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Mobile devices provide an important access channel for governments to reach citizens.
Mobile devices provide an important access channel for governments to reach citizens.
The Ministry of Social Development uses the mobile channel to improve customer service by providing timely information to its customers. Over the last four years Fronde has been assisting the Ministry to utilise the mobile channel as a cost effective means of communicating with customers. Some of the Ministry’s mobile initiatives are outlined below.
Christchurch Earthquake Job Loss Cover
The Government announced the Earthquake Support Subsidy in the wake of the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. The scheme was established to assist those people who have lost income as a result of the earthquake. The Ministry felt that it was important to ensure that people who are eligible for the support should be notified as soon as payments were made to their accounts. Given the widespread destruction caused by the earthquake, communication through more traditional electronic means, such as email, could not be guaranteed to reach the recipients. SMS was seen by the Ministry as the most efficient communication method to notify customers when payments had been made to their bank accounts. With Fronde’s help, the SMS notification to customers was running within days of the Government announcing the scheme.
Employers Online
Employers Online is a free service that allows employers to search Work and Income’s database of job seekers. Registered job seekers have a CV created and held in the Work and Income system. To protect an individual’s privacy, employers are able to view the CV’s but do not get access to the job seeker’s name or contact details. When employers want to contact a job seeker, they are able to generate an SMS through the website notifying the job seeker of their interest and the contact details of the employer. The job seeker can then contact the employer.
StudyLink
StudyLink is a service of the Ministry of Social Development that connects people with the information they need to make informed decisions about student finances and other study-related issues, as well as provide financial support to students. Fronde has been working with the Ministry to provide these services over the web-channel. Students can access correspondence online, with notifications sent to their mobile phones.
Fronde is also working with the Ministry to explore new and innovative ways to further leverage the mobile channel for the Ministry’s clients.
*These case studies are from our archives. Exact publish dates are not known.
