Child Support Customer E-Message

About the Program

Category: Children and Youth (Best in Category)

Year: 2013

The County of San Diego Department of Child Support Services (SDDCSS) implemented a quarterly E-message series enabling the agency to maximize direct connections to its case participants through the use of digital communications. The program provides people the information they want, when they want it, and how they want it delivered to make them feel more connected with what’s going on with their child support case.The department distributed information on a variety of child support topics to over 47,000 e-mail accounts in August and November of 2012. The messages were incorporated into a graphically pleasing format and content was limited to brief, simply stated child support topics to enhance readability. The emphasis of these E-messages was to further SDDCSS’ continued efforts to change customer perception of the department from that of merely an enforcement agency to one that serves as a resource for both parents in providing financial and medical support to their children. The effort was very successful in enhancing SDDCSS’ efforts to engage the public and reinforce the department’s mission and values. Analytics in visits to the SDDCSS website and responsiveness to child support-related issues showed a positive correlation with the timing and content of the E-messages.