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I Lost my Wallet
Agency for the Public Services Reform
Portugal

The Problem

The Citizens Shops are one of the most emblematic projects in the service delivery domains in Portugal. In one place, citizens can have access to a wide range of public and private services. From social security to taxes services, from electricity or water suppliers companies to Citizens Card emission services.

Portugal now has:
- 28 Citizen Shops all over the country and about 10 new foreseen for 2011;
- More than 81 millions of attendances since 1999; 5 millions in the first semester of 2010.

As a natural development for a successful model, the 2º generation of Citizen Shops is already being implemented. It foresees new concepts and models of attendance. The tree following should be mentioned:

- Integrated Desks
The integration of several public services into life events service delivery is one of main evolutions of the Citizens and Business Shops concept. One stop services are being increasingly developed, in loco or online, in a tremendous effort of collaboration between several public entities.

- Multi-services Desks
Consists in the aggregation of several simple services from diverse entities in one single desk. The citizen can, in this sense, avoid going to several entities and, from other perspective, the entities involved can use this model to decongest some of its services.

- Assisted Self-Service Kiosks
Provide access to on-line services with assisted support by a member of staff.

This reloaded concept of Citizen Shops allows the project to adapt to public’s new demands in service delivery: integration, simplicity and effectiveness.

The aim is: one single face for the Citizen to contact public services, for the Citizen doesn’t have to know the inside of Public Administration.

The “I lost my wallet” Desk is a perfect example in which a simple but most effective improvement can help an already traumatized Citizen.

A Citizen that lost or had its documents robbed can in a single spot ask for the emission of new:

• Citizens Card (that includes Identity number, Social Security number, health identification number, tax identification number and voting number);
• Drivers license;
• Vehicle license;
• Pensioners card;
• Health and social benefits card for public employees;
• Portugal’s Automotive Club Card (private entity).

This way he does not have to stand in 6 lines waiting for it’s turn and losing many hours in the process.

The challenge that the project now faces is to deepen back office connection and articulation effort between several services and entities. That’s the path that is being progressively undertaken in several domains. On the other hand, the progressive involvement of new entities, from public and private spheres, is also assumed as short term priority. Now that the service is extensively consolidated, the adhesion of new entities improves the projects attractiveness to citizen and takes fully advantage of all the investment already made.

The power of the change initiated with the launch of the Citizens Shops continues until today allowing an even greater integration between public entities’ for the greater benefit of the client – the Citizen

Solution and Key Benefits

 What is the initiative about? (the solution)
This initiative was the pilot for the new concept of public services delivery - one stop services based on Live events. It started in 2007 in Laranjeiras Citizens Shop (Lisbon).

Several key benefits can be pointed out. Its a more easier and appellative way for the Citizen to identify the service he needs, now based on life events. The fact of being only one point of integration with Public Administration providing also one more channel for Document Renewal/Replacement also deserves to be considered as a major improvement. As a result of this integration, less waiting time to complete the process and participant entities service desks were decongest for the services provided in the “I lost my wallet” Desk.

A clear example of the initiative success was the citizen’s adherence to the service shortly after its release. During the first month, 3245 card requests were issued from “I lost my wallet” Desk and 1804 Citizens were attended. During the first year this desk received 47 000 requests in only 2 Citizen Shops (Lisbon and Odivelas). Next year, the “I lost my wallet” Desk will be available in Faro and Coimbra Citizen Shops.

A satisfaction inquiry made during the first month to a universe of 170 Citizens showed that the vast majority (75%) of the inquired considered the service “good” or “Very Good”. More than 90% considered using the service again or advise it to known people and 60% considered integration to be the major advantage. Many improvements have been made to this Service that enable a less attendance time and less paper filling by the Citizen, so it is expected that a new satisfaction inquiry would have even better indicators.

This project was very important in demonstrating Citizens response to the new concept and open the way for other integrated Desk such as: Seniors’ Counter (end 2008); One-stop House; One-stop House Car; On the Spot Firm.

Actors and Stakeholders

 Who proposed the solution, who implemented it and who were the stakeholders?
Integrated services, based on life events, constitute one key development in the public service delivery paradigm in the last years. The “I lost my wallet” project starts to be planned as a consequence of that tendency. After the “Changing Address” integrated service available in the Citizens Portal, the “I lost my a wallet” constitutes one of the most emblematic in person services available in Portugal.

