PRESS RELEASE City Releases New Smartphone App for Citizen ServiceJune 20, 2013
Contact: Albert Dib, adib@hackensack.org
Note: The app is available for Android now. The app will be available for Apple on 6/30/13. Hackensack, NJ – Reporting a pothole, flooded road, downed tree, graffiti, or scores of other issues is now as simple as pulling out a smartphone in Hackensack.
Using Hackensack 311, which integrates directly with the city's installation of QAlert, it's citizen request management software, citizens can notify City of Hackensack staff, complete with comments and photos, as soon as they discover an issue. Through QAlert, those submissions are then routed to appropriate departments or individuals for handling and resolution.
"This is just one more tool residents have at their disposal to help maintain quality of life in Hackensack and we are proud to offer it," said Mayor Michael Melfi. Hackensack 311 allows citizens to report new issues using the smartphone's GPS and camera capabilities, review existing requests, send updates, and receive phone and email notifications of status changes on their issues.
Hackensack citizens can be in contact with their hometown no matter where they are. By using the address entry screen, a resident visiting family across the country can report an issue there might not have been time to submit before leaving.
Hackensack 311 users also have the option of integrating with Facebook and Twitter. Issues reported using the app are posted to the submitter's wall or tweeted, allowing a conversation among the submitter's friends and followers.
"While we appreciate the need for government openness and transparency, we take a great deal of care with what we share on those social media sites," said Keith LeBeau, President and CEO of QScend Technologies. "Unlike other social CRM tools that share the exact street location of an issue publicly, our app posts only that the user has submitted an issue using the app. No detailed location info is ever revealed due to privacy and liability issues for local governments."
How to Get and Use the Hackensack 311 App: Hackensack 311 is now available for download on iTunes and Google Play. Using the app is fairly straightforward.
Make sure GPS in enabled on your phone and you have a good connection.
1. Search for "Hackensack 311". in iTunes or Google Play. Download the app.
2. Create a free account with your name and valid email address.
3. Press the "+" button. A map will open.
4. Enter the issue location by typing it or dragging the pin on the map. Press "Continue".
5. Select the Issue Type.
6. Enter comments and attach pictures. Press send.
Note: The app will return you to the map to create additional service requests if necessary. You will receive a notification via email confirming the request was received. You may not necessarily receive confirmation when the issue is resolved. You can track items in the "Submitted" List. Please email adib@hackensack.org with questions or problems related to use of the app.
About QScend's QAlert Citizen Request Management System QScend's QAlert CRM allows local and county governments to implement a variety of tools that provide citizens a means to submit service requests, via phone, mobile app, or online, track their issues, interact with staff, and find answers they need via a knowledge base.
No citizen request for service is lost or forgotten as staff can easily manage, respond to, close, and report on service requests, thereby enhancing local government effectiveness and efficiency.
