The Digital-Now, People-First Call to Action

City leaders,

I’ve spent my career building strategies to connect with audiences and helping governments modernize, as Chief Digital Officer in Gilbert, Arizona, and now through my work at Oh, hi! Communications. Here’s the truth: our residents already expect government to work the way the rest of their lives work: fast, digital, and accessible.

If they can deposit a check on their phone, they shouldn’t have to take time off work to pay a bill at city hall. If they can engage with brands on social media, they should be able to engage with their local government there too. Standing still isn’t an option.

This is our moment to lead. Not just with new tools, but with a new mindset. I’m calling on city leaders everywhere to commit to building Digital-Now, People-First organizations.

• Digital-Now: Modernizing how we deliver services and engage communities, with digital as the default, not an afterthought.
  

• People-First: Ensuring every decision centers on trust, equity, and accessibility. Tools should never get ahead of the people we serve. And they shouldn’t be behind either.

This isn’t about chasing shiny objects. It’s about making government work better, faster, and smarter, without losing sight of the human connections that matter most.

5 Actions We Can Take to build Digital-Now, People-First government communications

1. Invest in Digital Literacy: Equip your teams to understand and use AI and digital tools—not someday, but today.
   

2. Design With, Not For: Bring residents into the process early. Whether through micro-surveys, community partners, or digital listening, co-creating services builds stronger trust.

3. Redefine Engagement: Go beyond 7 PM council meetings. Residents are already talking to us: on Nextdoor, on social platforms, in apps. Let’s meet them where they are.
   

4. Evolve Your Workforce: Stop clinging to outdated job descriptions. Shift roles toward digital storytelling, data translation, and proactive engagement.
   

5. Build a Continuous Roadmap: Start small, measure impact, and scale what works. This isn’t one project. It’s an ongoing commitment but it doesn’t work without a plan.

The Opportunity in Front of Us

Yes, this will mean change. Some roles will evolve, some will sunset, and new ones will emerge. But by investing in your people and rethinking how we work, we’ll unlock human potential, not lose it.

We can strengthen trust. We can deliver better services. We can show residents that government isn’t stuck in the past, it’s leading toward the future.

My Call to You

Join me in this commitment. Share what’s working in your city. Be willing to test, to learn, and to lead. Together, we can build governments that don’t just keep up with the digital now: they set the pace.

Share this newsletter with someone else in your network who you think needs to hear it.

Let’s start building a community who will set the standard for citizen experience.

—Dana Berchman
 Oh, hi! Communications | CityCX Newsletter | Oh, hi! Stories Podcast

Sponsored by Orlo

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.

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