Item - 2026.SE12.1

The Service Excellence Committee recommends that:

1. Executive Committee request the Executive Director, Customer Experience to report directly to the June 24, 25, and 26, 2026 meeting of City Council with a sample of standard simple public messaging for 311 inquiries for the public to understand that there is a cascading approach to all service requests based on urgency, size, danger and the effect on timelines.

2. City Council request the Executive Director, Municipal Licensing and Standards to prioritize noise complaints in subsequent 311 intake improvement initiatives.

The Executive Director, Customer Experience and Directors, Customer Experience gave a presentation on Simplifying the 311 Intake Experience.

This report responds to direction from the Executive Committee to provide a plan and phased approach to simplify the 311 service intake process by streamlining public-facing service categories and consolidating service codes, where appropriate. It also provides an overview of additional planned improvements to simplify how customers access and track City services through a clearer, more intuitive 311 intake experience across all 311 channels (phone, email, online, mobile app, X, and in person counters).

This work is being delivered through two complementary initiatives that will modernize the end to end 311 service request experience, improving access, efficiency and transparency for customers:

1. 311 Front-End Redesign: 

• A simpler, more intuitive self-serve experience through a redesigned customer-centric 311 on web and mobile app interfaces with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, serving as the City's intelligent front door.
• Includes an assessment of opportunities to streamline intake questions and public-facing 311 service request codes and categories across all Integrated Service Divisions (ISDs).

 2. Closing the Loop:

• Strengthened Closing the Loop practices, including more detailed service request milestones and more detailed progress updates to customers, to improve transparency, communication, and service continuity after a request is submitted across all Integrated Service Divisions.

The Customer Experience Division (CXD) has started implementing improvements in a phased approach, prioritizing high‑impact divisions including Parks (in Parks and Recreation), Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), Transportation Services, and Urban Forestry (in Environment, Climate and Forestry), with enhancements for both projects scaling across Integrated Service Divisions, including Community Recreation (a new Integrated Service Division coming by end of 2026) by the fourth quarter of 2027. This work will be informed by initial customer research and reflective of user needs, and ongoing measurement and customer feedback will inform continuous improvement to ensure the 311 service continues to evolve to meet customer needs and expectations.

By simplifying service intake, reducing the number of steps required to submit a service request, and streamlining service codes, these initiatives will reduce the time and effort required for customers to submit requests while improving the accuracy and reliability of intake. Although simplifying service intake will benefit customers using any 311 channel, it is particularly important for improving the self-serve experience. A clearer, more intuitive intake process makes it easier for customers to submit service requests correctly on the first attempt, increasing confidence and adoption of 311's digital channels.

At the same time, improvements to customer communications, transparency, and service continuity will ensure customers better understand what is happening with their requests, why work is being done, and what outcomes were achieved. Clearer milestones, improved navigation of service categories, and more consistent status updates will provide greater confidence in City services and manage expectations with clear and accurate timelines, reducing the need for follow‑up inquiries. Ultimately, these initiatives will ensure that customers accessing 311 services get an integrated, user-friendly experience, regardless of which or how many Integrated Service Divisions are involved with the completion of the service request.