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Catalyst Launches Chicago’s New 311 System, CHI311

Posted on June 22, 2019

chicago 311

Chicago, IL – Catalyst Consulting Group, Inc. (Catalyst) is excited to announce the recent launch of the City of Chicago’s new 3-1-1 solution, CHI311. The new system was developed in nine months in partnership with Chicago’s Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT), 311 City Services (311), thirty-three city departments, and Salesforce. The new cloud-based solution consists of a Salesforce-based constituent relationship management (CRM) system, a new community web portal, and Chicago’s first-ever resident-centric mobile application. Chicago residents can visit 311.chicago.gov or download the CHI311 App for iOS and Android today to explore neighborhoods and submit new requests to the City of Chicago.

CHI311 is the product of intense collaboration with DoIT, 311, thirty-three distinct city departments, and Salesforce. “We are honored to be a part of this revolutionary system overhaul that was spearheaded by Chicago’s Mayor, Rahm Emanuel,” said Arvin Talwar, Managing Principal and CEO of Catalyst. “This successful launch was a true partnership in every way, and we are humbled to be part of this journey.”

Catalyst worked closely with over 30 city departments that interact with 3-1-1 to understand their operations and needs for the new system. Team members analyzed over 1,000 existing service request codes, the unique processes held by each department, and the external systems they use to dispatch and manage their service delivery.

To develop the new system, Catalyst leveraged Salesforce’s Service Cloud and Field Service Lightning to deliver an intuitive work order management system to support CHI311. “The Catalyst team put forth 110% over the course of the past year to create a system that provides meaningful change for Chicago residents,” stated Catalyst Managing Principal & COO, Timothy Smith. “We can’t thank DoIT, 311 and the citizens of Chicago enough for entrusting us with this truly transformational system implementation.”

CHI311’s cloud-based scheduling and dispatch tools replace paper-based processes and provide Commissioners and Alderman with real-time access to field worker data. Additionally, custom-developed code detects duplicate requests from users. This saves tremendous city resources by eliminating re-work, improving resource management, and preventing costly duplication of efforts by city field workers.

Similarly, the Chicago-branded community web portal and mobile app provide users with an intuitive and holistic view of all service requests worked by the City of Chicago along with the status of those requests. Through CHI311 users can now view requests created across the entire city providing more transparency than ever before on the work that is being done throughout Chicago’s neighborhoods.

The new CHI311 increases city transparency, improves the city-resident relationship, and fosters communication and collaboration between city departments. Catalyst is excited to continue to work closely with DoIT, 311, city departments, and Salesforce to support the new system and push updates that consistently enhance and improve the 311 experience for all users.

Salesforce calls its community of partners and customers “Ohana,” the Hawaiian term for “family.” The Catalyst team is thrilled to have worked so closely with Salesforce and the City of Chicago, and we graciously extend the invitation to all Chicago residents to join the Ohana. You can visit 311.chicago.gov or download the CHI311 App for iOS and Android today to explore your neighborhood and submit new requests to the City of Chicago.

About Catalyst Consulting Group, Inc.
Established in Chicago in 1992, Catalyst has earned a stellar reputation as a consulting firm that leverages expertise in information technology and business strategy in both the public and private sectors. We are a minority-owned small business certified by a number of agencies and organizations across the United States. Our mission for 27 years has been to drive our clients’ organizations forward by transforming processes, increasing operational efficiencies, and maximizing return on investment.

Catalyst has a rich history of using technology to transform the way municipal services are rendered to constituents. Our service areas include, but are not limited to, Salesforce development, CRM system implementation, 311 system best practices, custom application development and support, mobile development, user experience, information security, and infrastructure support. Catalyst’s work on the City of Chicago’s 311 modernization is an initiative that holds the title of the largest Salesforce 311/CRM implementation in American history.

About the City of Chicago – Department of Innovation and Technology
The Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) is the City of Chicago’s central IT organization, providing a number of technology and telecommunications services to departments, the Mayor, Aldermen, residents, businesses and tourists.

