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Get the 411 on RVA311, the city’s new non-emergency reporting service

Posted at 2:32 PM, Jun 15, 2018
and last updated 2018-06-15 15:59:12-04

RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond residents who need to report potholes and make non-emergency requests will turn to RVA311 instead of See-Click-Fix, starting late Friday, June 15.

Once See-Click-Fix goes offline, RVA 311 is the only way to submit service requests.

So, what is it?

It is software valued at over $1 million that helps the city manage citizen, business and visitor requests. The application can be found through its self-named URL — rva311.com – which will be available as a mobile application in early July.

The launch is intended to improve service delivery and enhance citizen engagement for non-emergency requests.

It is different from See-Click-Fix in that the citizen’s request is routed to the end point, city representative Krystal Onaitis said. The city didn’t have control over See-Click-Fix, and requests didn’t flow into the back end system.

The self-service portal allows users to submit service requests by category, and then by specific service need. Images and files can be uploaded as well.  Users can also find 150 frequently asked questions for further assistance.

The software vendor AvePoint made Richmond its operational headquarters in late 2016. The company, a four-time Microsoft Partner of the Year Award winner, gifted the technology to the city. Onaitis said that the company is big into philanthropy and offered their services to the city. Because of its value, City Council was required to vote for its adoption.

The service will be provided initially for three years and three months. AvePoint covers development, maintenance and training.

Mayor Levar M. Stoney said he believes the tool will help the city serve citizens in a “far more transparent way that will be both better and faster.”

The service doesn’t necessarily mean that potholes will be fixed faster, but Onaitis said that it will help make the city more aware of them and understand service demands. It will help the city look at how they assess paving efforts, for example, which could lend to potholes being fixed faster.

“It’s a very intelligent tool and its going to offer a lot of benefits to citizens, businesses and visitors in the city,” Onaitis said.

Several core city agencies will utilize RVA311 at launch, including the Richmond Police Department, the Departments of Public Works, Public Utilities, Social Services, Finance and the Department of Planning and Development Review.

Additional agencies will come on board at a later date.

RVA311 will also serve as the operating system for requests submitted by citizens calling 311 or (804) 646-7000.

Upon submission of any request, the system will automatically route it to the appropriate department for review and remedy. Users who provide an email address will receive updates and be notified when the work is completed.

There will also be an option for users to create an on-line account, although it is not required for access.

RVA311 will be managed by the new Department of Citizen Service and Response, which begins operations in July. The new department will be centered on ensuring the city remains “citizen-centric” in its service delivery efforts. The city is still hiring for a director to run the department.

After June 15, the only way service requests can be submitted to the city will be through the RVA311 portal online, by phone or via the mobile application when it becomes available early next month. The software will go live after close of business on June 15, and before midnight.

Residents, businesses and visitors are reminded RVA311 is for non-emergency requests only. 911 should still be called in any emergency.

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