Office of Business and
External Services (OBES)
Modernizing the City of New
Orleans

City of New Orleans
June 30, 2020

 Stimulus for Change
in the City?s Service
Delivery

 

Technology-based, data
driven, and agile City
agency

Differentiated
entrepreneurial approach
to the public sector

Wha
twou
make
ld
City
more
services

Reinventing the
City’s
relationship
with the
customer

Innovative
services
platforms
Professionalization
of where
customers do
business with the
City
Experienced,
visionary
leadership
5

 Case Study: New York City
Department of Small Business Services (SBS) helps unlock
economic potential and create economic security for all New
Yorkers
 SBS’s goals and objectives:

Business Reform and
Incentives

- Fighting for equality by offering training programs for prospective
employees

Business Services

- Creating stronger businesses and support small business as they
start, operate, and grow
- Building thriving neighborhoods across the five boroughs

Business Programs

 Economic Development Commission: separate agency, but
can work closely with SBS on certain projects

Recent Publications & Reports:

Business Operations

Executive Office of
SBS

Economic
Development &
Financial Opportunity

Capacity Building and
Corporate Partnerships

Contractor Services
Neighborhood
Development
Workforce
Development
Division of
Administration

4

 Case Study: Los Angeles
LA Business Portal provides all the information needed to plan,
start, manage, and grow a business in Los Angeles
 Helps small businesses by

LA Business Portal Website:

- Offering strategic business
insights
- Coordinating information and
resources provided by City
departments
- Fostering collaboration amount
business source providers

 Created and maintained by
the Mayor’s Office of
Economic Development:
Community Business

5

 Case Study: Philadelphia
Department of Commerce offers unique special programs to help
individuals navigate the City and other processes to help launch
and maintain a business
One-on-One Services
Business Services Manager
 Each manager services a geographic region of the City
 Aims to simplify the process of opening and operating a business
 Available for current business owners or anyone looking to open a
business

Business Coaching Program
 Services include:
- Business planning
- Access to capital
- Visual merchandising

 Applies to select low-to-moderate income neighborhoods and
corridors
 Improves chances of being approved for Department of
Commerce initiatives and programs

StartupPHL
 Collaborative effort between Commerce and other
PHL departments
 Aims to support entrepreneurs in the City by
centralizing step-by-step instructions
 Focus on businesses in the technology sector and
leverages tech industry partners headquartered in
PHL (Comcast, etc.)
- Seed funding services
- Networking events and venture programs

“Launch your startup in the city that launched a
nation”
6

 What Is What
Does It Mean for City
Operations?

 

The Office of Business & External Services
(OBES)
OBES represents the
face of the City as the
first touchpoint with
businesses and
customers

 Total
Headcount:
233
employees
 Total Budget:
$20.8M

PATH TO OBES
Visionary Leadership

1

Changes to Portfolio

2

New Workspace

3

Launch

4

World-Renowned Customer
Service
8

 Our Long-Term Target
Framing performance measures around the customer experience
will help identify gaps in the process and inform adjustments
strategically
Business Activity

Example Performance Measures

Create a business plan

Businesses connected to external partners for services

Choose a location

Time to get a response to a zoning question

Build your business

Time to get a commercial permit approved

Register a business

Businesses registered with Occupational Licenses
Businesses registered with General Business Permits

Finance a business

Tax incentives leveraged by local businesses

Hire employees

Workers trained by City-employer programs and hired by local businesses

Do business with the City

City contract value awarded to DBEs
City contract value awarded to local businesses
9

  Vision, Mission,
and Core Values

 

Our Vision

The World’s Best City To Do Business

Collaboratio
n

Professionalism

Centralizati
on

We believe the City of New Orleans can think holistically about customer
service.

1

 Office of Business and External Services
(OBES)
Work to distinguish New Orleans as a trusted place to do business
and as an organization with excellent customer service and
innovative solutions

VISION

MISSION

OBES aims to create a city with outstanding customer

OBES actively invests in efforts to make building

service, stronger businesses, stable jobs, and a vibrant

stronger business communities and improving

economy in all neighborhoods of New Orleans to give all

commercial corridors seamless in New Orleans through

stakeholders the opportunity to rise together.

businesses and customer service initiatives.

CORE VALUES
CUSTOMER
FOCUSED
Provide high-quality
City services that
meet the public’s
needs and achieve
superior results.

QUALITY

NOTABLE
SUCCESS

ACCOUNTABILIT
Y

RESPECT FOR
ALL

Maintain consistent
excellence and a
constant pursuit of
improvement that the
public expects.

Promote the City of
New Orleans as the
unrivaled leader of
customer service in
local government.

