IfG.CC - The Institute for eGovernment

Sheffield City Council today announced its participation in The CARMEN project (Citizens Advanced Relationship ManageMENt), a new European Union-funded initiative which aims to adapt the private sector's use of CRM technology (Customer Relationship Management) to create an innovative, knowledge-based multi-media service for the public sector.

Under the auspices of (the EU's eTen programme), Sheffield will partner with Saarbrücken, Prato, the Black Country, among others, to combine CRM expertise and experience to develop a common, open source CRM platform for deployment throughout Europe. Once developed, this new platform will be made available to Public Administrations in a cost-effective and easy-to-use ASP format that can be readily integrated into pre-existing applications.

CARMEN aims to improve relationships between citizens, businesses and Local Authorities by deploying a modern back office operation that combines new multi-media channels as well as traditional access methods. The new back office system will offer citizens and businesses alike far more communication choice and extended functionalities with city services by fully exploiting the benefits of broadband and mobile communications - including web portals as well as call centers, SMS and other technologies. In addition, the system will also enable Public Administrations to respond to citizens and businesses more individually by providing an archive track of citizen requests that can be used in the development of personal and group profiles.

"By allowing administrators to deal with the public in a more personalized and integrated manner, CARMEN will help to revolutionize the public sector in much the same way that CRM revolutionized the relationship between businesses and their clients," said Ken Bellamy, Director of e-Government, Sheffield City Council.

CARMEN kicks off with an 18 month Market Validation phase wherein each participating city will pilot a number of services including but not limited to the environment, traffic and mobility, personal services and eDemocracy. These services will be integrated into the CARMEN CRM platform and evaluated with a view to replicating them in one or more cities, and ultimately addressing the viability of the services at the European level.

CARMEN is part of the EU's eEurope 2005 Action Plan for the development of pan-European Government Services.

For further information, please contact Gary Heane at Sheffield City Council on 0114 273 4906, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Susie Ruston on 07949 252 141

Quelle: eGov monitor, 31.10.2005