The project was proposed by the Secretary of State for Administrative Modernization. Its implementation was developed by AMA - Agency for the Public Services Reform. As the entity responsible by the Citizens Shops, namely the second generation model, AMA was in privileged conditions to start this kind of integrated services delivery project, where the mobilization of several actors was a key element for its success. In this sense, the major stakeholders of the project are:

̶ IRN - Institute of Registration and Notary,
̶ Institute of Social Security
̶ DG Taxes,
̶ DG Health;
̶ IMTT - Institute of Mobility and Land Transport
̶ ADSE – DG of Social Protection to Employees and Agents of Public Administration
̶ Automobile Club of Portugal (private service)

The integration of other public or private entities in the project is one of the key priorities in a near future. Besides its availability in more Citizens Shops, its attractiveness and useful character to citizens increases with the integration of new entities.

(a) Strategies

 Describe how and when the initiative was implemented by answering these questions
 a.      What were the strategies used to implement the initiative? In no more than 500 words, provide a summary of the main objectives and strategies of the initiative, how they were established and by whom.
The following sectoral objectives of the project can be underlined:

1 – Citizen Convenience
2 – Services Effectiveness
3 – Collaboration

The strategy was underlined in different phases in order to successfully implement the project. First the front office was addressed enabling the Citizen to have a single point of contact to the diverse public entities mentioned before. In this phase the service worked as a receiving point for the several card issue requests. It then delivered those requests in paper duly organized to the respective services. It also takes care of billing issues, receiving the payment for the services and distributing them to the respective entities. These activities are supported by an information system.

The second phase, still in progress, is the back office integration of the “I lost my wallet” information system with its stakeholders information systems

This integration will be achieved by connecting all the systems trough one of the most advanced integration system in the country: The Public Administration Interoperability Platform.

This Platform is based on open standards and uses WebServices as an integration method. It´s goal is to be the reference Platform for Public information systems integration thus providing data integration information directly to the Citizen and enabling private entities access to public and non sensitive or authorized data.
Next steps to be taken are:

• Single form with systems integration
• Open the initiative to other public or private entities
• Make possible the Change of Address Online, with one form to all public entities

Also with the advance of stakeholders information system integration, its necessary to implement methods to measure the administrative burdens reduction of the project in order to determine cost reduction gains from project implementation.

(b) Implementation

 b.      What were the key development and implementation steps and the chronology? No more than 500 words
Although the implementation of this project has been continued since 2007, the following development steps can be underlined:

2007 – First Desk opened in Laranjeiras Citizen Shop (Lisbon) with a very simple Front Office application that recorded the requests and payments. There was no back office information system integration;
2007 – Satisfaction Survey with encouraging results as to Citizens acceptance of the service;
2007 – Service opened in new 2nd generation Odivelas Citizen Shop;
2008 – 2009 - Several improvements were made to the Front Office Application:
• Citizens Card request was included in the front office application;
• Citizen identification query in justice information systems using Interoperability Platform webservices;
• Dynamic form for data storage and automatic PDF form creation to print for Citizens confirmation and signature;
• Automatic e-mail request to Portuguese Automotive Club dematerializing totally this card request;
• Automatic data reading from CC with keypads smart card readers allowing Citizens to introduce the address pin for address data transfer;
• Direct access to Citizens Card Lifecycle application (CVCC) allowing the introduction of Citizens normal and biometric data;
• Direct access to Vehicle license application;
• Direct access to ADSE system for beneficiary search query’s.

2011 – New desks foreseen for Faro and Coimbra’s Citizens Shops in the beginning of the year and new stakeholders are expected to subscribe.
2011 – Integration with other information systems trough the Interoperability Platform

(c) Overcoming Obstacles

 c.      What were the main obstacles encountered? How were they overcome? No more than 500 words
Instead of obstacles, we prefer to talk about challenges. We can underline some with a global scope that reflect the path that is being tread:

A - Changing paradigm
With the Citizen Shops model, Public Administration can provide in a single space access to different public entities. Now that model is being improved and the paradigm is evolving once more, fading in the Citizens eye the many entities present in Public Administration and providing services based on life events rather than administrative events. The citizen is now more than ever in the centre and all is made having in mind its convenience.

B - Partners Articulation
Public entities now enter in a whole new different collaboration stage. Now the public services that traditionally are divided into silos and supply-oriented are asked to share information between their information systems in a deep back office connection and articulation effort. This is not an easy task to accomplish. However Justice entities already agreed to give direct access to CVCC (application of the Citizens Card Life Cycle) and Vehicle license application, although a long path still lies ahead towards process dematerialization which relies on Webservices connection provided by the Interoperability Platform.

Other challenges are related with improvement of process administrative procedures which sometimes are stopped by legislation issues.

C - High Demand
The demand for life event services will increase in the next years. As such, the response to that demand maintaining the quality of service, low waiting times and front office and back office capacity to respond to constitutes an obvious challenge.

To overcome the mentioned global scope challenges, there isn't a single remedy that can be undertaken. Diverse solutions have been adopted, but a transversal aspect should be mentioned: the project success and the political consensus that benefits him are key enablers to any challenge that has been posed.

