Shanghai is making efforts to reform its government services by utilizing technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence, enabling the completion of various business processes in one go.

At present, all of Shanghai's 1,500 offline government service centers are enhancing their capabilities to offer self-services 24 hours a day, ensuring that people can access government services within a 15-minute walk.

Huangpu district: Like an Apple store

The improved service has not only benefited individual entrepreneurs but also the headquarters of multinational companies and various small and micro enterprises in Shanghai.

At the Huangpu District Government Service Center, staff members at the consultation area are equipped with tablets, offering personalized, full-process consultation services. This setup allows visitors to take their time and enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while at the center.

A person in charge of the center stated that the goal is to become the flagship store of government services on the bustling commercial street of Nanjing Road following its relocation in May 2023.

Modeled on the service approaches of Apple and Huawei stores, the center provides attentive government services featuring quick assistance, roundtable meetings, comprehensive window collaboration, and specialized window consultations.

Compared to the traditional window service form, the biggest change is the emphasis on humanized, experiential interaction.

"In the past, we provided services across a window. Now, we engage face to face," said the person in charge.

"We have learned from the commercial services offered by flagship stores and aim to provide a brand-new experiential service," the person added.

"Without the barriers set up by windows, staff members sit side by side with enterprises and residents in small circles at roundtables, and visitors can even enjoy a cup of coffee while working, just like in an Apple or Huawei store,” said Zhang Ying, an executive from an internet company, after experiencing the service.

"Behind all this is a shift in service awareness and the business environment," Zhang concluded.

Additionally, the center offers step-by-step guidance for enterprises in preparing materials. Through automated data collection and form generation, the service center provides any necessary materials for enterprises free of charge, significantly improving efficiency.

"In the past, we could only meet some needs in one day. Now, all windows can handle all matters, with an average waiting time of no more than 15 minutes," the person in charge stated.

Putuo district: 'Yet-To-Do Affairs' windows

In recent years, various districts have continuously explored innovative measures to improve the efficiency and experience of government services.

The Putuo District Government Service Center has established "Yet-To-Do Affairs" windows to collect feedback on unresolved issues. These windows provide business consultation, solve urgent problems, and handle various disputes and complaints. The staff members classify issues into different types and handle them accordingly, resolving them within three working days at the fastest.

For instance, if a company needed to handle equity inheritance business, but the process was stalled due to the loss of the death certificate many years ago, following communication and coordination with relevant departments by the center, the death inheritance notarization was ultimately recognized.

"For simple issues like unclear service signs and unsmooth consultation channels, we will make on-site corrections immediately. For general issues like inaccurate service guides and weak front-back office coordination, we will resolve them within three working days. For complex issues involving systematic problems and historical legacies, we will handle them within seven working days in collaboration with relevant departments," said a person in charge of the center.

Through this classification mechanism, the Putuo center has improved its efficiency in solving difficult issues. Data shows that so far, 106 cases have been registered with the "Yet-To-Do Affairs" windows, with a resolution rate of 100 percent.

Jiading district: Virtual windows

To serve the diverse types of enterprises widely distributed across the region, Jiading district has launched a system of virtual windows that offer services across different fields and regions.

Jiading is home to 320,000 market entities, ranking among the top in Shanghai, with nearly 290,000 various enterprises and over 30,000 individual businesses.

These virtual window services have been launched at more than 10 locations within the district, including various government service venues, enterprise parks, neighborhood centers, and communities.

For instance, a virtual window was established at the Jiading New Town Market Regulation Office, where enterprises in the new town can enjoy remote services like tax-related business consultations without leaving their offices by connecting through virtual screens at the Market Regulation Office.

This year, the Jiading District Government Service Center has completed joint cancellations for 24 individual businesses through this virtual window service.

By introducing "one-stop service" self-service terminals and virtual windows in parks, employees can enjoy the same convenient services as those at physical windows of government service halls while in their office buildings.

By breaking the "window" concept, Shanghai is making every effort to provide enterprises with a convenient service experience.

Citywide efforts

By 2023, Shanghai had established nearly 1,500 offline government service centers across four levels: city, district, subdistrict and town, and village. Leveraging big data and artificial intelligence technologies, these centers are promoting the integration of online and offline services and innovating window service delivery.

All these government service centers are comprehensively implementing the reform model of "comprehensive reception at the front desk, classified approval at the back, and unified window issuance." They are pioneering innovations in the "last mile" of service delivery by implementing unified appointment systems, creating real-time online service halls, and establishing super-intelligent offline service windows.

Efforts are being made to build 24-hour self-service and 15-minute service circles by introducing self-service terminals into communities, commercial districts, and banks. Additionally, Shanghai is promoting the "one-stop" completion of multiple business processes citywide, optimizing government service procedures for enterprise-related matters and public services.

To further elevate the level of government services, Shanghai is accelerating the intelligent reform of government service processes through the use of big data and artificial intelligence, aiming for the full-process completion of services in a single instance. Concurrently, more intelligent devices are being installed in government service halls, enabling residents and enterprises to handle their affairs independently without leaving their homes.

Source: jiemian.com, Shanghai Municipal Development & Reform Commission