WORCESTER—Worcester revamped the city’s 311 app, which offers residents an easier way to report various issues ranging from broken street signs, and dangerous potholes to illegal roosters.
Worcester took a significant step in modernizing its municipal services with the launch of the 311 smartphone application last July, and residents and city officials are excited about the changes.
“Our goal with 311 was to try to put municipal government at the fingertips of everyone in the community,” said Charles Goodwin, commissioner of Emergency Communications and Emergency Management.
The city is also expanding its 311 system to include integration with Facebook Messenger, email, and an AI chat feature on its website answering in both Spanish and English. The app promises to enhance accountability and transparency in addressing residents’ concerns.
Worcester is reopening the Main South municipal service center as a 311 outpost. This center has three agents working different hours than the main 311 hotline, including two days a week until 7 p.m. Residents can file work orders, obtain birth and death certificates, apply for passports, and access information about Department of Transitional Services offerings, according to Goodwin.
“We will also have the city’s first vending machine selling Worcester’s yellow pay-as-you-throw trash bags,” said Goodwin. “Instead of going to a grocery store and having to stand in line and hope that they’ve got the bag, you can walk right in and get one from our vending machine.”
While the 311 system serves as a clearinghouse for complaints, the actual resolution of issues still falls to various city departments.
“One thing that we have heard complaints about in the past year is when somebody would put in a report, and they would eventually see it get closed, but not know if it was completed or not,” Goodwin added.
To address this, the app allows residents to report problems anonymously while providing contact information for follow-ups. The department is also working to integrate phone and app complaints to avoid duplicate entries.
“I’ve used it a few times,” said Bethany Mann, a Worcester resident. “The first time using it, though, I didn’t know what buttons to press to get to where I needed, because no one really teaches you these things.”
Mann also cited others’ experiences using the app. “Some of my neighbors have called because the management doesn’t fix anything,” she added. “So, they’ll send inspectors to come take a look and report it, so if the landlord or management doesn’t get it fixed in a timely manner then they’ll get fined.”
Goodwin sees potential for growth and improvement in the 311 system. “We’re working with the company to try to increase what other capabilities we have within the app,” he said, “and what customer service management systems we could identify and utilize that could also complement the app.”
He added that it tends to be difficult to adapt to new processes, making these systems work the way they were intended.
“I’ve always kind of followed that philosophy of ‘this is the way we’ve always done it’ isn’t always the way we can continue to do it,” he said, adding that the in-person customer service center at 799 Main St., which opened with a ribbon cutting Tuesday, July 23, “works really well; it’s something that we’re going to be looking at expanding.”
In the meantime, residents can continue to use the app as normal and submit online service requests 24×7. Worcester 311’s normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Matt Olszewski is a freelance content and news writer based in Boston, MA. In his free time, Matt enjoys running, hiking or skiing. Matt is currently finishing up the MPH degree program at Tufts University. He can be reached at mattoskier@gmail.com
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