(d) Use of Resources

 d.      What resources were used for the initiative and what were its key benefits? In no more than 500 words, specify what were the financial, technical and human resources’ costs associated with this initiative. Describe how resources were mobilized
Since the project’s model is similar to other projects from AMA, most of the used resources were internal. Diverse project teams from AMA central services contributed to the projects’ definition, from the Citizen Shops team to the Information Systems and Technological Administration team. The concept and model to develop it was obviously discussed with some of the partners institutions that manifested their intention to integrate it from the beginning

Since the project has its own desks in the Citizen Shops, some resources were directed to physically installing it. From individual desks to other adequate service delivery furniture, some communication elements and Cabling and Infrastructure Works. However, the values involved are not very significant (about 10 000 € for each “I lost my wallet” service).

To help the public attendance, a computer application was developed envisaging the digital management of all the request process. The application is in communication with some of the public entities that integrate the project, allowing in this sense a more fluid procedure articulation.

Finally, some costs are naturally associated with personnel involved in the public attendance, not only related with wages issues, but also with training.

As it can be easily understood, the resources used in the project are significative. However, it’s not a very demanding project in these domains.

Sustainability and Transferability

  Is the initiative sustainable and transferable?
As mentioned, integrated services are one of the greatest challenges in the public services delivery paradigm of our days. That challenge is being increasingly embraced by the most advanced public administrations all over the world. To develop services centred on citizens needs and conveniences is one of the strongest commitments of Public Administrations of our days. In this sense, pushed by orientations of international organizations like OECD or EU, all kind of integrated services are being developed. The concept of some of them is very dependent on national circumstances. However, that’s not the case of the Portuguese “I lost my wallet” service.

Since the service consists on an integration of requests, with all the data collection dimension and subsequent distribution to the responsible services, it can be easily transferable to any reality and can also be used in other spheres. The rationale that sustains this integration is clear: the citizen has to concede only one time the information to public authorities. Those public authorities are responsible for its processing.

In environmental, economical and financial terms, the “I lost my Wallet” model has very positive characteristics. As it can be easily understood, several recourses savings are obtained due to the concentration of services in one spot or even its integration. In sum, a lot is being done with less resources.

As mentioned previously, the “I lost my wallet” project benefits from a strong political support. The consensus that involves the project is responsible for the regulatory and institutional framework that favours its expansion. In fact, it is foreseen that the requests for any kind of new cards should be concentrated in the project.

Finally, it worth’s mentioning that a progressive expansion at national level is foreseen in a near future. Two new desks in Coimbra and Faro are foreseen to the beginning of 2011. That represents a clear example of the models recognition. And with the present rhythm of inaugurations of Citizen Shops of second generation, the projects expansion is almost inevitable in short term.

Lessons Learned

 What are the impact of your initiative and the lessons learned?
The impact of the initiative is easily verifiable trough some of the citizens’ adherence numbers:

̶ More than 47 000 card requests in the first year, strongly surpassing the project’s highest expectations;
̶ About 37 000 attendances from 2007 to the end of 2010.

Several lessons have been learned, as it can be expected from a project with all this innovative character. However, we can highlight the following two, as they reflect several learned dimensions:

A - Integrate it to look simple
As underlined previously, the integration of the service looks clear to the citizen that is using it. However, what happens in fact is that the service assumes the role of centralizing data collection from citizen and then distributing it to the diverse entities involved. But the citizen ignorance is a sign that the service is doing its job. If maintained, the complexity should be kept in the back office and never in the front office.

B - Integrate it now in the front so you can reach the back office later
The front office integration is always a first step to develop this kind of service. It is also a good manner of getting many entities involved, since their costs will not be very high. However, as usually, the front office is only a first stage to reach in medium term to the back office. This first stage is necessary to gain the confidence of all stakeholders involved. Developments in the service will then result from that process.

The “I lost my wallet” service is one emblematic service in the Portuguese panorama since it represents the commitment of public entities to revolutionize public services delivery trough citizens’ centricity. As mentioned previously, this service was a first step that was then followed by several other examples at national level (Purchase or Sell a House; Purchase or Sell a Car; Set up a Company). Several projects can make the difference everyday. But only some of them reach the status of inspiring example. That’s the case of this described initiative.

Contact Information

Institution Name:   Agency for the Public Services Reform
Institution Type:   Government Agency  
Contact Person:   Gonçalo Caseiro
Title:   Member of the Board  
Telephone/ Fax:   +351 21 7231210
Institution's / Project's Website:   +351 21 7231255
E-mail:   paulo.lobo@ama.pt  
Address:   Rua Abranches Ferrão, nº. 10 3ºG
Postal Code:   1600 - 001
City:   Lisboa
State/Province:   Lisboa
Country:   Portugal

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