Residents at the Helm: Fix Your Feedback Loop

At Oh, hi! Communications, we help local governments build trust through storytelling, digital strategy, and meaningful engagement—bridging the gap between public service and public connection. From city hall to social feeds, we equip teams to communicate clearly, creatively, and with heart.

This month, we’re proud to be supported by Orlo, the digital engagement platform built for the public sector. From social media management and archiving to AI insights and customer service management, Orlo helps teams streamline communications, stay responsive, and build public trust—whether it’s crisis comms or everyday updates.

Learn more at orlo.tech.

Here’s what keeps me up at night:

We spend millions on programs no one asked for. We launch initiatives that solve problems no one actually has. And then we wonder why trust in government keeps sliding.

The truth? Too many local governments still struggle to capture the “voice of the customer” — residents. Feedback loops are often limited, overly formal, or arrive way too late.

I work with cities who have learned this the hard way. They map out entire programs in meeting rooms, then act surprised when engagement is low. Sound familiar?

Why this matters now

A strong feedback loop closes the circle: ask → listen → act → report back.
Break the circle and you break trust. Residents expect real-time responsiveness—waiting until after launch is yesterday’s playbook.

💡 Three Things You Should Know:

1️⃣ Boston crowdsourced safety. The 2024 Summer Safety Plan took shape after 27 neighborhood meetings—putting residents in the author seat.

2️⃣ Colorado Springs showed its homework. A randomized 625-household survey feeds a live dashboard. Mayor Yemi Mobolade says, “Data is the foundation for effective decision-making.”

3️⃣ Seattle paid partners—and it paid off. Phase 1 of the One Seattle plan logged 10,000+ comments by funding BIPOC-led outreach and community liaisons.

This part really matters:
When you design with people—turning meetings into collaboration, surveys into shared dashboards, and outreach into paid partnerships—you transform trust from a buzzword into your city’s operating system. That’s exactly why the CDC’s 2025 Principles of Community Engagement now name trustworthiness as a non-negotiable.

✅ What You Can Do Right Now:

1. Plot the loop first. List every channel where residents can weigh in and how you’ll close the loop publicly.
   

2. Make space for more and new voices. Make participation realistic. Plan around schedules and meet people where they are.
   

3. Publish quick wins. Within 48 hours, highlight one change driven by resident input. Visibility breeds credibility.
   

4. Staff the replies. A friendly answer in two business days beats a perfect memo a month later. Real connection > perfect messaging.

Try this

• Micro-survey: This week, pick one service your department offers. Add a QR code that links to a 30-second feedback form. Just two questions: (1) How was your experience? (2) What would make it better? Track responses for two weeks. I guarantee you'll learn something that surprises you.
  

• AI prompt:“[Insert details about an item raised by a resident and what was done about it], now rewrite this into a one-sentence thank-you naming residents' top ask and how we met it.”

Hit reply and tell me—
What’s the smallest tweak that unlocked BIG resident insight for you this year?

Thanks for reading,

—Dana

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