As Saudi Arabia’s capital gears up for global events like Expo 2030 and the World Cup, Riyadh Municipality is redefining its public services to become a model of modern governance. In response to rapid growth, the municipality is shifting from a traditional bureaucratic model to a data-driven approach that places its 7.6 million residents at the heart of its operations.

Riyadh’s transformation is no small feat. The city spans 68 municipalities and encompasses over 2,000 public parks and a complex web of infrastructure that must serve an expanding population. As the city grows, so do the expectations of its residents. The challenge was clear: how can the municipality not only meet immediate demands but also anticipate future needs, all while adhering to the ambitions of Vision 2030?

The solution lay in reimagining governance through the lens of customer experience (CX). By leveraging technology and insights from citizen feedback, Riyadh Municipality embarked on a journey to reshape how it delivers public services, ensuring every interaction — whether a simple inquiry or a complex issue — reflects a commitment to efficiency and citizen satisfaction.

Gone are the days when public services responded only after problems were reported. Riyadh Municipality has adopted a proactive model that preemptively addresses issues before they escalate.

Advanced technologies, including drones and sensors, now monitor the city’s parks, roads, and public spaces in real time. This constant stream of data, paired with AI-powered analytics, allows the municipality to pinpoint and resolve potential issues swiftly, reducing average service response times by 19% in the first half of 2024.

But technology is only part of the equation. The municipality has also restructured its internal processes to break down silos, enabling faster, more coordinated responses. For example, when VoC surveys highlighted concerns about park cleanliness, the municipality didn’t just deploy more cleaning crews; it redesigned its maintenance schedules and introduced performance metrics for contractors, resulting in a 9% boost in satisfaction scores.

Central to Riyadh’s transformation is a comprehensive redesign of its customer journeys. The goal: to make every interaction as seamless and intuitive as possible. This approach has transformed how residents engage with services — from filing complaints to accessing urban planning information — ensuring that each step is streamlined and citizen-friendly.

Ali Alqarni, general manager of customer experience at Riyadh Municipality, emphasizes the importance of this strategy: “We are committed to creating meaningful experiences for our citizens. By redesigning over 80 customer journeys, we have streamlined processes and improved overall satisfaction. This transformation is part of our broader goal to shape Riyadh into a smart city, in line with Vision 2030, while keeping citizen needs at the core of our evolution.”

Riyadh’s transformation is as much about building relationships as it is about building infrastructure. Over the past year, the municipality has held more than 100 community workshops, inviting residents to directly participate in shaping the city’s future. This inclusive approach has redefined urban planning in emerging neighborhoods, where community input has informed everything from road layouts to public amenities.

Participation in these workshops has surged by 23%, a testament to the growing trust and collaboration between the municipality and its citizens. This deeper engagement is more than just a feel-good exercise; it has real world implications, helping the city anticipate and address issues before they become problems.

Riyadh’s focus on citizen-centric governance is a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, which aims to diversify the economy and elevate the quality of life for all Saudis. The municipality’s efforts are directly contributing to this vision, particularly the Quality of Life Program, which seeks to make Saudi cities more livable, sustainable, and globally competitive.

The true impact of Riyadh’s transformation extends beyond numbers. By embedding a culture of innovation and agility, the municipality has created a governance model capable of adapting to the city’s rapid growth and evolving needs.

This foundation will be vital as Riyadh navigates the complexities of hosting global events and continues its ascent as a leading metropolis in the region, not just meeting the needs of today but anticipating the challenges of tomorrow.

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