A little bit goes a long way...
I found Congress Online's section on online casework particularly interesting. By taking a few additional steps in creating a website, can have a huge impact for staff and constituents. For instance, Johnson refers to Senator Bingaman's website a wonderful example of helping constituents with their problems and concerns.
His, "How can I assist you" web page helps constituents in just a few steps:
First, the web page helps to determine whether the question or issue was something which the senator's office could provide assistance with, together with providing examples of state issues that senator's office has no jurisdiction.
Second, the page provided a list of quick answers to FAQ about casework (what happened after I apply for Social Security, after I have become disabled and can no longer work, etc.)
Third, there was provided link to the federal agencies, then the site helped a constituent open a case with one of the senator's five state offices (completing a Personal Authorization Form, gathering the necessary paper work, and links to downloadable forms from several agencies).
Fourth, the site gave contact numbers, addresses of his five state offices, including the picture of the front of each building and the pictures of caseworkers who could help.
As a former case work intern at a U.S. Senator's state office, Bingaman's use of the Internet to help constituents with their problems and questions would reduce the amount of work in the state offices tremendously. By providing what the Senator's office can help with, FAQs, links and downloadable forms, contact information and caseworker profiles relieves the staff assistant answering phones, allowing he/she to perform other functions. Moreover, the work load of case workers is dramatically reduced, as they can refer folks to the website and can already have new cases entered into system, etc.
It is smart and advantageous to take just a few extra steps adding more features on a website, can mean a tremendous reduction in the work for staff and the assistance and ease of use for constituents.
His, "How can I assist you" web page helps constituents in just a few steps:
First, the web page helps to determine whether the question or issue was something which the senator's office could provide assistance with, together with providing examples of state issues that senator's office has no jurisdiction.
Second, the page provided a list of quick answers to FAQ about casework (what happened after I apply for Social Security, after I have become disabled and can no longer work, etc.)
Third, there was provided link to the federal agencies, then the site helped a constituent open a case with one of the senator's five state offices (completing a Personal Authorization Form, gathering the necessary paper work, and links to downloadable forms from several agencies).
Fourth, the site gave contact numbers, addresses of his five state offices, including the picture of the front of each building and the pictures of caseworkers who could help.
As a former case work intern at a U.S. Senator's state office, Bingaman's use of the Internet to help constituents with their problems and questions would reduce the amount of work in the state offices tremendously. By providing what the Senator's office can help with, FAQs, links and downloadable forms, contact information and caseworker profiles relieves the staff assistant answering phones, allowing he/she to perform other functions. Moreover, the work load of case workers is dramatically reduced, as they can refer folks to the website and can already have new cases entered into system, etc.
It is smart and advantageous to take just a few extra steps adding more features on a website, can mean a tremendous reduction in the work for staff and the assistance and ease of use for constituents.
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