The Use of Alternative Communication Methods in Municipalities

Availability of a wide range of communication channels supporting customer relationships seems not to be underestimated. In the business sector, almost all of them are used with full awareness of the benefits. Organizations from the non-governmental sector are also trying to keep up with technology. A different image is presented by the public administration. Despite the growth dynamics of the development of e-government in recent years, the basic level of local government units (municipalities) does not often use modern technologies (usually it is limited to the use of solutions imposed by law). This problem generally does not apply to big cities, but is accentuated in rural communities. The article has brought closer the specificity of alternative communication channels and the use of available information and communication technologies for improving customer service tasks of the municipality, as well as aspects of image improvement. The paper presents the current situation concerning the use of alternative communication channels (which are not mandatory for local government units), based on information technologies in the rural province of Lower Silesia (Poland). An attempt of assessing the benefits of their application and a preliminary analysis of the causes or restrictions affecting the diagnosed condition was made.