Where does a Philly311 service request go? How does it work? Let’s take a look at the life of a service request, from start to finish.
A service request is born
The first step in this process is for you to contact Philly311 to report an issue. There are many ways to get in touch with us:
- Download our mobile app (for iOS and Android devices)
- Use our web portal
- Send us an email
- Call 3-1-1 or 215-686-8686 (if outside Philadelphia)
Once the service request is created in our system, it gets sent to a City of Philadelphia servicing department. These servicing departments include the Streets Department, Licenses & Inspections, Parks & Recreation, and more. You will receive an 8-digit case number (ex. 14383116) for your request. Save this number as it will come in handy later on.
If you use the mobile app or web portal and can’t find the specific type of request you need to submit, use the “other” tab.
For best results, use these four helpful tips when you submit a service request.
The servicing department works on the request
After you’ve submitted the request, the servicing department will begin working on it. A representative from the department will add updates to the request as they occur. You can easily track updates on your service request on our mobile app or by entering your 8 digit number case number on our website.
Each type of request has a service level agreement, or SLA, which is the number of business days the servicing department is expected to resolve an issue (but not close the case).
If your service request hasn’t been addressed within the SLA, you can contact 311 and request the case be escalated to a supervisor. Make sure to reference your 8-digit case number when following up.
Case closed!
The servicing department will close the request when they’ve completed everything in their capability to address your concern. When the case is closed, the department will leave a final case comment explaining how the case was resolved.
Sometimes a servicing department may close a request, but visibly the issue hasn’t changed. The City may not always have the ability to resolve an issue the way that you expect. Ask our agents about possible outcomes for your request.
If you believe your case was closed incorrectly (such as illegal dumping being reported as cleaned up, but the trash remains) or has passed the service level agreement, we encourage you to follow up with us! We will look into the case and address the situation accordingly.
An easy way to follow up on a case is by filling out our customer satisfaction survey. You’ll find the link to the survey at the bottom of the most recent “Case is closed” email in your inbox.
