When most Australians think of their local council, the annual rates notice may be the only interaction that comes to mind, writes Danny Gorog.

However, beyond that brief annual exchange lies a significant group of community members – passionate and engaged citizens – who often remain silent when they encounter issues in their neighbourhoods. These “silent citizens” care deeply about their communities but often feel disconnected – and councils are missing opportunities to engage them.

Why? Often, it comes down to the effort and time involved in getting in touch. Many  councils do have online platforms, but they can be difficult to access, require establishing a user account and password, and can be time-consuming to use, especially for consumers who are used to having mainly digital interactions. To truly engage silent citizens – those who feel unheard by local government – councils need to shift from reactive to proactive customer engagement model.

A proactive council doesn’t just wait for problems to arise – it anticipates community needs by fostering two-way communication with residents. This approach leads to cost savings and efficiency gains for councils by solving issues before they escalate, and also higher levels of satisfaction and trust in government. In contrast, a reactive strategy – responding only when complaints are made – creates inefficiencies and alienates the very people councils should serve.

Technology can help bridge this gap, but it’s not a magic solution. Many councils are spending heavily on digital platforms. Yet without a fundamental shift in mindset, these investments fall flat. Rushed upgrades, often in response to complaints, don’t address the core issue: citizens are frustrated with their online experiences and councils remain out of touch.

As the Centre for Policy Development points out, we’re facing a “citizenship deficit,” where large groups feel disconnected from the government. For councils, this means they struggle to stay informed as demographics shift, and disengaged citizens are harder to re-engage over time. The continued perception that councils are unresponsive to community requests makes it increasingly difficult to rebuild trust.

Engaging the underserved

So how do councils start engaging more of their citizens? The University of Sydney Business School calls this process “citizen-sourcing” and success depends on ongoing participation, not one-off interactions. Transparency, even when requests are denied, is key. Frequent communication fosters trust.

To reach silent citizens, councils need to make communication as easy as possible. Many still lack basic capabilities like sending mass SMS messages or collecting phone numbers from all citizens. Alternatives like email surveys, website pop-ups, and dedicated apps can fill the gap, making it easier for people to connect with their councils.

While offering multiple channels is important, cohesion across council services is essential. Whether citizens are paying rates, registering pets, or applying for permits, every department should offer a seamless and consistent experience.

Once communication channels are in place, councils must track customer satisfaction metrics. This doesn’t just apply to residents – councils serve local businesses, community and religious groups, schools, and even investors. Key metrics include first-contact resolution rates, time taken to resolve issues, and the number of follow-up questions required.

Consider the City of Perth, which used feedback from a community survey to extend service hours to Saturdays, allowing more citizens to engage outside the workweek. The city also found that WebChat was the preferred service channel, prompting exploration of live chat for high-traffic website pages.

Similarly, Yarra Ranges Council in Victoria revamped its customer experience by making its website more user-friendly, introducing SMS updates, and standardising how different types of service requests are handled.

More engagement means higher levels of trust in government

To maintain a proactive approach, councils need to continually assess satisfaction. Regular surveys, public reviews, and feedback on social media provide valuable insights. Successful councils see their websites score over 85/100 in customer satisfaction and are rated as highly as commercial sites citizens use daily.

Internal efficiency metrics also help gauge success. Monitoring call volume, net satisfaction scores, and average resolution times reveal how well councils are serving their communities. Engaged citizens also mean fewer maintenance issues because they provide real-time feedback that helps councils anticipate public asset maintenance better.

When councils actively engage citizens, they keep coming back. Data from Snap Send Solve shows that once someone submits a service request, 22% of them go on to submit more than five requests. This cycle of engagement creates a positive feedback loop – more engagement means more data, leading to even better service and higher levels of trust in government

For local governments, the stakes are high. Effective engagement has far-reaching implications for policy creation and governance. But with the right tools and a proactive mindset, councils can give silent citizens a voice – and build stronger, more connected communities.

Danny Gorog is CEO of Snap, Send, Solve