DoIT supports Mayor’s Emanuel’s vision to realize Chicago’s potential as a city where technology fuels opportunity, inclusion, engagement, and innovation for all by:

• Facilitating creative thought to improve existing City processes
• Designing and implementing systems to power processes and services
• Leveraging data to drive decision-making and improve City service delivery
• Piloting and evaluating new technologies
• Producing and contributing to open source projects
• Supporting public access to technology at City facilities
• Building strategic partnerships

About Salesforce
Salesforce is the world’s #1 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. Our cloud-based applications for sales, service, marketing, and more don’t require IT experts to set up or manage — simply log in and start connecting to customers in a whole new way.

Catalyst Listed in Upcity’s Top 8 Salesforce Consultants

Posted on June 22, 2019

Chicago, IL – Catalyst Consulting Group, Inc (CCG) is proud to announce it was recently featured in Upcity as one of the Top 8 Salesforce Consultants in Chicago.

The UpCity team analyzed Salesforce consultants in Chicago to find the most reputable partners for small and medium-sized business owners. As an IT consulting firm, Catalyst has a team of experienced tech professionals that are certified in Salesforce. Catalyst has utilized the Salesforce platform in many projects, such as for the Cook County President’s Office, Service, Inc., and the current 311 modernization project with the City of Chicago Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT). The 311 modernization project involves moving the city’s 20-year-old 311 system over to Salesforce. Catalyst has over 10 years of combined experience working with Salesforce workforce management and over half the members of the Catalyst Salesforce team hold certifications in Salesforce.

As such, Catalyst is honored to be featured in UpCity’s list as a top Salesforce Consultant in Chicago’s thriving tech industry. We will continue to bring our extensive Salesforce qualifications, familiarity, and development experience to our clients to help them navigate the ever-changing waters of the fast-growing technology industry.

You can view the full list here.

About UpCity
Now in its seventh year, UpCity covers 300+ local US markets and Canada, ranging from major cities, like New York, to cities of approximately 75,000 people. With 150,000 small-to-medium businesses coming to its marketplace monthly and having vetted and validated over 15,000 agencies, UpCity is the most trusted, and most turned-to, source for local businesses seeking digital marketing agencies and professionals to help them meet expansion and customer acquisition goals.

UpCity helps agencies grow and run their businesses, via strategic counsel, scalable revenue and marketing services, and operations tools.

About Salesforce
Salesforce is the world’s #1 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. Our cloud-based applications for sales, service, marketing, and more don’t require IT experts to set up or manage — simply log in and start connecting to customers in a whole new way.

About Catalyst
At Catalyst, building meaningful, valuable connections with our clients and partners is just as important as the technology solutions we create. Taking the time to understand the ins and outs of your business isn’t just something we like to use in our sales pitch. It is embedded within the core values of our firm. It is the first step in our business approach and it is how we’ve sustained long-lasting relationships with our clients for the past 24 years and earned our reputation as a top salesforce consultant.

Each member of our team brings an innovative approach to the solutions we develop, is committed to your business and is easily accessible when needed most. Let us be the CATALYST that sets you on the course to success without compromising what makes you, you. For more information please visit our website at: www.catconsult.com.

Cindy Talwar

Posted on May 28, 2019

Welcome back from the long weekend, folks! Believe it or not, it’s Tuesday…#WomenInTech Tuesday to be exact. Today, we recognize our Office Manager, Cindy.  

Cindy handles a variety of accounting functions and general administration in the office to keep the wheels of our firm turning. She is also responsible for the monthly payroll, employee benefits, on-boarding tasks for new team members, and supply inventory. Cindy was brought on board when “temporary” help was needed in 2005…here she is in 2019, as integral to the day-to-day functions of our company as ever! 

Cindy advises women in tech to always believe in themselves and take advantage of opportunities to lean in. 