Accept responsibility
for the achievement
of common goals with
the community.

Remain inclusive and
collaborative to
welcome diverse and
innovative businesses
to the City.
12

 How Organization
Structure Will Change
for OBES

 

OBES Organization Structure
Creation of OBES is an opportunity to centralize and streamline
public-facing departments to ensure the City is providing first-rate
customer service
Office of Business
and External
Services (OBES)

NEW ADDITIONS TO PORTFOLIO

PREVIOUS OFFICE OF LAND USE PORTFOLIO

Safety &
Permits

City Planning
Commission

Historic District
Landmark
Commission

Vieux Carre
Commission

Code
Enforcement

Economic
Development

Real Estate &
Records

14

 Paths for the Future
Expansion of OBES

 

Path to OBES: Opportunities for Further
Expansion
Additional agencies within City government that are customer
focused or that focus on business and economic development
Office of
Office of
Office of
Workforce
Cultural Economy
Supplier Diversity
Investment
Comprises:
 Music and Entertainment
Commission
 New Orleans Film and
Video Commission
 Office of Tourism and Arts
Culture is at the core of New
Orleans; business and the
economy are no exception.

As we focus on enhancing
the customer service, we
must also promote equity
and financial opportunity for
minority, women-owned, and
other underserved
businesses.
 Provides technical
assistance and capacity
building programs
 Ensure financial
opportunities are being
created equally

 4.8 percent unemployment
 Local tax revenue + 14
percent since 2015
 Almost $1B a year in
residential building permits

Still-vibrant legacy industries
in oil & gas, maritime, and
tourism, but working to
transition to new industries
16

 Workplace
Transformation and
Relocation

 

What do you like least about your
workplace?

““““
Customers
constantly
complain and
question
where their
taxes are
going when
they see
what the
office space
looks like.”

Design: the
Deteriorating
There is a
style of the
condition of
significant
building and
City Hall
distance to
rooms are old
building, poor
the other
and
lighting and
departments
depressing.
lack of
that we
Having
natural light,
support.”
vendors
lack of
come to City
historic value
Hall is
and civic
embarrassing
pride in the
.”
structure
Employee responses
from the 2019 Facility
Programmatic study.
itself.”

18

 Path to OBES: Transforming Workspace
Placement
Opportunity to create a new and engaging customer service
headquarters with improved spaces that elicit collaboration and
business success
Issue #1: Deteriorating building Issue # 2: Spacing and facility use
Poor ceiling
condition

Improvised
waiting
room

Poor floor condition

Waiting
room
Lobby
in-take

19

 Path to OBES: Transforming Workspace
Placement
(cont’d)
Proposed action plan would involve centralizing all OBES
departments to 1340 Poydras (Orleans Tower)
Relocating Non-OBES
Departments

 Departments that previously
occupied Orleans Tower:
- Office of Community
Development (OCD)

Proposed Arrangement for OBES in Orleans Tower

11th
Code Enforcement
Floor

Economic Development

- Civil Service Department (CS)

 OCD and CS relocate to the 7th
floor in City Hall
- Conducive to private office space
- Inefficiently occupied 2 floors in
Orleans Tower

 Moving to VA is also an option,
but building condition would
require intensive renovations

10th
Safety &Floor
Permits
CPC
HDLC
VCC
Realty Records

9th Floor
Safety & Permits
20

  Leadership:
Deputy CAO of OBES

 

Path to OBES: Deputy CAO of OBES
OBES is seeking a dynamic, progressive executive leader to serve
as the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer (DCAO)
Deputy CAO of OBES
Effectiv
e&
Visionar
y
Leaders
Regulat
hip
ory &
Policy
Reform

Nationwide Recruiting Efforts
 National League of Cities
 Bloomberg Cities Network
 What Works Cities

Supervisory &
Management
Activities

Communicatio
n & Customer
Service
Management

 Engaging Local Government Leaders (ELGL)
 Results for America (RFA) Local Government
Fellowship Network
 ICMA
 National Association of State Procurement Officers
(NASPO)
 Government Financial Officers Association (GFOA)
 GovernmentJobs
22

 Next Steps for
Establishing OBES

 

Immediate Next Steps
In the next two months, the City will actively take the next steps
below to launch the Office of Business and External Services

 Recruit and onboard the OBES Deputy Chief
Administrative Officer
 Finalize lease negotiations with Orleans Tower
 Finalize floor plan configurations with Orleans Tower
 Begin required renovations for OBES in Orleans Tower
and City Hall

24

 THANK YOU

Questions, Comments,
or Feedback?
Office of Business & External Services
(OBES)
City of New Orleans