The secret to long-term trust? Continuity.

Most cities lose it when leadership shifts—here’s how not to.

Author

Dana Berchman
July 23, 2025

In partnership with

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Every election cycle cities and organizations face change. Mayors rotate. Council seats flip.

But one constant remains: residents.

They’re still there; still paying bills, walking sidewalks, reporting issues through 311, and wondering if anyone’s actually listening.

When leadership shifts, priorities follow. That’s normal. But when listening disappears with them? That’s a crisis. Community engagement isn’t a campaign strategy, it’s a long game. And it only works when people believe their voices matter. Not just in surveys or photo opportunities—but every single day.

And that long game? It lives or dies with your team. Because true engagement demands continuity.

In the private sector, brands build teams to keep the customer experience steady through reorganizations, mergers, and crises.

Cities should expect no less.

The secret isn’t just tech, it’s talent. The humans behind the handles. The storytellers behind the stats. The community managers, customer experience pros, and digital engagement leads who know the audience, remember the pain points, and carry the history.

🕵️‍♀️ Big Truths About Engagement:

  • Leadership changes. Residents don’t. Systems must be built to outlast any term limit.

  • Listening is action. Engagement isn’t just about replies, it’s about showing you heard them, even when the answer is “not yet.”

  • Essential services are invisible until they fail. If you’re not reminding people what you do, they’ll forget.

  • Staffing is strategy. Without roles that prioritize engagement, connection breaks.

  • Trust compounds. Every time you respond with transparency or fix a small issue, you’re making a deposit.

✅ What You Can Do:

  • Create a listening ritual. Track 311 issues, monthly roundtables, comment audits—anything that systematizes feedback.

  • Respond publicly. Show what you heard, even if the answer is “not yet.”

  • Reconnect the dots. Tell residents how trash pickup, permitting, and parks shape daily life. Make the invisible visible.

  • Fund the follow-through. Whether it’s staffing up or upskilling your team, the goal is the same: continuity. Roles like CX analysts, data storytellers, social media managers, and UX researchers don’t just support engagement, they safeguard it. Invest in building internal capacity with training, shadowing, and growth plans. The brand of your city shouldn’t reset every four years. It should evolve, with your team leading the way.

  • Keep the welcome mat out. New council? Same mailbox. Keep showing up.

🗳️ Quick Poll: How are you tracking customer feedback?

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Residents aren’t your audience. They’re your customers. And customers want to be heard.

Hit reply and tell me one way your team listens that others could try.

—Dana

🎤 Want me to speak at your next event?
From virtual keynotes to in-person workshops, I partner with city teams, associations, and organizations to talk about what’s next in digital engagement, citizen experience, and government storytelling.

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