East England County Council

How a prominent county council in the east of England transforms citizen engagement with SmartSurvey.

A prominent county council in the East of England, responsible for delivering essential public services across one of the UK’s largest and most diverse regions, uses SmartSurvey to streamline how it gathers feedback from residents. Spanning sectors such as education, healthcare, and community initiatives, this council is committed to ensuring its services meet the evolving needs of its population.

By adopting SmartSurvey, the council has revolutionized its approach to community engagement, enabling faster feedback collection, smarter data management, and a greater impact on decision-making.

The Challenge

Effective and Inclusive Public Feedback

Managing a wide range of public services—from schools to social care programs—the council relies on surveys to understand resident needs and inform policy decisions. However, the increasing demand for surveys revealed key challenges:

1. Time-Consuming Processes: Coordinating survey requests from multiple departments often created delays, stretching resources thin.
2. Limited Collaboration: A single-user setup restricted flexibility, leading to inefficiencies when team members were unavailable.
3. Engagement Struggles: Long, generic surveys risked frustrating participants, resulting in incomplete or low-quality responses.
4. Data Protection Requirements: As a public body, safeguarding resident data and adhering to UK data protection standards were paramount.

The council needed a robust solution to simplify survey workflows, enhance resident engagement, and ensure compliance with data regulations.

The Solution

Smarter Surveys and Streamlined Collaboration with SmartSurvey

SmartSurvey provided the council with an innovative platform to address its challenges and elevate its feedback processes. Key features included:

• Seamless Collaboration: Sub-accounts and shared access enabled team members to collaborate on survey creation and management, ensuring continuity and flexibility across departments.
• Enhanced Engagement: Dynamic features like skip logic and personalised question paths created a tailored survey experience, increasing response rates and collecting richer insights.
• Optimised Workflows: Pre-designed templates aligned with the council’s branding sped up survey creation, allowing departments to focus on actionable outcomes.
• Data Security and Compliance: With GDPR-compliant data handling and UK-based hosting, SmartSurvey guaranteed the secure and ethical use of resident feedback.
• Inclusive Design: WCAG 2.2-compliant themes ensured that every resident, regardless of ability, could participate, reinforcing the council’s commitment to accessibility.

The Results

Greater Efficiency and Stronger Community Insights

With SmartSurvey, the council unlocked significant improvements in its operations:

• Faster Turnaround: Surveys are now created and deployed more efficiently, allowing the council to respond promptly to community needs.
• Stronger Collaboration: Multiple users can now contribute to survey projects, reducing delays and increasing flexibility.
• Higher Engagement Rates: Personalized and interactive surveys encouraged more meaningful participation, providing actionable insights for decision-making.
• Trust and Compliance: SmartSurvey’s secure and accessible platform reinforced trust with residents while ensuring full regulatory compliance.

A council spokesperson shared:

"SmartSurvey has completely transformed how we engage with our residents. Its flexibility, ease of use, and focus on security have allowed us to deliver better services and stronger outcomes for our community."

Strengthening Connections in the East of England

This county council’s partnership with SmartSurvey highlights the power of a simple yet effective feedback platform. By prioritising inclusivity, security, and efficiency, the council is fostering stronger relationships with residents and ensuring that every voice is heard.

If your organisation is ready to transform how it gathers and uses feedback, SmartSurvey is here to help. Learn more today.