When she’s not in the office, you can find Cindy at work in her garden, crafting, cooking, and snuggling up with her best furry pal, Toby. 

 

Nicole Nicholson

Posted on May 14, 2019

We’re back for another #WomenInTech Tuesday feature! Say hello to Nicole Nicholson, who is one of Catalyst’s stellar Project Managers and our Marketing Lead. 

As a PM, Nicole plays a critical role on our City of Chicago 311 modernization initiative. She manages the external/public-facing components of the project, particularly the CHI311 mobile app and the Community Portal available at 311.chicago.gov, keeping the end user and their experiences using our platforms front-of-mind at all times. Internally, she leads the marketing efforts for our firm. In both roles, Nicole leverages the creativity cultivated from her content management and journalism background.  

In fact, Nicole’s background informs her approach to advocating for diversity in STEM. She insists that people who don’t have an educational background in a “pure” STEM field can certainly carve out a place for themselves in this industry. Nicole is a living example of this advice, and she has been a superstar on the Catalyst team for the past 5 years because of it! 

When she’s not in the office, you can find Nicole rock climbing at @brooklynboulders or diving into her next good read. 

Alissa Ahn

Posted on April 30, 2019

Happy Women in Tech Tuesday, friends! Today, we’re delighted to share more about one of our Business Analysts, Alissa Ahn. As a BA, Alissa learns more about clients’ business processes, identifies their pain points, gathers requirements for an ideal solution, and employs best practices along the way.  

Alissa recalls that her most memorable experience at Catalyst was the day of her interview. She met with our COO and one of our Senior Project Managers, and the group ended up talking for hours…literally, hours! 

For Alissa, Catalyst came with more than a new job; it came with a family. It came with leaders that challenge our teams. It came with incredibly smart and supportive co-workers. Finally, it came with the opportunity to learn and to innovate in an ever-changing industry. 

When Alissa first started working at a different firm, a former colleague once asked her, “If the lead on your project was out sick, would you need to cancel meetings? Or could you step up to continue the project?” Since then, Alissa challenges herself every day to not fall into a pattern of mediocrity and leans in at every chance to do so. For that reason and many more, we are so grateful to have Alissa onboard! 

Catherine Au Jong

Posted on April 9, 2019

She is responsible for communicating with clients to gather business requirements, analyze their pain points, and ultimately deliver a transformative solution.

Catherine is also Catalyst’s resident fashionista. Outside of work, you can find her sewing, exploring fashion trends, and taking pictures of murals around our great city. This creativity informs Catherine’s work at Catalyst, as the problem-solving and design stages of product delivery require a great deal of innovation and ingenuity.

Catherine advises fellow women in STEM to realize that the power for change starts from inside each and every one of us.

In combatting negative internal voices, Catherine notes that she finds the confidence to start something new. In starting something new, Catherine constantly pushes herself outside her comfort zone, gathering more experience and becoming more and more confident in her work. Catherine is an instrumental part of our team, and we thank her for her insight and inspirational words of wisdom!

Komal Shah

Posted on March 26, 2019

Today, Catalyst is pleased to unveil our #WomenInTech Tuesday campaign! We’re thrilled to kick off this initiative that showcases the talent and spirit of the ladies of Catalyst. 

Starting things off is Komal Shah, one of Catalyst’s Software Developers based at the Chicago Department of Aviation. Komal believes that the first step to producing great work is to love what you do. It is for this reason that she thrives off the challenges presented to developers like herself. She enjoys that software development is an ever-evolving field that allows for continuous learning, and she remarks that this constant learning is facilitated by Catalyst’s inviting atmosphere and support from other friendly faces at the company. 

Outside of work hours, you can find Komal playing tennis, painting, or finding her next travel destination. 

Komal urges STEM workplaces to celebrate the diversity on their team, pushing a step beyond simply having women’s representation on board. 

You are an inspiration to us, Komal! Keep on shining.