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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY 1990 -- Customer Services ReportMEMORANDUM TO: Ron Ragland, City Manager FROM: Linda S. Piwonka, Executive Director Management Services Group RE: Management Services Group Customer Service Highlights DATE: 05-15-90 The Management Services Group is providing the attached report which high- lights changes in service delivery our departments have made as a result of the training they received from our city-wide customer service program. My group was excited to provide this overview. We all agree that our customers have benefited from the changes that our staff made during the past year, and we look forward to seeking ways to further enhance our area's service delivery in the future. OUR CHARGE When we started the "Structuring for Service" program, we agreed that nothing was sacred in our department and that anything we could do to improve customer satisfaction would be given serious consideration! We have done just that and as a result, many changes have been made over just a short period of time. This report highlights some of the key changes that have occured as we have renewed our committment to service excellence. z ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES MILDRED TELLER Customer Service Representative Utility Customer Services Formally known as Utility Billing, we even changed what we call ourselves to more appropriately reflect the services we provide. The entire operation was also reorganized to provide the front lines with more authority to make customer service related decisions. The change resulted in the deletion and combination of several job descriptions. Every position is currently titled a Customer Service Representative, Senior Customer Service Representative, or Customer Service Supervisor. This allows us to cross train staff in all areas and has enabled us to more effectively utilize staff. 3 MOMENTS OF TRUTH One of the ways that we judge customer satisfaction can be found in the mere number of "Moments of Truth" the staff in Management Services handle, which result in customers that do not seek further satisfaction through my office, the City Manager's office, or calls to the City Council. There are few customers that, due to dissatisfaction with staff's ability to handle their concerns, seek resolutions by calling offices outside of the initial staff contact. It is noteworthy to recognize the volume of these moments to indicate how well they are doing. We have defined a "moment of truth" to be any contact that a customer has with the department that allows the customer to form an opinion of our organization. These are what we consider to be our constant "moments of truth". 4 Utility Customer Services Annual Listing of "Moments" Connection / Disconnections (Customers that requested a change in their service).............................................39,974 PhoneCalls................................................................. 31,000 MetersRead.............................................................272,606 Accounts Billed/Received.....................................377,037 Walk-in Inquires........................................................12,000 TOTAL "MOMENTS" HANDLED ....................732,617 !!!! Energy Management Services (Facility Maintenance - Energy) Annual "Moments" EnergyAudits.................................................................192 Phone Calls for Energy Conservation Tips..........................................................556 Facility Maintenance Work Orders...........................5,900 TOTAL "MOMENTS" HANDLED...........................6648 !!!! 5 Public Relations/Print/Mail Annual "Moments" Citizen Newsletter.....................................................84,000 * Employee Newsletter..................................................6,000 ** Printed Images......................................................1,755,000 Mail Processed(outgoing).......................................347,000 Mail Processed (incoming) ..................................... 365,000 TOTAL "MOMENTS" HANDLED...................2,557,000 !!!! *Based on distribution list of 14,000 @ 6 times annually **Based on 500 employees @12 times annually Management Information Services Annual "Moments" Attendance at Training Sessions Software (approximately 2,000 Hrs.) ...........................700 PhoneCalls...................................................................7,500 TOTAL "MOMENTS" HANDLED .........................8,200 !.!! *Based on some employees attending several different training sessions. MANAGEMENT SERVICES GROUP COMBINED ANNUAL "MOMENTS OF TRUTH" ............... ...... 31304,465 6 CHANGES IN PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS Many operational changes have been made that have aided our ability to serve the customer by allowing for more flexibility in decision making. Deposit Ordinance Council approved a change in our long standing requirements for security deposits for utility customers, resulting in a more "service friendly" policy which produced customer satisfaction. People who lease their residence are now able to qualify for exemption from our required $135.00 deposit by presenting us with a credit reference from another utility or by establish- ing a good payment record with our utility. Previ- j 1k ously we did not allow these exemptions. This change has resulted in added convenience for the customers. Access Policy We have changed our approach to handling meter reader access problems. In the past the customer who locked their gate or had a dog that would not allow r access received a tag on the door indicating that access j must be provided on certain days of the month. If the I customer failed to provide this access, service could be ..disconnected until the situation was corrected. We now deal with these problems in a face to face manner. The Meter Services Supervisor makes an appointment with the customer to talk through the concerns about access. This provides the customer with a better understanding of our problem and in most cases we are able to come to a mutually agreeable solution. This "added value" in service does take more time than simply hanging a tag, however in the long run we find that our customers are much more likely to understand the needs of the utility. In general it is a service that we feel better meets the customer's needs. There are currently technologies that would allow us to read, connect and disconnect remotely. The