California town revamps government database management services

September 17, 2013

Earlier this year, Newport Beach, California city officials issued a satisfaction survey to see if there were any areas to improve. Survey scanning showed that locals in this Orange County community were pleased 93 percent of the time, but, that was not enough, according to GCN Tech. What kept Newport Beach city officials from getting a 100 percent rating from its resident was its inefficient, paper-based data processes system. What government officials noticed when they started going through public records is that there were a plethora of files that would need scanning services before being entered into the electronic database. Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry explained that there are more than 3 million pages worth of paperwork, which the city needed to change. Before implementing a new electronic database management system, the city relied on repository software, which still required that the files be printed before being indexed into the program. “It’s hard to estimate so early on, but we should save about $500,000 a year and that’s being conservative,” Rob Houston, Newport Beach IT manager, told the source. “Dramatic savings have already arrived as we pursue our paperless document process. This $135 million digital renovation also includes a mobile application for citizens, a similar records management program for the Newport Beach police department and touch-screen voting machines for upcoming elections. “Our citizens demand a lot of our government,” Curry said. “Over the years we neglected to upgrade our technology, and now was the time to do it.” Once the 3 million files are available for public use with the new electronic database management system, locals will be capable of looking up information that goes as far back as Newport Beach’s founding in 1906 without leaving their homes. Tab Service Company is a Chicago based company with over 53 years of experience as a data processing service provider.  We provide business with outsourcing solutions for document scanning services, data entry services and mailing/lettershop services.  As a SOC2-approved organization, we apply industry-best practices to our approach with clients.