News Release
HRM Offers New Electronic Service Delivery to Customers
(Monday, May 26/2003)-- Halifax Regional Municipality's service delivery channels have been expanding since amalgamation. Its newest approach is development and implementation of electronic service delivery (ESD), using telephone and the web.
HRM has now moved to the next phase of its service delivery strategy and ESD will provide the residents of the municipality with 24/7 access to selected services. One of the first services to be offered is payment of parking tickets, either online or through the telephone by Interactive Voice Response (IVR.)
The municipality partnered with Aliant to move towards electronic service delivery because of its ability to deliver services over the telephone, as well as by the web.
xwave was the technology integrator for the ESD pilot project. It designed a secure web-based system that will serve as a springboard for the launch of future e-services and will thereby, help the HRM fulfill its ESD strategy.
Mayor Peter Kelly and representatives of Aliant and xwave demonstrated HRM's newest service delivery system at a news conference at City Hall today.
Mayor Kelly said "HRM is committed to improving and enhancing customer service for our residents. The new service we are demonstrating today is just the first of many more to come. We are delighted to be partnered with Aliant and xwave as we continue on our journey for new electronic service delivery systems."
"Aliant is pleased to work with the HRM to enable you, the customer, to do what you want. This is a great example of how we have enabled HRM to make it easier for all residents to connect to HRM services," said Wendy Paquette, Senior Vice President Customer Service, Aliant. "We are very proud to have been selected as the partner to work with HRM to help make the launch of HRM's electronic service delivery possible."
"The online service is the first step in laying an e-government framework that will allow HRM, over time, to significantly increase its levels of service," said Bill Davis, Vice President, Eastern Business Unit, xwave. "xwave is pleased to have played a role in building this foundation for electronic service delivery that will ultimately make life easier for all of HRM's stakeholders including citizens, staff, business and visitors."
Until now, HRM service delivery was provided by our Customer Service Centres, by mail and by customer telephone contact with employees at its various business units. However, these methods only allowed HRM to provide its customers with service during regular business hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., five days a week. (There were some expanded service hours during peak demand periods.)
Introduction of the HRM Corporate Call Centre three years ago allowed the municipality to provide selected services from 7:30 am to 10:pm seven days a week. This not only expanded hours of operations, but provided a single number (490-4000) for citizen contact with HRM.
The online parking ticket payment is HRM's first ESD pilot project. Persons wanting to pay a parking ticket (that has not reached the Courts), can make a payment over the web or through the telephone, without air time charges, on the Aliant Mobility Network. The HRM web site address is www.halifax.ca.
The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) telephone number is 490-3299 (EAZY). On the Aliant Mobility Network, press #3299 (EAZY) on your cell phone. HRM has been able to deliver this service without adding a convenience fee.
As HRM continues to move towards new and improved service delivery, it is now in the process of providing other electronic services, such as:
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John O'Brien
HRM Corporate Communications Officer
(902) 490-6531
obrienj@halifax.ca
Lynn Coveyduck
Public Affairs Manager, Aliant Inc.
(866) 487-5653
lynn.coveyduck@aliant.ca
Karen Ewing
Director of Marketing, xwave
(877) 332-4605
karen.ewing@xwave.com