costs of such a system does not make it a feasible solutionat this time, but we will continue to look for ways to improve our service and still maintain competive rates. PHYSICAL CHANGES One of the main goals of the renovation of City Hall was to relocate the public service departments which have high customer visits to the ground floor making them more accessible and convenient. Also, Utility Customer Services was located on two floors making communication and working relations difficult. Renovation has improved productively by allowing all staff to be located on the same floor. Customers were previously required to go upstairs to handle their account transactions. We are now located on the first floor. This has not only added convenience for our customers, but it has made it much easier to manage staff. Additionally, by relocating on the first floor, we were able to double our counter space for peak transactions and create a friendlier, more spacious area for customers waiting to be served. E:3 TECHNOLOGY We are now approaching the third year of our 3 Year MIS Plan. Two years ago the Council authorized the funding of some 1.5 million dollars in technology im- provements for our city. This has paid off by providing tools in our departments that have enabled our employees to keep up with growing demands for informa- tional based decisions, and enhanced services to our citizens. The Management Services Group is comprised of departments that are involved in providing internal services to other departments as well as providing external services to citizens. The following highlights some of the technology assisted enhancement for our group. -_ - 9 New NCR Utility Billing/Collections Computer Hardware With the replacement of the existing billing hardware system, new enhancements to services were made available to Utility Customers Services. Computer down -time has been virtually eliminated. Customer convenience was enhanced through additional speed and dependability. Staff time has been used more effectively. Productivity has improved through better equipment, faster access to information, and less duplicated effort previously caused by down equipment. With new software automation provided by the MIS department, we have cut our processing time in handling Utility transfers by approximately 50%. This has resulted in a cut in the fees charged for this service. (Previous $40.00, current $15.00). Passing these savings directly to the customer not only ensures our competiveness with other cities, but results in customer satisfaction. Likewise, the utility customer's master file has been expanded to include more information, ie., driver's licence, identification number, second address etc. This data assists in our collection efforts and as a result should prove to help maintain or lower collection rates. Desktop Publishing Addition of full desktop publishing technology has increased not only the quality of materials produced by the city, but has allowed for shorter turnaround time on all design and more variety in design of publications as well as design and layout our own advertising. Print/Mail End -of -Month Reports Automated The printing area is automating their reporting process which has been accom- plished manually.This process provides a more systematic method for handling information regarding print costs, thus saving the Printing Coordinator approxi- mately 2 hrs. per month on this report. 10 Word Processing With the standardization of our city word processing, we find that we are able to increase productively by using support staff across departmental lines. All staff are trained on this software and can provide back up on projects as needed. Also, by providing word processing training to supervisors and managers, productiv- ity and speed in producing written material has been enhanced. Fewer drafts of information are needed, since the originator can read a draft on the screen prior to sending it to support staff. Automated Access To Budget/Accounting Information All of our departments are now connected to the Fiscal/Human Resources com- puter system. This has provided us with on-line inquiry and report generation ca- pabilities. Each department is able to access up-to-date information on expendi- tures on a line item basis, and generate special reports on any data base item. This has expedited the reconciliation process and given departments timely informa- tion that, up until this year, was often months out-of-date. Automated Phone System Utility Customer Service A computerized phone work group was funded in our last year's budget. Through the use of this system, we are able to identify how many calls we are receiving, how many calls are on hold, and how many customers cannot get through to a service representative. This system has and will continue to enable us to monitor our service standards in this area. 11 COMMUNICATIONS Expanded Distribution Of Citizen Newsletter We have expanded this service over the past three years from distribution to 10,000 to 14,000 residents. The newsletter is now being published in the Eagle as well as with the C.S.I.S.D. newsletter, is much more professional looking, and apparently has increasing readership. Citizen Survey A part of this year's Council goals included the Public Relations/Marketing department's assistance in conducting a citizen survey. This information will be helpful in providing feedback from our customers regarding their perception of city service delivery. This survey, as well as the other feedback collected at depart- mental level, is a critical part of the service excellence strategy developed through the "Structuring for Service Program". 12 SAVINGS 0 0 0 as 0 0 0 In -House Computer Training In terms of "doing -more -with -less", the MIS Department has provided some 2,000 hours of training on our standard software. Based on experience with contracting out this training, these efforts would have cost our city an additional $25,000 this year. This training was accomplished with the same staff that is also responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of some 130 micros, resulting in an even larger savings of dollars to our citizens. In -House Computer Repair The MIS Department currently provides all repairs on the city-wide micro installed base (130 Micros). A maintenance contract to cover repair on this size installed base would cost approximately $20,000 annually based on current industry standards. By providing this service in-house we project that we will spend approximately $7,000 to $9,000. This not only saves our city money but it provides the fastest turn -around time possible for the computer users. This keeps the tools up and running in the hands that are providing direct service to our citizens. Our customer service strategy philosophy states, "You are either serving a customer, or serving someone who serves the customer". Providing these internal services helps us insure those on the front lines get quick, reliable service, rather than having to wait for outside vendors to respond. 