Whilst work continues to develop the site, our existing website dorsetforyou.com still gives you a simple way to access whatever you need- from reporting a pothole to applying for a school place. Whether it’s on your computer, tablet or smartphone, at any time that suits you.
And if you don’t have your own device, you can log on at your local library, where staff will be on hand to offer help.
More web-based interactions will help councils keep their costs down, and free up more money for front line services.
We recently spent time talking to local people about why and how they access council services. To determine whether there are any reasons they do or don’t go online. The results were very interesting.
“I am online at home, but I’m used to calling the council and don’t know which services are online.”
You can access most services online including:
“I’d be more likely to report and pay for things online if you made it clearer that it was a cheaper way of contacting the council.”
Each online report saves the council more than £2, compared with the cost of a phone call. Over the past year, around 60,000 (40%) of our 140,000 forms and reports were completed online, saving almost £150,000. If we could reach 80%, we could double this annual saving and help protect vital council services.
“I telephone rather than use the website because I think the issue will be dealt with more quickly.”
Our customer service operators fill out the same online forms that are on the website – both are prioritised equally.
“I don’t apply or pay for things online because I’m worried about the security of my information.”
All forms on dorsetforyou.com are fully secure and data will not be shared with other organisations.
Win an iPad air 2
To encourage even more people to pay, report or apply for services online, everyone who uses one of our online forms before 31 March 2016 will be entered into a competition to win an iPad Air 2. Find out more about the prize draw, and all the services it applies to.
If you need help using our website or simply getting online, drop into your local library, call us on 01305 221048 or find out more about help getting online.
