Aug. 16, 2000

City of Phoenix Receives CIO-100 Award for Customer Service Excellence

The City of Phoenix has received the 2000 CIO-100 award, which recognizes organizations around the world that exemplify the highest level of operational and strategic excellence. Of the 100 recipients chosen to receive the award, Phoenix is the only local government to be selected.

"This year's CIO-100 honorees have demonstrated excellence in one or more of the critical areas of managing the customer relationship," said Abbie Lundberg, CIO editor-in-chief. "Customer relationship management is a way for large organizations to gain the depth of understanding of their customers that comes naturally to smaller, local businesses."

"Our customers are our number one priority," said Mayor Skip Rimsza. "This is just one more example of Phoenix's commitment to providing its customers with the highest level of service possible."

This year's award program focuses on excellence, innovation and improved business performance through the use of customer-oriented practices.

"This award reaffirms the city's 'seamless' approach to providing services as well our pledge to afford universal access and equity of service for all customers," said City Manager Frank Fairbanks.

Two examples highlighted in the award entry are the city's Web site, Phoenix At Your Fingertips, and the Seamless Service Directory.

The Seamless Service Directory provides a way for city staff to more directly route citizen phone calls to the right person on the first call. Staff members enter a keyword in the searchable database and can find information on who provides a specific service, whether it be the city or some other government or citizen-based agency.

Phoenix At Your Fingertips (PAYF) provides the public with up-to-date electronic information and services through the Web at cityofphoenix.org, free public-access workstations and dial-up access. Some of the services offered on PAYF include permitting, calendar of events, service requests, data sales, and downloading applications and bids. Residents also can access the public library and its vast resources, arrival and departure times and other information from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, as well as other agencies' Web sites that further citizen services.

"It's an honor to receive such a prestigious award," said Danny Murphy, chief information officer (CIO) and director of the city's Information Technology Department. "In this new age of technology, we will continue to pursue innovative ways to deliver services to our customers."

CXO Media, Inc. (formerly CIO Communications, Inc.), which publishes CIO magazine, is an executive reach company, serving corporate officers who use technology to thrive and prosper in this new era of business. It is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading IT media, research and exposition company.

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