economics in terms of how humans approach short- versus long-term rewards. Launching in August 2016, the program's membership had grown more than 130% and savings increased by 38% by December 2016.

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Is This Tiny European Nation a Preview of Our Tech Future?

Vivienne Walt

April 27, 2017 |

Fortune |

Multi-Media |

Over 3000 Words

Response Location: Estonia

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the small outpost of Estonia has reinvented itself as the world’s digital pioneer. Everything from paying taxes to establishing companies is done online and takes minutes. Lawmakers even sign legislation using digital signatures, not fountain pens.

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A private sector 'productivity tool' to eliminate poverty is catching on around the world

Kelli Rogers

April 27, 2017 |

Devex |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Paraguay, Asunción

Fundación Paraguaya is helping drastically redefine the way that poverty is identified, defined, and addressed. Through a simple, interactive, mobile-based survey called "Poverty Spotlight", workers can self-assess their level of poverty. They are then paired with microfinance agents to develop a plan to tackle their own unique challenges, with assistance in the form of training, technology, or small loans.

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The people making films above the 60th parallel

Valentina Valentini

April 25, 2017 |

BBC |

Multi-Media |

Under 800 Words

Response Location: Canada, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

By leveraging technology, artists living above the 60th parallel are increasing indigenous representation in filmmaking. In Yellowknife, Canada, aRTLess Collective’s Dead North Film Festival uses live streaming to reach thousands of residents across remote—and otherwise largely inaccessible—northern areas. The film festival connects and empowers indigenous northerners to represent themselves and their culture through film.

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