The Value Of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in Code Enforcement
When strategizing how to most effectively deliver local government services, it's best to act based on objective key performance indicators. Having access to trustworthy KPIs requires investing in systems and processes that produce valuable information in real (or near) real time.
In many ways, local code enforcement departments are the beating heart of their municipality. They track compliance across many different areas including public health, safety, consumer protection, business operations, building standards, municipal affairs, and more. Code enforcement protects the community by regulating entities that are disobeying city ordinances, and enriches the living experience for citizens by providing a clean, healthy community to live in.
Real time KPIs on code enforcement activities are so important because they provide visibility to stakeholders across the agency based on real-time decisions being made by code enforcement officers in the field. They also provide visibility on the long term trends the municipality is facing which is critical to helping adopt the correct strategies to address the most prominent issues.
How do you Measure Success in your Municipality?
Watch our webinar: 15 Must-Have Code Enforcement KPIs and What They Mean for Your Agency
Much of what Code Enforcement officers do, to improve the community’s quality of life, goes unseen. Which makes securing resources, managing reputations, and getting credit where credit is due - hard.
Discover 15 KPIs that will help your agency tell its story and demonstrate success. At Comcate, we’ve interviewed hundreds of Code Enforcement professionals to uncover the numbers that matter most.
Open cases a month
From the time a case is opened to when its closed
Public comments
Time frame from case initiation to first inspection
Total number of confirmed violations
Violations resolved voluntarily
Violations resolved via forced compliance
Average Fines Collected
Total Amount of Fines Collected
Violations Remedied Without Court
Violations that Require Court Proceedings
Code Enforcement guru, Marcus Kellum, joins us to present best practices for sharing your story with those that matter most.
What You'll Learn
How to form strong KPIs for your agency
15 Code Enforcement KPIs that matter most
How to present KPIs to the exec team and council
Understanding The Value Of Key Performance Indicators
Key performance indicators are valuable at all levels of your organization.
Supervisors: Access to caseload by officer helps supervisors balance work across personnel. Real-time access to performance metrics help supervisors coach their team based on current, and relevant problems the officers are facing.
Department Heads: Access to past and current work volumes help Department Heads forecast staffing needs and department budgets. Reports on overall department performance help Department Heads communicate the value their function is adding to senior management with data-oriented observations.
Appointed Officials: Access to trends in complaint type, case volume, and case outcomes help City Managers and Town Administrators understand the prominent problems their municipality is facing and adopt the correct long-term strategy to address those problems.
Elected Officials: Access to code enforcement data in specific council districts help elected officials cut through the noise and focus on what is most important to the constituents in their respective districts. This helps them guide resources to their most productive use across the municipality based on the voice of their citizens and the work being done by staff across the agency.
Setting Effective KPIs
It’s easy to get weighed down by the newest methodology, trend, or way of working. But it’s important to make sure agencies have a good hold on KPIs so they're focusing efforts in the right places. Code enforcement departments are better off with one or two key KPIs that are accurate and clear than too complex. When setting KPIs, think of the things you have to ask your team about the most. Perhaps complaint types, and the time line from case initiation to first inspection are good KPIs to start with. Over time you can add average time to reach compliance, and the overall number of notices issued per month as other KPIs to review regularly.
KPI Data Integrity
As a department head and owner of KPIs, it's imperative to review them regularly and check that the information is accurate. There’s nothing worse than making a decision based on information you thought was accurate only to find out that your process to track and produce data is working differently than you realized. This is where Comcate software can help as your partner in both setting effective KPIs and ensuring data accuracy.
Schedule a Meeting with Comcate Today!
Learn how Comcate can help make government delivery simple, and offer a modern digital experience to help you increase transparency, efficiency, and performance across your departments. If you have any questions about implementing our software, please schedule a meeting with our team, or call us directly at (415) 632-1248.