Taking a step beyond administrative simplification, Suma Gestión Tributaria, the body operating under the Alicante Provincial Council, has set a bold new objective. The agency is rolling out a series of strategic bets designed to bring it closer to residents of the Alicante province. Central to this effort is the adoption of a clear language approach that will simplify the content of more than 400,000 documents prepared for taxpayers each year. A new tool will also enable citizens to check the real-time status of their procedures, enhancing transparency and responsiveness in public service.
As a public service focused on citizen-friendly tax management, Suma strengthens its proximity initiative through clear language. This move aligns the organization with the leading practices of Spain’s public administrations, including the Tax Agency. To implement the project, Suma signed collaborations with the EDAP research group and the Chair of Clear Communication Applied to Public Administrations at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The aim is to develop competencies in clear administrative communication that lead to tangible improvements and practical tools for better service quality.
Modifications
By the end of the year, Suma anticipates updating several core documents used in its daily work. One notable example is the so-called “providencia de apremio,” from which more than 400,000 units are issued. Beyond simplifying administered processes, the entity linked to the Diputación plans to add elements that strengthen transparency and communicative proximity. At present, forty processes are automated, enabling an increase in processed administrative tasks per employee by 2 percent and reducing the average processing time to seven days at most.
The second major development is the deployment of a digital tool that lets citizens monitor the status of their procedures in real time, similar to the live-tracking dashboards used by parcel delivery services. Throughout the current voluntary payment period, residents who visit tax offices will be introduced to the new tool and receive targeted training on all the digital services offered by the agency through digital service desks, where staff uses configured tablets.
Led by José Antonio Belso, the team at the organization tied to the provincial institution has set its sights on matching the sophistication of Spain’s leading administrations. The clear-language initiative will produce documents that are shorter, simpler, and easier to understand. This approach will, for instance, mirror the reforms seen at the Tax Agency, which affect documentation related to personal income tax, settlement proposals, third-party debt embargo proceedings, declarations for low-value imports, and representation documents.
“With these new services, Suma reinforces its commitment to proximity with the province’s residents,” states the president of the Diputación, Toni Pérez. The party leader adds: “The goal is to move beyond mere efficiency in management and collection.” Belso explains that the new system for showing the progress of administrative procedures enhances user experience and increases transparency in governance. The director of Suma notes that the organization is positioning itself among Spain’s leading administrations.
The metaverse office is open to all users
Beyond efforts to simplify document language and track progress in real time, Suma Gestión Tributaria embraces a broad range of technologies. For example, there has been notable growth in online payments through Bizum, rising by about 40 percent in recent campaigns. Additionally, the agency’s virtual office in the Alicante Diputación system is already accessible to all users within the metaverse. This initiative introduces a new communication channel to improve taxpayer service, alongside existing channels such as chat, telephone, and the corporate website.