Ballarat is one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regional cities, home to more than 116,000 residents. Known for its rich history, vibrant community, and rapidly expanding population, the city faces the ongoing challenge of balancing growth with service delivery. As more people call Ballarat home, expectations around responsiveness, communication, and transparency have never been higher.
That’s where the City of Ballarat’s Customer Experience team is stepping up — and standing out.
In 2024, Ballarat took out the Snap Send Solve Solver of the Year – Customer Experience award for the second year running, recognised for their innovative use of technology to improve service outcomes and build stronger connections with their community.
Their approach is working — and the numbers back it up. Community Satisfaction scores and communication ratings have consistently improved year on year, and uptake of Snap Send Solve has surged as locals embrace the app as their go-to for reporting local issues.
- In 2024, 96% of closed reports sent to Ballarat Council were marked as ‘Solved,’ outperforming the state average of 86.2%.
- Ballarat Council’s app user base grew from 2,139 in 2023 to 2,950 in 2024—an increase of 38% year on year. Snap Send Solve continues to be a preferred reporting channel, contributing to the growth in unique users after 3+ years of partnership.
- In 2024, Ballarat Council received a CSAT score of 76%, higher than the state average of 73%.
So, how exactly are they doing it?
We spoke with two of Ballarat’s key Customer Experience team members, Josh Waight and Maggie Dalgleish, about how they’re using Snap Send Solve to strengthen community trust, improve communication, and create a better everyday experience for their residents.
Josh Waight
Manager Customer Experience at Ballarat City Council
Behind the Scenes: What’s Your Role at Ballarat City Council?
1. Managing our wonderful Customer Experience team.
2. Driving strategic planning and initiatives to enhance customer experiences and deliver high-quality service, making sure we’re always improving how we work with and for our community.
3. Working with teams across the organisation to embed customer focused thinking in our processes and service delivery.
How Do You Work Smarter with Snap Send Solve?
Snap Send Solve is more than just a reporting tool. It’s a key part of how we enhance customer experience in Ballarat. My role involves incorporating Snap Send Solve into our broader strategies and projects, using it to improve service delivery and customer experience.
What Set Ballarat Apart for the Customer Experience Award?
Winning this award for the second year in a row reflects our ongoing commitment to enhancing the way we engage with the community. We are always looking at how we can improve service delivery, and Snap Send Solve has played a key role in that by providing a more efficient way for residents to report issues.
By utilising and advertising Snap Send Solve as a key customer service channel and dedicating resources to it, we’ve been able to make the most of its features to enhance how we manage and respond to customer requests. A key focus has been on strengthening our communication with customers, ensuring they are informed throughout the process and that we are closing the loop on reported issues to help build trust and improve transparency between the organisation and our community.
This award reflects the dedication and ongoing efforts of the City of Ballarat to deliver a better customer experience. We will continue to refine our approach, embrace new opportunities to improve, and ensure that our community remains at the heart of everything we do.
Maggie Dalgleish
Customer Experience Digital Support at Ballarat City Council
What’s Your Impact at Ballarat City Council?
1. Logging reports to appropriate departments.
2. Providing communication to Snappers in regard to their reports.
3. Following up and closing reports.
How Does Snap Send Solve Fit into Your Workflow?
My role involves viewing reports and creating a request for the relevant department. Once reports are logged, we use a standard template which is customised to the request type, often aiming to provide some basic information and set expectations.
As the request is investigated and completed, we will complete a check of all actioned Snap Send Solve jobs from the previous day and provide the customer with either an 'Added to Scheduled Works’ response or a ‘Works Completed’ response - Any jobs which were ‘Added to Scheduled Works’ will be picked up in a separate system once the works have been completed.
Once we are notified that the request is actioned, we will again send through a standard template advising of the outcome of the report. This could include a ‘Works Completed’, Appropriate Action Taken’, or other completion template. The report will then be updated from ‘in progress’ to ‘solved’.
Ballarat’s Winning Formula for Customer Experience – What Do You Think?
Our success with this platform has come from the time and work put into setting up the platform to work in with our current software, as well as aligning with the Customer Service standards relevant to our organisation.
The heavy focus on responding to and keeping customers informed has allowed customers to feel included in the process, ensuring they know their concerns are heard. Snap Send Solve is an incredibly user-friendly app that alleviates frustration and stress when it comes to voicing concerns about issues in the community.
Although outcomes may not always be what customers are hoping for, I believe that the communication and information provided to customers allows them to understand why something has or has not occurred. This provides the transparency that customers are seeking. The app allows for collaboration and education between Council and the community, with a focus on ongoing improvement and customer satisfaction.
We still have a lot to learn from our community and their feedback allows us to continue providing a high standard of service. The growth already seen in the utilisation of this app is an incredible testament to the dedication of the Customer Service staff, Snap Send Solve team and our community, who always push us to pursue excellence.
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