MMA webinar covers constituent service strategies

An MMA webinar on June 23 discussed strategies for delivering consistent constituent services.

Hillary Waite, sewer superintendent in Rockland, highlighted the difference between “constituents” and “customers.” Constituents, she said, all receive an equal level of service.

“In my case,” she said, “I’m giving everybody the same wastewater treatment. It doesn’t matter if you live on one side of town or the other, we want to make sure that your sewer is functioning adequately, and then at the wastewater treatment plant, that we’re treating it completely.”

Panelists noted that local governments can’t always deliver the specific outcomes or answers that residents want.

“We aren’t going to be able to say ‘yes’ or provide a solution that the constituent always likes,” said Jen Breaker, interim human resources director in Malden. “Knowing how to say ‘no’ politely, firmly, and with explanation is really important.”

Leadership must back their teams during these difficult interactions, Breaker said, so constituents don’t learn that they can get around the rules by elevating their complaints.

Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo shared a story about a recent dispute with a restaurant, in which he backed up Salem Constituent Services Director Julio Mota. When the restaurant went on social media to complain about the city blocking its opening, the mayor posted a clear update explaining the situation and the steps the business needed to take to get its doors open. The post showed support for Salem’s staff and their decisions, cleared up misinformation online, and made it known that every business has to follow the same rules.

Dedham Communications Director Amanda Smith moderated 30 minutes of questions and answers, addressing inquiries regarding the benefits of tracking constituent concerns, cultivating a culture of support for staff, and constituent services playbooks.

• You Can’t Always Have It Your Way: Delivering Consistent Constituent Services (PDF)