Monday. It’s the busiest day of the week for 311, the City of Sacramento’s primary customer help line.
An average weekday produces around 700 calls to 311. However, Monday, May 13, was a historic day.
311 received 1,244 calls — and it was able to answer 80% of them in less than a minute, setting a new customer-service record for the help line.
Ivan Castellanos, 311 Manager, said his team was able to answer so many calls as quickly and efficiently as they did thanks in part to recent investments made in the department.
Additional resources allowed 311 to add six call agents, and now the department can better address problems a resident may have with City services, Castellanos said. Calls can range from questions about a missed garbage pick-up to reports of code-enforcement violations in a neighborhood.
“Our vision for 311 is to deliver the level of service that customers are now expecting from private companies,” Castellanos said. “Everyone is looking for an Amazon.com level of experience, and I think that’s something that should be expected from government as well.”
The 311 center has an overall goal of answering 80% of all calls within 60 seconds, not just on one day a week but every day and during all peak hours. It’s a steep challenge, but because 311 is a critical way citizens can resolve issues, it’s vital the City gets it right, Castellanos said.
Have something you need fixed?
Call by dialing 3-1-1 or (916) 264-5011. Visit the online help center to instantly create a service request or download the mobile app. You can also send us an email at 311@cityofsacramento.org.