City of Mesa's Transformation to Efficiency with Blueink

From Weeks to Minutes Process’: The City of Mesa’s transformative partnership with Blueink

The City of Mesa, one of Arizona's most populated cities and the 35th largest city in America, is home to over half a million residents. Its local government is responsible for managing a myriad of services, including permitting, licensing, and various administrative tasks that involve extensive paperwork and approval processes.

In the world of public sector technology, few names resonate as strongly as Travis Cutright, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of Mesa. His transformative leadership has not only earned him accolades but has also positioned Mesa as one of the forefronts of innovation and efficiency in municipal governance. Central to this success is the city's strategic partnership with Blueink, the #1 DocuSign alternative.

Cutright shared about the fruitful collaboration and the significant impact it has had on their operations.

"Folks can go out and spend time looking at DocuSign and Adobe and all these other folks that does this [eSignature] type of work but I'm telling you I’ve been in this business for 30 years, and, this relationship that we have between the City of Mesa and Blueink has been phenomenal," he said. 

His endorsement of Blueink stems from firsthand experience and decades of industry insight. "I've never been disappointed [with Blueink’s] service, and I'd recommend it to anybody that’s looking for forms of electronic signature solution to consider Blueink."

Transforming Bureaucratic Bottlenecks

Before the adoption of eSignatures, Mesa’s manual processes were a hindrance, characterized by inherent delays and inefficiencies. Government agencies are often criticized for their slow and bureaucratic procedures, a reputation acknowledged by Cutright. 

"Prior to having eSignatures, when we’ve got manual processes, just inherently it’s slower and so the government agency don’t know they already have a bad rap as far as a bureaucracy and trying to move things on and this just kind of added to that it took days and weeks to get things approved," he recalled. "When you automate that, you can do it in minutes or hours at the most."

Cutting Costs, Saving Time

The introduction of Blueink’s eSignature solutions has been a game-changer. Automation has replaced the sluggish manual workflows, drastically reducing approval times from days or weeks to mere minutes or hours. Not only has it sped up approval processes, but it has also resulted in substantial cost savings. 

"You know when you automate that you can do that in minutes or you know hours at the most and you know the other piece to that though is the money side of it," Cutright remarked. 

"So, we invest in electronic tools but we recoup that investment in less than hours to process things and if you think about how many people have to touch a paper document and move it around and the time involved to that you’re wanting to save money, Blueink is who you want to go to if you want outstanding customer service."

Blueink’s Features, Nimble and Responsive Service

Blueink offers a suite of features designed to enhance document workflow and security. These include secure authentication, which ensures that signatories are accurately identified, protecting sensitive information. 

The user-friendly interface simplifies the process of sending, signing, and managing documents, while integration capabilities allow for seamless transitions with existing systems. Audit trails provide detailed logs of all actions taken on a document, ensuring transparency and compliance. 

Additionally, customizable templates enable users to create documents tailored to their specific needs, enhancing overall efficiency.

One of the standout features of Blueink for Cutright is its ability to provide nimble and responsive service, an essential quality for Mesa. 

"Blueink is going to be the best one out there. If you need somebody that’s nimble like we do at the City of Mesa then it’s Blueink," Travis stated. This agility ensures that Mesa can swiftly adapt to changes and continue delivering efficient services to its residents.

Leadership and Innovation

Travis’s leadership in leveraging technology extends beyond just adopting new tools. His strategic vision has been crucial in navigating the city's technology needs, especially during challenging times like the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Recognized as a Public Sector Finalist by the 2021 Arizona CIO of the Year ORBIE Awards, Travis's efforts have been celebrated for their innovation and impact.

Under his leadership, Mesa won first place in the 2021 Government Experience Awards for its use of CARES Act funding to expand connectivity and its citizen outreach efforts. These initiatives included social media surveys and online polling apps to gather feedback on the city's IT needs. 

"A lot of what we’re doing is looking for innovative ways to serve our citizens and keep them safe, but also to be efficient and minimize the impact on the environment," says Travis.

His forward-thinking approach has led to numerous smart city initiatives, from expanding broadband access for low-income residents to retrofitting city facilities with modern HVAC systems for energy efficiency. 

The savings from these initiatives are reinvested into other priorities, such as smart meters and a real-time public safety operations center. Additionally, the city has embarked on an ambitious project to convert food waste into usable energy in partnership with local schools and restaurants.

Cutright’s role exemplifies the evolving nature of the CIO in the public sector. "We’re not sitting in a dark room anymore. We’re a business partner to the organization," he emphasized. This broader interpretation of the CIO’s responsibilities underscores the importance of communication and coordination in driving municipal progress.

As Mesa continues to pioneer smart city technologies and sustainable practices, the partnership with Blueink remains a cornerstone of its strategy. Travis’s endorsement of Blueink, grounded in decades of experience, speaks volumes about the company's capabilities and their role in Mesa's ongoing success.

For more information about the transformative work being done in Mesa and Travis Cutright’s leadership, visit [Arizona CIO](https://www.arizonacio.org) and explore the achievements recognized by the [Center for Digital Government](https://www.govtech.com/cdg).

Explore all that Blueink has to offer on blueink.com or kickstart your branding journey with a free trial today! 

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