MyMatthews

The Town of Matthews has released a mobile application that will allow citizens to have instant access to the Town’s website, to report items such as a pothole or a malfunctioning traffic light. The MyMatthews Application is free and is available for I Phones and Droids now. A version for Blackberry and independent devices is coming soon. “We are always exploring ways to better communicate with our citizens. This mobile app will allow people on the go to quickly access information about the Town or to reach us about a concern they may have,” said Matthews Mayor Jim Taylor. “The application will allow our organization to use cutting edge technology to be even more efficient.” With a population of over 28,000 - 15% of which is minority - we hope to be able to reach segments of our population we have never been able to communicate thoroughly with. Our local newspaper closed its doors three years ago - a result of the recession. With no local media and reductions in our budgets we have had to find cost effective and new ways of communicating with our citizens. We realize that people are using new technologies every day to communicate. No matter there age or race. On the homepage the app has a easy button which will makes the app go from English to Spanish for our Spanish speaking population. Recent data from e-gov.com, cnetnews, zd news and pewinternet demonstrates that minorities are using smartphones as their key informational tool and use them to access websites instead of using home computers, newspapers, televisions, etc. Knowing this we want to be able to deliver information on everything from traffic alerts, crime alerts, recycling schedules to park events to everyone's smartphones. The app easily links them to our website - matthewsnc.com - where they can find more information. The mobile app system has a Customer Resource Management feature that will allow the Town to report back to citizens on the status of the item they are contacting the Town about. “This feature will give us the opportunity to provide a better customer service experience for our citizens. They can use the app to communicate with us anonymously or they will be able to access information about what we have done to address their comments to us,” said Annette Privette Keller, Town Communications Director. MyMatthews is a free, simple, easy to use mobile app. We really want to listen to our citizens and be able to continue to up date it and have it evolve into a two way communication tool. We want to encourage citizen participation in our town government. We are really excited about the possibilities this app gives us as we move into this new world of communications.