The Call Aachen service center is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Under the motto "More citizen service for our customers", "a professional service center for the city of Aachen" was set up in 2005. Since then, it has been the central point of contact for questions and concerns to the city administration.

With the spread of call centers in the private sector at the beginning of the 2000s, citizens' expectations of local authorities also increased. The main reasons: The telephone switchboards of the time were reaching their limits, concerns were being left unanswered and accessibility was becoming a challenge. In 2005, the decision was therefore made to set up a professional service center in Aachen. This turned the bottleneck into an interface.

From simple information to first-level support

What began in 2005 with the transfer of calls and simple information has now developed into a modern first-level support service for concerns. With the introduction of a professional knowledge database, advice has become more sound and faster. Call Aachen reacted early to the requirements of the Online Access Act, information was standardized and prepared digitally. Today, around 90 percent of all citizen inquiries can be processed directly in the service center without being forwarded or put on hold. In addition to telephone calls, the current 35 employees also answer emails and messages from citizens that are received via the municipal service portal - a total of almost 80,000 per year.

Reliable crisis hotline

The special importance of the service center became apparent in times of crisis: during the coronavirus pandemic, the number of calls doubled to around 800,000. Call Aachen became a reliable crisis hotline. Thanks to continuous further development, the team also takes on central communication tasks flexibly and ad hoc in the event of bombs being found or flooding.

"One for all"

At Call Aachen, technology is seen as a means of improving communication. For example, the city's defect reporter, a tool that citizens can use to report defective traffic lights or litter, has been seamlessly integrated into the service processes. The processing status can be viewed online and complaints can be tracked. Since 2025, Call Aachen has also been responsible for first-level support for all "one-for-all" online services (EfA). The service center agents help callers to understand and go through digital processes. "61 percent of citizens don't use online services because they don't know that they can also deal with their concerns online or are afraid of contact. Yet it would be much easier and more convenient for them than an on-site appointment. Here, too, we provide support, inform citizens and, if necessary, guide them through the online process by telephone," explains Stefan Ganser, Head of Department at the Call Aachen Service Center. The service center thus forms an important bridge in an increasingly digital administration.

Just in time for its 20th birthday, a current video about Call Aachen and the people behind it has now been published on YouTube. In addition, the renowned trade magazine for dialogue marketing and customer service CallCenterProfi has dedicated its current issue to the Call Aachen service center.

The Call Aachen service center can be reached Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. via 0241 4320 or the public authority number 115.