What this post is about
- Where digital citizen services often fall short
- How Zammad ensures consistent public communication
- Modern citizen services built on open source foundations
- Cities already benefiting from Zammad in everyday use
Visits to government offices often result in long waiting times. According to studies, the average in-person visit in Germany takes 2 hours and 21 minutes. Many municipalities have responded by offering digital forms—a step in the right direction. But true digitalization doesn’t end with an online form. What use is an online application if there’s no opportunity for follow-up? If questions have to be clarified by email, phone or another in-person visit? If missing documents have to be submitted by post? Ultimately, these gaps wipe out the potential efficiency gains for both citizens and public administrators.
Where Digital Public Services Fall Short
The challenges of digital administration often only become apparent once an application has been submitted. In many cases, the problem isn’t technical failure, but rather limited transparency and communication processes that remain only partially digital.
The most common weak points are:
- Lack of transparency: Citizens typically receive a confirmation of receipt followed by silence. They are kept in the dark about the status of their request, which leads to uncertainty and frustration.
- Inefficient communication: Follow-up questions are often handled via email or telephone. This approach is error-prone, slow and burdensome for everyone involved.
- Media disruptions: When digital applications are followed by analogue steps, such as posting additional documents, the user experience deteriorates significantly.
- Loss of oversight: On the administrative side, manual handling leads to information silos. This is especially problematic in complex cases involving multiple departments, where there is often no clear overview.
How Zammad Enables Seamless Communication Between Citizens and Public Authorities
Zammad is a modern open-source ticketing system. In the context of public administration, it unleashes its full potential as a central communication platform between citizens and public officials.
The system transforms incoming requests into structured, traceable processes that are monitored and documented throughout their entire lifecycle. This creates a continuous communication channel turning digital workflows into truly digital experiences.
Here’s how Zammad makes that possible:
- Automated ticket creation: Every digital request is automatically converted into a ticket. The ticket is then assigned to the corresponding department and appears instantly within the system.
- Transparency for applicants: Applicants receive confirmation of receipt and gain insight into the status of their request. The system proactively notifies them of any updates or questions.
- Direct communication via the ticket: If documents are missing or clarifications are needed, communication happens directly within the ticket, including a secure upload feature. Nothing gets lost, and everyone stays in sync.
- Efficient case handling: For staff, this means that all information is centralised and easy to access. Each step is clearly documented, even during handovers between departments.
Zammad lays the foundation for a public sector that is not only digitally accessible, but also digitally responsive.
Best Practice: How the City of Munich is Leading the Way
The capital of Bavaria is pursuing its digitalization strategy with determination and a clear objective: to make public services easier, faster and more accessible for citizens. The city’s coalition agreement makes this intention clear: 'We will significantly expand online services that replace in-person visits to government offices.' This vision has been taking shape, with Zammad playing a central role as the digital communication platform between citizens and the city administration since January 2025.
Currently, nine online forms are directly connected to the Zammad system, including key services such as applications for driving licences and registration processes. Over 3,000 requests are handled each month through the citizen portal of the District Administration Department alone. And this is just the beginning: in the long term, more than 250 online services are expected to be managed via Zammad.
Why Munich Chose Zammad — A Strategic Decision
Munich’s decision to implement Zammad was not just technical. It was also a strategic move toward openness, adaptability, and long-term digital sovereignty. As an open-source help desk system, Zammad offers the transparency and flexibility that public institutions require. Its source code is fully accessible and customizable. This allows for the fulfillment and active shaping of complex requirements in line with the principles of a modern, sovereign IT infrastructure.
Zammad's openness was deliberately leveraged by it@M, the city’s internal IT service provider, to develop a tailored solution. The technical setup brings together several components to create a powerful citizen service platform:
- cit intelliForm server for hosting online forms
- Zammad as the central ticketing system for case management
- Micro frontends, embedded in the citizen portal, for ticket display
- Custom integrations for automated ticket creation
Secure access was also a key consideration from the outset, with authentication available via BayernID, the Elster business account, or a direct password login. Integration with DeutschlandID is already in the planning stages.
A Scalable Success Story for Other Municipalities
Munich shows how modern public administration can be transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly. With Zammad as the backbone of its digital communication, the city has established a platform that ensures clarity, purposefully operates, and builds trust digitally.
This sets a clear precedent for other cities, towns, and districts. Zammad can be easily implemented, customized, and expanded. No matter your size, the system can be scaled to meet your needs.
