Starting this summer, Denverites who are desperate to report a crater-sized pothole or who are unsure of where to call for less urgent matters like reserving picnic tables in the parks will need only dial 311.
The new 311 call center, set to come on- line July 7, will be a one-stop, non-emergency contact point for quick access to every city agency. Citizens often haven’t a clue about which of nearly 1,200 city phone numbers to dial. (It’s exasperating to spend an eternity on hold only to learn you’ve called the wrong department.)
That’s about to change.
The 311 call center is a top priority of Mayor John Hickenlooper, who sees it as a way to improve service as well as accountability.
“When people call for us to remove graffiti or fill a pothole, we will give them the equivalent of a FedEx tracking number so they can hold us accountable and we can hold the employees accountable who do the work,” the mayor told The Post.
“We’re kind of testing the system right now,” said Kelly Brough, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff for accountability and reform. “Right now, we’ve rolled some phone numbers into the call center and hired just a few call-takers to see if the software is working. You can’t call 311 now. But it gives us a chance to ramp up.”
The city will hire about 25 call-takers in all, and the center will operate from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. In addition to providing immediate answers to common questions (or finding the right person for really technical inquiries), the call center will electronically “create work orders and get things done,” Brough said. The system also will enable managers to track performance and make improvements. (Citizens also will be able to e-mail the center.)
Another benefit is that the 311 center should reduce the number of 911 calls that aren’t about emergencies, Brough said. That’s happened in Albuquerque, according to Michael Padilla, general manager for the Duke City’s call center.
“Since July 1, 2005, we’ve taken over 51,000 calls that are non- emergency [and] no longer arrive at 911 – they arrive at 311.” That frees up 911 operators for true emergencies.
Albuquerqueans have given 311 high marks in a survey, with 85 percent saying they are extremely satisfied with the service, and 97 percent saying they’d use it again, Padilla reported.
That’s encouraging. We hope Denver’s system does as well.
