For Immediate Release: 9/7/2010 10:15 am
Worcester, MA (September 7, 2010) - The City of Worcester has executed a contract with ViewPoint Engineering, Inc., a Massachusetts-based state contracted vendor, for full-function technology software that will allow residents, organizations and businesses to apply, pay for and receive permits online or at conveniently placed kiosks in various City buildings. Citizens will be able to track the status of their permits as they move through a paperless approval process. Customers will no longer be required to walk permits from department to department for sign-offs. All will be addressed and coordinated electronically, with a "point and click" print of their permit from their home or business. All permit processes across the spectrum of City government will be available and managed in this fashion. The following are examples of permit processes that will be available for our customers online:
Internally, the City will use the system to manage the permit reviews, approvals and inspections process electronically. All departments and divisions will have customized access to the software based upon roles and responsibilities of employees within the process. This will enable departments to seamlessly track, control, monitor, schedule and report on all elements of permit and license issuance from application and payment through permit issuance and inspections. Concurrent electronic reviews of applications by departments will save time for both the customer and the City. In the field, inspectors will be utilizing the latest wireless technology to conduct inspections on standardized inspection checklists providing real-time, live updates to both customers and management.
In the coming weeks, departments and divisions will be engaged in developing a phased implementation schedule, taking into account busier periods to avoid any disruptions to the level of service to customers to the extent possible. ViewPoint programmers will work with departments and divisions to customize the application. The modular design of the software allows us the flexibility to bring divisions and departments online in this phased approach.
We continue to seek and implement improvements to all of our City customer service functions to benefit our residents, organizations and businesses while we concurrently downsize City government due to the recession and fixed cost growth, such as employee health care. Our various customer services remain a top priority. In order to meet and/or exceed customer expectations and to compensate for our reduced workforce to carry out these tasks, we must look for a more efficient means of response; such as the use of technology and automation. We remain committed to have all departments fully operational with this software and system by the end of the 2010 fiscal year.
