Originally, the LitterBusters program used a third-party application called Trash Tracker that was difficult for the organization to use, and they were ready to upgrade to a customized solution that truly fit their needs. They needed an app that:

• Is simple, straightforward and easy to use for residents
• Integrates with the SCDMV to generate a courtesy letter when an offender is reported
• Offers better reporting features for residents
• Automates data entry and reduce manual data duplication

“The LitterBusters Hotline is a fantastic awareness campaign for our organization,” said Nicole Meares, Communication and Marketing Manager for PalmettoPride. “Studies show that the majority of people who litter do so on purpose, and that awareness campaigns are effective in reducing littering. Our program works directly with the SCDMV to generate a courtesy letter that is populated with information from the caller and mailed directly to the offender. Even a small reminder like this can help people understand the bigger impact and make them less likely to litter in the future.”

After trying two different types of software and applications, PalmettoPride realized they needed a custom solution.

“The Trash Tracker app was more involved than what we really needed,” said Sarah Lyles, Executive Director of PalmettoPride. “For a short time, we moved to an application called See Click Fix, which is a great tool for municipalities to use. Initially, this program seemed like exactly what we needed. However, the reporting features caused a challenge for us by creating false expectations. Reporters were looking for us to come do pick-ups or remedy their complaints, which is not what the LitterBusters Hotline is about.”

“When we started working with Dave and Rob and the rest of the Kopis Smart Government team it was during the process of creating an entirely new application for the LitterBusters Hotline,” said Sarah.“In the course of our conversations, we began discussing a custom mobile app because we are too sophisticated of an organization to not have one.”

The Smart Government team at Kopis created a streamlined mobile solution for PalmettoPride that fully integrates with the automated system that the DMV uses to produce the courtesy letters.

“We sat down and talked with the Kopis team about our wants and needs, and they really listened to us,” said Nicole. “They simplified the app to give us what we needed and only what we needed, and they even advised us on branding and how to incorporate our logo. The final product has been so intuitive and easy-to-use.”

In addition to simplifying the look and feel of the LitterBusters mobile app, the Kopis team was able to use the technology to automate some of the internal processes at PalmettoPride, reducing the administrative burden for the busy organization.

So far, the team that spearheaded the LitterBusters project at PalmettoPride has been pleased with the results.

“Working with Kopis has been refreshing for us for many reasons, but for me to be able to explain what we need this app to do having limited knowledge of how any of it works and have Kopis deliver exactly what we wanted is probably the best reason,” said Lyles. “Our previous websites and mobile app were cumbersome in both the development and maintenance. They also relied on packaged software that we had to adapt to. With Kopis, the team created what we wanted and adapted the product to our needs. I have already recommended the company to a few people who have asked who we used.”

“One of the most exciting results of this project has been the automation,” said Nicole. “We used to have to maintain two separate databases. One for the mobile app and one for the website. Anytime anyone reported something through either method, we’d get an email notification. Then, someone had to forward the notification to an enforcement program manager. Kopis took a campaign we offered that required a multi-step process and made it completely automatic. There’s now one database that integrates with the DMV system without us having to do anything.”

Finally, PalmettoPride has been impressed with the ROI that they’ve already experienced with the release of their new mobile app.

“As the marketing manager, I’ve been most pleased with how this app has helped us further our number one mission, which is awareness, and to get our name out there,” said Nicole. “When we launched, we didn’t realize that our app would generate so much buzz. We were surprised by how many media outlets picked up the story and how many people downloaded the app within the first week. This project also brought us to more millennials, which is a relatively new market for us. The budget for this project was reasonable compared to what we were paying before, and considering how the app has already brought us more name recognition and broadened our audience, the ROI has been great.”