Nestled in the lower North Island of New Zealand, Manawatū District Council (MDC) serves a picturesque region renowned for its fertile land, rugged coastlines, and vibrant communities.
MDC provides infrastructure, community services, and regulatory functions to its residents. It has been proactive in adopting innovative solutions to streamline operations and improve customer satisfaction.
Linda Griffith, Customer Services Manager at MDC, highlights how implementing Datascape Animals has transformed their dog registration process. This modernisation has not only eliminated hours of manual labour but also enhanced community satisfaction by enabling online applications for approximately 7,500 dog registrations annually.
Annual dog registrations were previously a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. Customer Service Officers spent months processing registrations manually, which involved:
Most payments were made in person, with a few processed via internet banking or credit card.
Linda says, “We would take physical forms submitted by dog owners, type these out by hand, and then start the follow-up process. It was inefficient, prone to human error, and frustrating for both staff and customers.”
The lack of online registration and payment options limited flexibility for residents, who had few convenient ways to complete their registrations.
To address these challenges, MDC sought a solution to streamline the dog registration process while enhancing customer experience.
Having already implemented Datascape’s community engagement app, Antenno, MDC was familiar with Datascape’s capabilities. Antenno had received positive feedback for its role in facilitating two-way communication with residents. This success encouraged MDC to explore Datascape Animals for online dog registrations.
A key feature of Datascape Animals is its customer portal, which allows residents to log in and access information tailored specifically to them. Upon launching the system, 20% of all registrations were completed online within the first year—a significant milestone.
Marko Blagojevic, IS Manager at MDC, acknowledges that while some residents still prefer face-to-face interactions, the option to register dogs online has proven highly popular. “For those keen to embrace online convenience, the numbers speak for themselves,” he says.
One of MDC’s critical requirements was enabling immediate payment processing during online registration.
Initially, the functionality for immediate payments was not part of Datascape Animals. However, after engaging in productive discussions with MDC, the Datascape team recognised the importance of this feature. They collaborated closely with MDC to thoroughly understand their project needs and challenges, ultimately developing a solution that enabled immediate payments.
“Datascape gave us exactly what we wanted, and it works great,” Marko says. “The ability to have open and honest conversations with the Datascape team stands out. With a different vendor, I’m not sure we would have received this level of support.”
The implementation of Datascape Animals has delivered measurable benefits, saving three full-time equivalent staff over three months of work annually, by eliminating manual processes. “It freed-up time, allowing our staff to focus on higher-value tasks”.
Residents have also benefited from a user-friendly online registration system that offers 24/7 self-service. This allows them to register their dogs and make payments at their convenience.
Feedback from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. Comments such as “This was so easy. Thank you so much” reflect the improved customer experience.
Marko says, “The cost savings in staff time and effort easily offset the cost of the product. The convenience and satisfaction it brings to both staff and residents make this a clear win.”
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