How the City of Ballarat Won Back to Back Customer Satisfaction Awards

‍Background

As one of Victoria’s fastest-growing regional cities, the City of Ballarat is home to more than 121,000 residents. With rapid population growth comes increasing expectations for responsiveness, transparency, and customer service.

To meet this challenge, the City of Ballarat’s Customer Experience team turned to technology, process improvement, and a renewed focus on communication. 

Pressure Points in a Growing City

With more residents and more service requests, Ballarat faced growing pressure to:

• Respond faster and with greater consistency
• Reduce manual admin and follow-up
• Keep residents informed throughout the request lifecycle
• Maintain trust and transparency, even when requests couldn’t be resolved immediately

Josh Waight, Manager Customer Experience, explains:

“We’re always looking at how we can improve service delivery, particularly as our city grows. The challenge was finding a scalable way to manage community requests while keeping communication strong and closing the loop.”

Putting Customers First with Smart Tools

Ballarat embedded Snap Send Solve into its broader CX strategy; treating it not just as a reporting tool, but as a core service channel.

Key actions included:

• Positioning Snap Send Solve as a primary channel for community requests
• Integrating it with existing internal systems and workflows
• Training staff to triage and respond using standardised templates and service benchmarks
• Focusing on clear, timely communication throughout the request lifecycle

“By using Snap Send Solve as a key service channel and dedicating resources to it, we’ve been able to make the most of its features to improve how we manage and respond to requests.”

— Josh Waight, Manager Customer Experience

Results That Speak for Themselves

Ballarat’s proactive and integrated approach has delivered measurable impact:

• 96% of closed reports marked as ‘Solved’ in 2024 (vs. state average of 86.2%)
• 38% growth in Snap Send Solve users – from 2,139 in 2023 to 2,950 in 2024
• CSAT score of 76%, outperforming the state average of 73%

“We check completed Snap Send Solve jobs daily and respond with updates like ‘Added to Scheduled Works’ or ‘Works Completed.’ Even if it’s not the outcome customers hoped for, they understand why — and that transparency builds trust.”‍

— Maggie Dalgleish, Customer Experience Digital Support

Looking Forward

Ballarat continues to evolve their customer-first approach, with their dedicated Digital and Emerging Customer Experience Officer further strengthening the council’s ability to:

• Track and review satisfaction
• Improve close-the-loop communication
• Support ongoing service delivery improvements
  
  

“Snap Send Solve is incredibly user-friendly — it removes frustration and helps residents feel heard. The growth we’ve seen is a testament to our team, the platform, and the community, who keep pushing us to improve.”

— Maggie Dalgleish

In 2024, the City of Ballarat was awarded Snap Send Solve’s Solver of the Year – Customer Experience for the second year in a row, recognised for its commitment to continuous improvement and community engagement.

Josh Waight adds:

“This award reflects our ongoing dedication to improving how we engage with our community. We’ll continue refining our approach and embracing opportunities to make service delivery smarter, more transparent, and more responsive.”

Conclusion

The City of Ballarat is setting a new standard for customer experience in local government; combining smart tools with a strong service ethos. With back-to-back Solver of the Year awards, standout satisfaction results, and a growing community of Snap Send Solve users, Ballarat is proving what’s possible when technology and commitment come together.

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