Before digitizing OPRA (Open Public Records Act), request forms through Polimorphic Prospect Park’s municipal processes relied heavily on a paper-based system and emails.  Forms were filled out either online or in person, and attached in emails that then the Clerk had to forward, copy, and physically move between departments. A large portion of the staff’s time was spent time manually handling, filing, and tracking paper forms. There was no system in place to track cases and measure the progress.

Implementing Polimorphic's digital forms and CRM platform provided several benefits. It streamlined the entire process by going above and beyond online forms to provide applicants visibility on case status, automate workflows for staff, record cases in a centralized database, and track progress. This significantly reduced paper use and physical handling of forms. Staff no longer had to spend time on tasks like copying, filing, forwarding emails, since all relevant information was recorded in a centralized knowledge base.  Passing cases between departments is streamlined through assigning tasks.  Notifications on email and the case dashboard automatically alert when it’s an assignee’s turn to take action, and ensures requests don’t slip through the cracks. This improved accountability by providing the status and location of each request. It also reduced turnaround times significantly, leading to improved customer service and satisfaction.

The data collected enabled the municipality to track the number of processed requests, identify areas for improvement, and make more informed decisions. This allowed them to pinpoint inefficiencies in the process and use data from the over 200 annual requests to determine where departments needed more support. As a result, they were able to provide the necessary assistance to improve request processing.

The Borough Clerk and staff have seen a significant reduction of 70% less time spent on paper based processes, and this has been a benefit to them and how they serve the community.  Staff are able to spend less time on menial tasks that the processes and software can automate, and more time with people who need help in person or on their other rewarding responsibilities, such as planning community events.