In the last few years many Public Sector organizations have embarked in the implementation of a number of "e-initiatives". These are usually customer-facing applications that allow the general public to perform a number of self-service functions, such as renewing motor vehicle registration, paying taxes, request replacement of documents or maintain their own data current. The examples are many and varied.

The creation of this type of applications has also created the need to integrate previously existing applications in order to perform functions by accessing data from multiple sources. In fact, many of these "e-applications" are nothing but an integrated front-face for many pre-existing back-office applications. Previous to offering self-service, it was possible to manage many business functions with applications that did not talk to each other. As organizations offer more self-service options to its constituents, the need for integrated applications is highlighted.

In selecting the proper technologies and implementation methods Public Sector organizations face many of the same challenges that their Private Sector counterparts do: Selecting Architecture models and technologies from a very extensive selection may be a daunting task by itself. Implementing any of those options is a separate challenge.

CLEARIS has extensive experience implementing integration functions using custom-built solutions as well as middleware. 

The Industry has carefully observed how the Public Sector has played catch up with the Private Sector in the CRM area. In an effort that many considered would never occur, Government agencies actually "got it" and embraced Customer Relationship Management as a means to better manage their interactions with the public. In hindsight it is clear that much of the initial reticence may have been due to the fact that many Government agencies did not see their public base as "Customers". The word was associated with profits and private sector. As the notion of Customers shifted to include any person that requires a service from someone, it became clearer to many agencies that they need help managing such interactions.

This concept is no longer new to Public Sector agencies, as well as to quasi-government agencies, which may obtain partial funding or management from public funds, while maintaining some independence.  All this said the needs and challenges of the Public Sector when using CRM are substantially different from those in the Private Sector. There are of course a number of commonalities, such as being able to track the contacts and interactions, but a closer look shows that Public Sector agencies are often also charged with demonstrating compliance with a number of regulations that can only be systematically tracked whiten the use of CRM applications.

CLEARIS has very extensive experience implementing CRM solutions in the Public Sector. From Call Center Management to Eligibility Administration and Health Care Management.