Customer Research and Feedback Matters in Your Software Provider

Insight into White Oak Borough’s Decision to Select Cloudpermit for Online Community Development

Not all software providers give governments the chance to provide feedback or the opportunity to learn software information on their own.

White Oak Borough, Pennsylvania, wanted to find community development software that would make it easier to find relevant information. They wanted to do their own research online to help make their decision, so they turned online.

We looked at quite a few software providers and took several virtual demos for online building permitting and code enforcement,” explained John Snelson, Code Enforcement/Zoning Officer for White Oak Borough. “There are some software providers that only have one screenshot on their website without much software information. This made it difficult to research different options in my own time.”

Cloudpermit’s team has taken a different approach to information accessibility. On their website, local governments and agencies can do their own research. All visitors can view multiple screenshots, gain in-depth software information, and read over 50 customer stories.

When I was researching code enforcement and building permitting software, everything I came across about Cloudpermit was positive. I read a lot of software information and customer stories on their website. From there, I visited other government websites to see how they had set up their online portal,” he said. “I enjoyed learning about the software before taking a demo.”

During his research, Snelson learned that many software providers broke down functions into multiple solutions.

Other software providers charged extra for inspections. With Cloudpermit, everything we’d need for code enforcement was included. We didn't need to start from scratch because it was easily configured to meet a lot of our needs during implementation. We were confident with our decision because Cloudpermit offered what we needed, fit our budget, and worked with many other governments."

Staff quickly learned that cloud-based software had a lot of perks to make code enforcement easier and more flexible.

Cloud-based software is great because you can access it anywhere,” Snelson shared. “I can use a tablet when I’m doing an inspection or a laptop in my vehicle to print a violation. It makes it a lot easier to get things done right there. We don’t have to take notes in the field, go back to the office, and enter them again. We eliminate a lot of steps by being able to work in the field.”

When comparing other software providers with Cloudpermit, Snelson realized some important code enforcement inspection differences.

Other systems I've used required us to fill out online forums with a lot of scrolling. We also had to build our own template every time from past violations. Now, I can perform an inspection for a notice of violation with a saved template. With a couple of clicks, I can enter the right information and quickly print out the notice in my vehicle. In the field, I can easily search for violations by accessing the information I need on my phone, tablet, or laptop. Adding photos, phrases, violations, and deficiencies is also simple when I’m in the field now.”

He’s also experienced a positive difference for re-inspections.

Re-inspections are easy – all you have to do is click.”

Making the switch has resulted in a more streamlined and straightforward building permitting process.

I like that Cloudpermit has made it easy to review attachments and building permits without needing to access another section. Staff and our applicants can easily add notes or documents to a project,” he explained. “The software is really user-friendly and easy to use.”

One advantage that Snelson did not want to go unnoticed was Cloudpermit’s commitment to listening and prioritizing customer feedback. They use this insight to improve the software's functionality for government staff and citizens in their regular updates.

I’m very satisfied with our software. Cloudpermit’s team has been open to our suggestions on how to make the software work better for us,” concluded Snelson. “I enjoy that Cloudpermit is still evolving so our voices can be heard and considered.”