WVC-Ut.gov has been recognized by Juggle as one of the top city government websites in the state of Utah. Below you'll find an interview with Aaron Crim, Director of Public Relations & Neighborhood Services for West Valley City.
- WVC-UT.gov is a top-notch web portal; what has been your role in its development?
I have been the project coordinator for wvc-ut.gov since we migrated to our new layout and format three years ago. When I assumed my current position as Director of Public Relations, West Valley City had an old and outdated site with little content, and incorrect information. Over the years, our site had deteriorated due to lack of time and understanding by City staff as to how to make changes. I sought a CRM system that would allow West Valley City to move into the future with a site that was easy to access for visitors and easy to update for City staff. This has allowed each City department to take ownership of their portions of the site, ensuring the content is accurate and up-to-date; this also allows each department to customize the information to fit the needs of their clients.
- Can you summarize the history of West Valley City’s web portal?
We launched the all-new wvc-ut.gov in August, 2007. Since then we have made daily updates and numerous upgrades and changes to reflect the needs of our web users.
- What are the overarching objectives of West Valley City’s current e-government initiatives?
Our objective is to provide online access to the most used services provided by West Valley City. We aim to make our web portal an easy online tool for residents and other visitors to gather information and conduct business.
- From a marketing standpoint, what are some of the strategies that you have utilized to draw attention to the information and services provided by WVC-UT.gov, both on- and off-line?
We promote our website as "City Hall Online" making wvc-ut.gov an online tool for people to access the same information and services that are provided at West Valley City Hall. Our strategy is to complement the other avenues we utilize, as each tool caters to a different demographic. wvc-ut.gov will never replace in-person visits to City Hall, and it shouldn't. It is one of many tools we use to reach out to our residents and business partners.
- How has citizen feedback influenced the development of West Valley City’s e-government services?
We invite feedback, and have worked with a number of residents to shape wvc-ut.gov. We worked from the beginning to provide easy-to-find portals for each demographic visiting our site: Those living in the City, those visiting the City, and those doing business in the City. We ask for input from each user group to continually make the site better and more effective.
- What is the most-used feature or service on the site?
Our online job portal continues to rank the highest in hits, followed by our Family Fitness Center Page, Police Department Page, and Courts page. The most used service is our interactive Request Tracker feature, which allows residents to submit requests and complaints online.
- In what way has harnessing social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) allowed you to connect more directly and personally with the citizens of West Valley City?
West Valley City heavily utilizes Twitter, Facebook and YouTube to complement the content on our website.
- What has been the biggest hurdle in developing and/or maintaining WVC-UT.gov, and how did you overcome it?
Our biggest hurdle has been getting our city-wide staff interested in using our CRM system. Prior to the launch of the new site, the system was antiquated and hard to use. This discouraged many employees, and resulted in the content becoming out of date. From the beginning, we sought a CRM system that would be easy to use for anyone, whether technically savvy or not. In addition to finding and easy to use system, we provided monthly training following the launch and continue to provide regular training.
- Where do you see e-government heading in the next 2-3 years? Are there any exciting new features or services currently in the works for West Valley City’s web portal?
eGovernment is becoming more and more interactive. Residents want to connect with their City leaders quickly, easily, and effectively. Continued improvements to our site have allowed us to meet the needs of our residents and provide additional services that allow them to connect to City Hall. The recent addition of our Request Tracker feature has been popular among site visitors, and we'll be unveiling new features in the near future including video overlays and an interactive video portal allowing residents to view live, streaming content and video on demand.
- What else that you would like to tell us about WVC-UT.gov?
We work hard to keep the site current and to provide the latest features that our residents are asking for. We'll continue to make these improvements, and will work hard to stay ahead of eGovernment trends.