Dial 1999 to solve all your problems

Words and photos by Taichung City Government
Translated by Naomi Lai

In order to provide a more direct communications channel to its citizens, the Taichung City Government has set up a city phone service network that allows you to easily access services via one easy-to-remember number--1999. Calling this number will provide you with immediate and convenient information about topics such as labor requests, pleas and complaints, government information inquiries, broken roadside facilities, uneven roads, reports of illegal activities and many other related issues.

Satisfaction guaranteed with multiple services
According to information provided by the Bureau of Planning, the 1999 phone service has received over 60,000 calls since it first began operating in July of 1999. Among these calls, 11,500 were for information (19.1% of total services), 7,415 were for labor requests (12.3%), 6,889 were for pleas and complaints (11.5%), 1,496 were for events information (2.5%), 3,473 were for phone call transfers (5.8%), and 29,312 were for emotional counseling or reports about results of workers dispatched by the government (48.8%). The steady monthly growth of 1999 phone calls shows that an increasing number of citizens are seeking help from the government and reporting problems to the government through this hotline.
In addition, polls done by the Bureau of Planning also show that the satisfaction rate for the 1999 phone service is currently 98.04% for users in Taichung, far higher than Taipei's 86%. This indicates the service is well-known in Taichung and affirms its service quality.

Free problem solving
To help citizens conserve money, the city government started offering toll-free call-ins in November, 2009. Whether one is calling from a mobile or land-line phone (with the exception of prepaid phone cards, public phones and Internet phones), there is no charge for calls to this service line. This policy will greatly reduce costs for those seeking assistance from or reporting problems to the government.

The 1999 hotline also is helping people from a variety of other cities and counties solve their problems. For example, Ms. Wang from Taipei drove to Taichung for vacation during the Chinese New Year holiday and was able to get information about the nearest swimming pool by calling 1999, allowing her family to conclude its vacation with a perfect swim at the pool. Ms. Wang later wrote the mayor's email box to express thanks for the 1999 phone service. In the future, the city government will analyze the service quality and case-handling efficiency of services and release these findings to the public on a regular basis. This in turn will help mold the 1999 service into an outstanding, two-way communications channel, helping the government to understand people's needs and keep track of services provided, while offering people more considerate and innovative city government services via this hotline.