Questions/Answers

Track my service initiative is a solution developed by the Huduma Kenya Secretariat to offer customers the opportunity to track the status of their document application, reduce the backlog of uncollected documents and save the government cost of reprinting uncollected documents at the centre. The objective of this initiative is to improve the collection rate of uncollected documents and save the government on the cost of reprinting uncollected documents. On the customer front, Track my service innovation enhance the customer experience in following up readiness of their processed documents and reduce the number of visits in following up and collecting of their documents. To enhance the collection of processed documents, upon receipt of the processed documents from the Ministries, Departments, Agencies and Counties (MDACs)’ back-offices, Huduma use the track my service solution to acknowledge receipt of the documents and immediately thereon the customers are notified through SMS (Short Message Service) to visit the respective Huduma Centre and collect their documents. By encouraging the collection of the processed documents, the government is able to save on wastage that could arise when processed documents are uncollected. Through this, track my service solution has reduced the backlog of the uncollected documents. As regard Track My Service contribution to preventing COVID 19 infections, overcrowding in Huduma Centres has reduced and the number of visits to Huduma Centres has reduced. Previously, many customers would visit the Huduma Centres just to check if their documents have been processed leading to overcrowding at the Huduma Centres and overall long queues and waiting times for customers to get services. With Track my Service, there are no long queues, long service waiting time and reduced number of visits. Customers now only visit to make applications and thereafter visit to collect their processed documents that include national IDs.

In the past, Huduma Centre’s had a huge number of customers visiting to check status of their applications leading to overcrowding and long queues and a huge backlog of uncollected documents. However, in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Huduma sought to remedy the issue of congestion, reduce the backlog of uncollected documents, comply with safety directives while enhancing customer’s convenience by implementing the Track My service initiative which helps customers seeking government services save on time and cost of visiting Huduma centre to check on the status of the application thereby creating institutional resilience in response to Covid-19.

1. The track my service initiative reduce the number of customer visits to the centre to check on the status of their application and save the government on the cost of processing uncollected documents with the goal of achieving decent and Economic growth. Track my service also save citizens time and cost of accessing government services thereby promoting economic growth in accordance with national circumstances and, targets to sustain per capita economic growth 2. The innovation has helped in the deterrence of corruption activities like bribery as customers do not need to pay to check on the status of the service sought and when the document will be received. 3. The government is able to save on the cost of reprinting uncollected documents at the Centre which helps in sustaining per capita economic growth 4. Accurate customer data reports gives the government vital data necessary for planning on the service sought, delays and issues revolving around specific services and work on reducing turnaround time and ensuring MDACs adherence to turnaround times.

Track my service initiative is sustainable as it is accessible by customers on the Huduma Kenya websites where customers can check on the status of their application thus do not need to travel to collect their documents. Also, most government institutions have an end product which is a document that requires tracking on the progress of the application. In the past, Huduma centres have seen a huge backlog of uncollected documents in the Huduma centres. The initiative saves the government on the cost of reprinting the uncollected documents.

Track My Service initiative helped in crowd control since customers do not have to visit the Centre to check on the status of the service. In the past, Huduma Centre’s have seen a huge number of customers visit seeking to check on the status of the application. Now, customers can check on the status of the application hence no need for several visits tracking the status of the document. The initiative has helped in the clearance of the backlogs by Government agencies and enable all customers get notified to collect their service.

Track my service initiative offers opportunities to both genders – Both gender can use the innovation to track the status of the service sought and notifications are sent to customers irrespective of gender. This offers equal access opportunity to public services access.

General public customers seeking government services at Huduma Centre’s and MDACs The initiative has help the general public seeking government services to track on the status of the service sought, save on the time and cost of numerous to the Centre to check on the status of their document. MDACs are able to clear the backlog of the uncollected documents by sending notification SMS to customer’s t to collect their documents.

1. Scoping and sizing of Huduma Kenya’s system’s needs – Clearance of backlog of uncollected documents 2. Consulting various stakeholders for acceptance to support the solution 3. Development of the TMS systems. 4. Testing of the Track My service system 5. Training staff at the Huduma Centre’s and the MDACs staff offering services at the centre. 6. Scheduling of publicity drives in social media platforms, chiefs’ public barazas, radio and TV stations 7. Performing dry runs before rolling out the systems at the Centre’s 8. Continuous monitoring of the systems and incorporating feedback from the public and staff

Changing the customers’ culture of making impromptu walk-in visits for services to adoption of the innovation in checking status of their service application virtually. Continuous publicity and direct messages to the citizens has helped to build confidence of the customers of the online tracking of their applications. Huduma staff are also sensitized on the importance of sharing the track my service with customers after they provide service. They assure the customers that they will get notifications when the processed documents will be ready for collection.

Track My Service solution transforms public service delivery through informing customers of the status of their applications, customers can check on the status of their application anytime and anywhere. The system is able to send bulk notification messages to customers who had made applications for government services seeking them to collect their documents at the Huduma centres saving the customer repeated visits to check on the status of their service.

Commercial banks and Telcos companies have developed integrated systems that enable customers to check on the status of their balance and bank statements. Huduma Kenya drew inspiration from these innovations in efforts to save on customer’s time and cost of making several visits to Huduma centres to check on the status of their application.

The technology was developed in house by ICT unit while BPR and SDS divisions. Previously Huduma centres have seen a huge backlog of uncollected documents and now Track My service innovation is the ideal solution to address cases of uncollected documents. Track my service innovation helps in saving customers on the cost and time of visiting Huduma centres to check on the status of their application

Other Government Agencies in Kenya have adopted this solution of tracking applications online and sending notification messages to customers informing them on the status of their applications.

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Human resources – Data entry requires staff or human resource to key in data for the system to send bulk notification SMS to customers to collect the uncollected document. Huduma centre staff at the counters help in data entry that enable bulk notification messages to customers.

The Track My service initiative requires minimal financial support as customers check status of the application on the Huduma website. The only running costs of the solution is since payment of bulk SMSs which is affordable.

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Track my Service is managed by the Huduma Kenya Secretariat whose mandate is transformation of the public service in Kenya. Huduma Kenya continues to work with Ministries, Departments and Agencies to use the Track My service.

Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDACs) offering services through the Huduma Centre platform were engaged through letters and memos requesting them to integrate their systems to adopt to the TMS innovation to enable customers to receive notification messages for collection of uncollected documents. Huduma Kenya ICT system development unit were engaged through memo to facilitate the integration of the Huduma Kenya system to enable customers to check the status of their services. Customers were engaged through social media posts to create awareness of the initiative.

Understand the target audience and package the product/solution appropriately – Training and early communication to the target audience are key. Communication to stakeholders is a key component in rolling out new systems. Also, it is crucial to conduct training of staff to enable them to champion the rollout of new innovations.