On Wednesday, the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs hosted a day of outreach to inform commuters about the new Paid Sick Leave initiative. Volunteers handed out leaflets and shared information about the new law, which goes into effect on July 30, at subways stations throughout the city. Adrian Hopkins, Director of Strategy at Bureau Blank,Read… Read more »
The biggest brands in the world have one thing in common – they understand the value of customer service and have found unique ways to make it a core part of their business. How can we do the same in local government? Let’s learn from the top brands we’ve picked out. “Everyone should work inRead… Read more »
A special edition of GovLoop’s DorobekINSIDER today. We’re LIVE! We meet every month with the simple idea, get smart people together and share ideas because we believe that the real power of information comes when it is shared. Better data means better customer service. Consider the way Amazon uses your purchasing history to suggest itemsRead… Read more »
For more than six decades, the National Institute of Allergyand Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has been at the forefront of research in infectious and immune mediated diseases, microbiology, immunology, and related disciplines. It conducts and supports basic and applied research to better understand, diagnose, prevent, and treat infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria, as wellRead… Read more »
Government employees have faced a number of “downers” in recent years: sequestration and budget cuts, furloughs, and pay freezes, just to name a few. Federal employees hired today are required to contribute a greater proportion of their salaries to their pensions than those hired just a few years ago. Travel budgets have been cut downRead… Read more »
It’s difficult for governments to remain effective when the support of citizens evaporates. History is littered with failed states, civil wars and insurrections resulting from society’s loss of trust in their rulers and governance systems. In authoritarian states this support is often built on fear, coercion and control, which can prove to be very fragileRead… Read more »
Approximately once a month, I get an email from a family member or friend that goes something like “My cousin/neighbor/babysitter is really interested in getting a federal job. S/he can’t figure out the process. Can you give her some inside guidance?” Whether OPM wants to admit it or not, the process is still way tooRead… Read more »
Let’s put this as neutrally as possible. People interact with public services. Now, here’s a simple question: what should we call those people – and why? Perhaps it’s not such a simple question after all. They – we – are many things. We are patients, customers, passengers, swimmers, clients, taxpayers, claimants and more (as wellRead… Read more »
Moderator Trey Hodgkins (far left) and panelists from left to right: Richard Beutel, Kevin Cummins, Aaron Wasserman and Angela Styles. “Taxpayers deserve a government that harnesses technology to better serve the people.” I would be surprised if anyone disagreed with this profound statement from former Missouri governor Matt Blunt. Citizens expect their government to spendRead… Read more »
However hard you try to represent people, the chances of their feeling well represented remain small. That’s not a reason to despair. It is a reason to remember that there is a gap between those who consult and those who are consulted, between those who provide and those who are provided for, which is likelyRead… Read more »