13 Prepared RFP For Public Safety Computer System Totally With In -House Staff A year ago, in the absence of in-house expertise, we contracted out the RFP and selection process for our current Fiscal/Human Resources computer system. The fee for this consulting service was $54,000. We are currently in the process of receiving responses from a RFP that was sent out to seek proposal on a replace- ment system for our Police/Municipal Court/Fire/EMS computer system. The instrument and process is being conducted totally in-house through the team- work of involved departments and the MIS Department. These efforts and similar internal efforts will result in substantial cost savings to the city. Pro -Active Facility Maintenance Two years ago, council approved the centralization of our public facility mainte- nance budgets. This was given attention to provide for pro -active rather than re- active maintenance on our public buildings. Our facilities are beginning to show signs of aging. Regular maintenance can help extend the life of equipment and buildings. Most repairs and renovations are now being handled with in-house maintenance staff. The following are highlights of estimated savings on projects using in-house staff versus contracting for outside service. By providing this service in-house, we have also improved response time for problem resolution, and helped maintain a better working environment for employees who previously waited indefinitely for their problems to be addressed. 14 ANNUAL SAVINGS: FACILITY MAINTENANCE ElectricalWork............................................................... $12,000. Painting/General...........................................................$ 9,000. Plumbing......................................................................... $21,000. Heating/Air Maint........................................................ $28,000. Painting City Hall Renovation ..................................... $25,000. South End City HallRenovation..................................$13,000. Assembly of Drop-ShipReplacement Office Furniture, City Hall Renovation ...................... $ 8,000. Developed systematic cut-off of heaters in Fire Station truck bays, operation savings ongas costs..................................................................... $ 1,200. TOTAL SAVINGS.......................................................$117,OU0. 15 THE FUTURE We have big plans for the future! Change Billing From Four -Cycle System To Eight -Cycle System In July we will be changing our billing system from the current 4 cycles to 8 cycles, improving customers service by leveling out the peaks and valleys of our billing and collection schedules. This should provide for shorter customer lines, and better utilization of staff time. It will also improve cash flow. This is a major change that will effect every customer in our city. 19,000 "moments of truth" in July! 16 Continued Work On Improving Communication With Our Citizens Public Relations will be continuing to seek ways to improve delivery of informa- tion about our government to our citizens. This will include letting them know about the services that we provide for them through citizen educational bro- chures and advertising. Seek Authorization For Replacement Of Our Public Safety Computer System MIS will be working with the Public Safety areas in providing information to Council concerning the replacement of our current system. They will also be working with the MIS Steering Committee to modify our current 3-year plan. Hand Held Meter Reading Utility Customer Services and MIS will be working on the research and automa- tion of our current manual meter reading process. This will further improve pro- ductively in processing our customer billing. Automated Facility Information Energy Management Services will be investigating the establishment of a data base for storing information on all of our major equipment in the public facilities. This will provide for more effective scheduling of preventative maintenance, and warranty work. Load Management Planning Energy Management Services, Utility Customer Services, and Public Utilities will be working together to develop future plans for load management and energy conservation. The plan will be critical when we transfer our wholesale contract to the TMPA member cities. The first step in this plan will involve more pro -active conservation in our public buildings. 17 Institutional Recycling Print/Mail is currently working with a committee from other departments to develop an institutional recycling program for our city departments. Hopefully, we will not only serve as a role model for the other businesses in our community, but will help develop a program these businesses can also implement. 18 Who's On Our Team? City Council Larry Ringer, Mayor Fred Brown, Councilman Place 1 Dick Birdwell, Councilman Place 2 Lynn McIlhaney, Councilman Place 3 Vernon Schneider, Councilman Place 4 Jim Gardner, Councilman Place 5 Nancy Crouch, Councilman Place 6 City Manager Ron Ragland Executive Director Management Services Linda Piwonka Mary Tucker, Staff Assistant Utility Customer Service Bruce Albright, Utility Office Manager Carolyn Bonifazi Dave Clarida Brian Clark Debra Cornell Joyce Duda Doug Gault Cherie Harris Brenda Herr Joyce Holt Lauri McCollum Brenda Martz Vicki Mies Currina Nash Lisa Norman Joyce Parish Evelyn Preston Cathy Stark Carolyn Stone June VanDyke Gale Watson Jeanne Williamson Lori Collins Jeri Greer Cynthis Kaatz Cindy Mixon Sharon Plumlee Jackie Turner Lisa Yeager Energy Management Services (Faciltiy Maintenance/Energy) Charlie Shear, Energy Manager Danny Jones Joe Marino Mike Martine Tracy Smith David Stone Management Information Services (MIS) Charles Cowell, Director Roger Earwood Jeff Helms Earl Josserand Chris Longley Jeff Rife Public Relations/Marketing/Print/Mail Peggy Calliham, Public Relation/Marketing Manager Tomi Fry, Print/Mail Coordinator Clint Matcek Mary Morse Betty Rodman 0 Report design by Mary Morse 19 Notes: