Did you know that if you want to make an improvement on your property that involves putting a shovel in the ground, you need to make a BC 1 Call (BC1C) request to make sure there are no underground utilities in the way?
A call to BC1C before you dig applies to outdoor improvement projects, big or small, such as:
- Installing posts for fences, mailboxes, realtor signs, welcome signs, et cetera
- Building decks, retaining walls, patios and installing fire pits
- Residential construction
- Tree planting and digging a garden
- Anchoring playground equipment
- Installing in-driveway heating systems
- Unblocking a sewage line
It used to take up to three business days to get the go-ahead to safely dig your new garden or build a new structure. Now you’ll hear back from us within 15 to 20 minutes. In addition, the service is always available and not just during normal business hours of Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
That’s because starting in April we automated our BC1C requests. This move aligns with City Council’s priority to deliver efficient and effective City services and provide a good customer experience through continued modernization.
Every year the City of Abbotsford gets around 5,000 requests from residents through BC1C and staff have had to manually process each one. Since this April – when we began our automation – the City has already processed more than 3,700 requests with minimal staff time.
The automation process works by reading emails from requestors and then retrieving data on all underground utilities in the area within minutes and then generating an easy-to-read map. Rather than sending large attachments, the data is sent in an email as a link to a download page when the requestor can find engineering drawings and a link to a web map. All request details are stored in a centralized database.
This process not only dramatically decreased turnaround time, but the reduced number of follow-up questions tell us that the automated maps provide clear information for users.
The City benefits from this new system thanks to the dramatic decrease in workload for staff. All they have to do is monitor the automated process and any requestor clarifications from automated emails. The system also provides staff with improved metrics and recordkeeping to keep track of service levels and plan for future enhancements.
The BC1C automation project is an excellent example of how the City is making use of digital solutions to provide a great customer experience while also reducing operational costs.
You can learn more about this by visiting www.bc1c.ca.
Abbotsford City Council