The future of public service delivery is personalized, accessible and connected

On a typical day, Union County, New Jersey’s Department of Human Services (DHS) fields about 3,000 phone calls. With a total of five staff on the line, Dalton Laluces, the department’s director of outreach and advocacy, says typically only 300 are answered.

Most callers are trying to determine which benefits they qualify for. And for many, the stakes are urgent: families facing eviction, parents struggling to make ends meet and seniors waiting for medical care are all common stories. 

Union County’s challenge reflects a national one, according to Nadia Hansen, industry advisor for Salesforce and former CIO of Clark County, Nevada.

“Interacting with government can be a fragmented, paper-heavy process,” Hansen said. “Services are often spread across different departments, each with its own system, website and paperwork. It can feel like a scavenger hunt.”

A “digital front door” is designed to fix that. Instead of forcing people to figure out which office to call or form to file, the idea is to offer a single, connected entry point across channels — whether online, on the phone or in person. 

“It’s a connected, intelligent hub that meets people where they are,” said Hansen. “It integrates all the back-end systems so residents don’t have to re-enter information or chase paper.”

This model also reflects what residents have now come to expect. A 2023 Deloitte study found that nearly three-quarters of Americans want government services to match the speed and simplicity of private-sector apps. In an age where ordering groceries or booking an appointment takes seconds, public services can’t afford to feel outdated or inaccessible.

From siloed services to a unified digital front door

Union County DHS is bringing this vision to life with Salesforce Public Sector Solutions as the foundation of its digital front door. 

Behind the scenes, MuleSoft stitches together dozens of legacy systems to create a seamless process for residents and staff, instead of a maze of disconnected databases. Tableau helps leaders recognize service trends and respond to issues before they escalate into crises, thanks to real-time data flows. Meanwhile, Slack equips employees with the necessary communications infrastructure to meet mission outcomes. . And at the center sits the Salesforce CRM, capturing the full picture of each resident’s journey so that, regardless of who picks up the case, the story is clear and nothing falls through the cracks.

“When all of these tools work together, the resident sees one government, not a patchwork of disconnected departments,” Hansen said.

The result is more transparency and less stress. A parent applying for childcare assistance answers a few guided questions online, uploads documents securely and sees updates in real-time. A resident reporting graffiti doesn’t need to know whether it’s code enforcement or public works; the system automatically routes the complaint and keeps them informed of progress. 

Personalization adds another layer. The system can adapt to each resident’s communications preference — text alerts for younger users, phone calls or printed notices for seniors — and anticipate related needs. As Hansen explained: “It’s about remembering their preferences, their history, their needs, so every interaction feels very relevant.”

For staff, the benefits are just as clear. Instead of digging through multiple systems or manually re-entering data, employees can see the full history of a case in one place. “Employees feel effective and it improves retention,” Hansen noted. “Happier government employees make for happier residents.”

A more human, resilient government

Artificial intelligence is already expanding what’s possible. Smarter chatbots can handle common questions instantly, predictive analytics can flag which requests are likely to escalate and generative AI can draft communications in multiple languages. But Hansen stressed that AI should complement, not replace, human service: “When AI is done right, it doesn’t replace the human touch. It frees up humans to deliver more of it.”

For Union County and agencies across the country, building a digital front door is not a one-time IT project but an ongoing service commitment. Success means fewer dropped calls, faster processing times, higher resident satisfaction and staff with the tools they need to succeed.

“It just works,” Hansen said. “Anybody can start in any channel, pick up where they left off and get updates without having to call and ask.”

Union County’s journey offers just one example of what’s possible when agencies move beyond silos and toward a digital front door. The bigger picture is clear: state and local governments across the country have the chance to transform service delivery from frustration into clarity, and ensure vital support reaches people when they need it most.

Learn more about how Salesforce is transforming how state and local organizations deliver services to the public.