Automate your business license renewal process to increase department efficiency, improve reporting ability, and increase Business Owner satisfaction. In this article we share how you can automate your business license renewal process, and we'll start with the benefits of taking on this type of project. And here are more tips on how to Streamline Online Request Tracking, or read about Why Your Government Should Implement Online Permitting Software, and here are some Benefits of Online Code Enforcement. Now let's get started!
Benefits of Automating Your Business License Renewal Process
If your business licensing office is paper based, or if you use a fillable business license application form, here are a few of the many benefits of an automating your business license renewals:
- No individual, manually typed, renewal letters! And No more mail merges! An automated system pulls the appropriate business data into a renewal template reviewed and approved by your office. Renewals are sent to all business owners of by type, all at once!
- No stacks of applications to process! No overflowing mail room, no more papercuts, no more overflowing recycle bins. With automated work flow routing, reviews are routed to the correct department and person, your stack of applications become a tidy task list on your customizable dashboard!
- No lost paper applications! Use the search feature to find exactly the business or owner you need.
- No lost checks! With online payments, your business owners can submit a credit card, or ACH payment, online (payment options are tied to your selected payment processor).
- No more paper renewals to print, stuff, address, and stamp! Send your renewals via batched email - save employee time, save postage, save a tree, there are so many benefits!
- Easily apply late fees - no spreadsheets to double check, no stacks of renewals to sort through, your automated system will show you who has paid and who is late! Generate late fees, and send notices in one process, how easy is that?
How to Automate The Process – Things to Consider
Every licensing department has their own set of challenges to overcome when considering automating business license renewals. Here are some of the biggest challenges to consider:
- Workflow Analysis: do you have a clearly defined workflow process for license renewals? For rentals or health, are inspections part of the process? Do your inspectors set the schedule, or should the business owner request when they are ready?
- Address current record issues: do you have email addresses for the bulk of your business owners? If so, terrific! But if not, don't worry, your initial renewal process can include letters to business owners that haven't provided an email address. The letter can direct those business owners online to submit both their renewal AND an email address for fully automated processing in the next renewal.
- Business Owner Analysis: how much help do your business owners need in order to adopt an automated business license renewal process? Are they computer savvy, are they comfortable with online payments, or would an instructional video and some written instructions help?
- How will you address future changes to your automated renewal process? Does your software provider offer continued customer support, or are you on your own after implementation? Citizenserve software includes our Complete Customer Care model, giving you access to an expert support staff during implementation, launch, and once you are live. Request reports, make changes to your applications, add new license types, get new employees trained, and more.
Automate Your Business License Renewal Process with Citizenserve
- Citizenserve's <a href="https://www.citizenserve.com/municipal-software-solutions/online-municipal-software/">online citizen portal</a> is a one-stop-shop for your citizens, contractors, and business owners to access your digital services. From submitting applications, to making online payments, to checking application status, the online portal provides a configurable, accessible fount of helpful information your constituents will appreciate.
- Our online <a href="https://www.citizenserve.com/municipal-software-solutions/business-licensing-software/">business licensing software </a> solution will provide you with configurable applications, comprehensive workflow routing options, inspection activities, license certificate and inspection report templates, automated email notifications and more.
- When you use Citizenserve to automate your business license renewal process, you have complete oversight of the process. We work with you to set up your renewal notices. Business owners are required to provide or renew the information you need, and they can make online payments through the portal. If an inspection is required, business owners are directed to request the inspection online, when they are ready. Need to charge for re-inspections? No problem! When the required inspection is passed, it's easy to process the renewal and issue an updated License or Health certificate.
- For a free video demonstration of our software, please enter your contact information below and we'll schedule a time to show you how citizenserve can automate your business license renewal process and much more!
Citizenserve's Community Development Software Services
Our cloud-based, integrated, community development software provides multiple solutions to Village, Town, City and County governments. In addition to business licensing software, including contractor licensing software, health inspection software, and rental registration software, we offer request tracking software, building permit software, fire permits and fire inspection software, planning & zoning software, and code enforcement software solutions. Your subscription also includes an online citizen portal. Keep exploring our site to find pricing information, and scroll all the way down to the end of this page to request your live software demonstration, to see how we can support your community development needs.
