Granicus, a leading provider of communication and engagement tools for government, announced several new technology enhancements, including major messaging upgrades, at this week's Digital Engagement Virtual Summit conference.
The company has built two-way text messaging into govdelivery, a platform used by hundreds of government agencies in the United States to directly contact residents via email and SMS. Granicus and govdelivery merged in 2016 with financial support from Vista Equity Partners, which acquired both companies.
This update means agencies not only have new ways to connect with constituents, they also have access to measurable data on customer reach and engagement, which allows them to adjust their communications strategies. . The company used a variety of techniques to realize the tool, including predictive modeling and visualization dashboards that provide actionable insights from customer data.
During the April Summit, Granicus Chief Product Officer Bob Ainsbury shared examples of how two-way text messaging can make government-citizen engagement more personal.
“Through this technology, we can engage thousands or even millions of residents at the same time,” Ainsbury said. “And residents get this highly personalized experience, which provides a unique opportunity to not only engage with residents but also gather additional information. If there is not, and a resident requests trash removal or surfaces some kind of complaint, this technology allows the agency to collect that data and assist as quickly as possible.”
Over the past few years, more local, state, and federal governments have turned to SMS to engage with their citizens. Federal agencies will send approximately 148 million SMS messages in 2023, 10 percent from 2022, and 10 percent from 2021, according to an April 16 Granicus news release outlining this year's technology and business priorities. This is an increase of 22% from 2017. Realizing the value of SMS, one federal agency stepped in earlier this year to help smaller agencies also access two-way text in their communities.
In January, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) announced plans to help four states and local governments launch the Notify.gov text messaging platform to streamline communication with their residents. The pilot also included a distributor in Norfolk, Virginia. Montgomery County, Maryland. and Wisconsin and Washington. After implementation, agencies can now send customized text messages about application deadlines, interview reminders, fraud reduction, and other important service updates to residents and staff who opt in.
In the coming months, Granicus will continue to evolve its customer experience capabilities. In February, the company announced the acquisition of SmartGov, a cloud-based permitting, compliance, and licensing tool that digitizes services for residents and automates processes for government.
Each of these investments will help strengthen the company's Government Experience Cloud, according to a news release. It is a platform that houses cloud computing and virtualization tools created specifically for government agencies to help improve the citizen experience.
