A focus on the customer is behind a redevelopment of Council’s website – www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au – which will be live from Monday, November 20.
“We’ve done a lot of work behind the scenes to provide clear and helpful information designed to help our customers successfully find what they’re looking for as easily as possible,” said Jay Kirkman, Council’s Group Leader Customer Services.
“Categories and pathways have been made more concise and informative and the language we’ve used reflects the most popular words and phrases that people have used when searching for help.
“The search function itself on the site is also much easier to use and more effective.”
The website allows the user to pay bills online and sign-up for rates and water notices via email. Council’s mapping information has also been updated and customers can access planning, land zoning and flooding information via the website.
“We are also developing an Online Forms portal that will be made available in the New Year,” added Mr Kirkman. “This is a step away from the old model of printing off forms, completing them and sending them in, or filling a ‘virtual’ form in online and emailing it to Council. The new portal will offer forms in a digital format so that information is uploaded into Council’s systems instantaneously.
“Processing times will be cut significantly with this approach – making it much more customer-friendly – and a lot of staff time will also be saved.”
Website-users who set up shortcut links to certain pages on the old site will find that they need to redirect those links to the relevant information on the new site.
In addition, Council has also launched a new Have Your Say digital engagement tool – haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au to keep the community informed and involved in a wide range of current consultations, projects and strategies.
“Have Your Say is all about having an ongoing dialogue with local residents about the issues that matter to them – whether that’s a draft plan for the future management of their favourite beach reserve, a new policy in the making, significant road upgrades or major facility upgrades,” continued Mr Kirkman.
“Each project page offers many options to get involved such as surveys, polls, submissions, viewing videos or photos, and signing up for planned workshops or site visits. Plus you can subscribe to email updates.
“Our goal is to maintain a conversation with the community about the issues that matter to them.”
