[January 11, 2011] Grand Rapids iPhone and Droid Apps Prove Popular Tweet GRAND RAPIDS, Jan 11, 2011 (WXMI-TV - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- GRCity311, the free iPhone and Android app that enables citizens to connect with Grand Rapids city services, has been downloaded nearly 1,000 times since it was announced on December 21, 2010. The app gives residents the opportunity to report complaints like potholes and burned-out street lights, creating work orders directly from their iPhones and Droid-based phones. "When you look at the immediate response of 1,000 people who are your eyes and ears out there, that's nice," said city IT Director Paul Klimas. The app had 775 downloads in the first 36 hours. Klimas said that it's interesting to see where the tech-savvy people are coming from. Many of the reports have come from Eastown and along the Wealthy Street corridor. Klimas credits social media and networking for the popularity of grcity311. "We didn't know what to expect," said Klimas So, what about dialing 311 on a phone the old-fashioned way? Klimas is working with the city's customer service task force to create a one-stop call center. City Manager Greg Sundstrom said the city has the technical ability, but they need to figure out the process. "This is just a baby step in getting a fully deployed 311 system," said Sundstrom. The city is looking into hiring a consultant to get a 311 phone system online. To see more of WXMI-TV, go to http://www.fox17online.com/. Copyright (c) 2011, WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, Mich. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]