But the city doesn’t simply want to hire a consultant, plug in a new system and call it good.
This effort, officials outlined during the May 19 City Council meeting, is as much about process as it is about the technology that supports it.
“Much of our internal service coordination relies on manual communication — email, Microsoft Teams, phone calls — because that is what moves fastest through the organization at this very moment,” Assistant City Manager Lee Wilcox told the council.
The city’s more than 20 departments manage some 74 core services and approximately 259 programs that can be difficult for some residents to navigate, Wilcox explained, adding the current system is designed more for internal efficiency than it is for customer experience (CX).
Requests are often sent to one department before being rerouted and winding through an informal series of handoffs before reaching their intended target — a path Wilcox described as “bumpy.” This also leads to slower responses and unnecessary escalations to leadership.
“Again, this is not a customer service failure; it’s a design problem and one that we intend to fix with this initiative,” Wilcox added.
The multiyear overhaul will happen in several stages:
- Planning and mobilization between November 2025 and June 2026
- Foundational platform work from July 2026 to March 2027
- Stabilization and enhancements between April and June 2027
- Scaling and the addition of new services from July 2027 through March 2028
- Continuous improvements from April 2028 onward
The technology portion of this initiative is being built on what CIO Khaled Tawfik called a “connected enterprise approach” that connects resident touch points to the city’s core infrastructure through a “single front door.”
“The goal is to implement effective technologies that streamline the process for requesting services through a one-city front door, supported by integrated workflows, coordinated operations and enhanced collaboration across departments, ultimately delivering seamless services from start to finish for our residents,” he said.
Tawfik clarified that the initiative extends far beyond the complexity of a traditional CRM and includes many facets, like service request and identity management, security and compliance, enterprise mapping services and more.
Customer Experience Deputy Director Nichole Ederer told the council that while many cities rely on large consultants to drive this sort of work, San Jose will be taking a hybrid approach, balancing outside and internal expertise.
“This approach allows the city to reduce long-term dependency on external vendors while embedding knowledge, accountability and continuous improvement capabilities within the city,” Ederer said.
Mayor Matt Mahan questioned the cost of staffing and consultants related to the city’s tight budget, with staff noting that special care is being put on maximizing one-time positions and building expertise into the “muscle of City Hall.”
Wilcox noted that many peer cities have turned to standalone CX-related offices, adding both staff and complexity to an already complex environment. The objective in San Jose is to address bureaucracy while keeping costs down, he said.
“This work is not about launching a new program; it’s about strengthening how the city operates,” Wilcox said.
