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Lighting the way to process improvement. Improve service delivery throughout your organization by improving your processes. 11 th Annual AGCCE Conference May 10-12, 2011. Introduction. Cindy Riordan Customer Service Manager with the City of St. Louis, MO, Customer Service Bureau (CSB)
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Lighting the way to process improvement Improve service delivery throughout your organization by improving your processes. 11th Annual AGCCE Conference May 10-12, 2011
Introduction • Cindy Riordan • Customer Service Manager with the City of St. Louis, MO, Customer Service Bureau (CSB) • Sarah Taylor • Director of Constituent Services with City of Indianapolis, IN, Office of Mayor Greg Ballard • Charles “Rick” Stanley • Urban Forestry Supervisor with City of Hampton, VA, Parks and Recreation • Lori Thomas • Team Leader with the City of Hampton, VA, 311 Customer Call Center
What is process improvement? • Why it is important. • Stay fresh, don’t get stuck in old ways • Why consolidated call centers are more likely to use it than individual departments. • Through citizen calls, we notice the pattern if something isn’t going right in the operating dept • Example from CSB – implementation of new system.
New SR system brings opportunity • Change from DOS to Cityworks database • Previously one template for ALL request types • Now each request can be scripted to fit business process • Dept’s say “What business process?”
Pilot with Traffic Dispatchers • I-64 being closed for construction added the urgency and Director support. • They take same traffic calls we do, but historically not synced with us • Goal 1 – get rid of the duplicates between us • Goal 2 – get requests closed out quickly
Change is HARD • Dispatchers will have to move from paper system to computerized system • And at least one of them can’t type! • Trained at same time as call center staff • Created camaraderie • During training, really listen to their gripes • Then show them how new system can fix it (ie double-dispatching) • Show them what they didn’t even know they were missing (ie – powerful search options)
Why process improvement is needed? • How it can be used in call centers. • Improve communications • Saves resources (time, money, etc) • Improve service delivery
Kaizen process for illegal dumping • Problem description: • Current practices were not clearly defined for handling/correcting illegal dumping in the City of Indianapolis and Marion County.
Project Goal: • Develop a more efficient method through collaboration with several departments. • Mayor’s Action Center • Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaison’s • Department of Public Works • Department of Code Enforcement • Marion County Health Department • Office of Corporation Counsel • Information Services Agency • Office of the City Prosecutor
Project Details: • Budget concerns • Cause/Effect Analysis • Illegal Dumping Process • Current SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Output, and Customers)
Resulting action items • Use of technology • Sharing of case information • Citizen outreach • Impact on the line of business
Informal approach to process improvement. • Site visit for 311 to Parks & Recreation Operations division. • Met Rick for the first time • Talked about his operations • Discussed how 311 fit into his daily routine • Met with the Information Manager about what I discovered
Meeting of the Minds • Set up meeting between 311 supervisors, Rick Stanley, and the Parks Operations staff tech • Open discussion of everyone’s area of responsibility • Unified goal was to reduce the number of unnecessary requests being sent to the Tree Team
Implementation • Separated those services that did not affect the Tree Team • Revised scripting for tree requests • No anonymous requests • Blocking the street • Branches in power lines • Verification of ownership • Low hanging and/or broken branches
Speaking the same language • Helped call center staff better understand scope of tree team responsibilities • Recognizing fear based requests • Clearer understanding of customer’s desire • Providing options to the customers • Giving personal contact
Getting it right the first time • Efficiency • Improved communications • Improved service delivery • Savings on resources (time, money, and manpower) • Short term and long term planning
Legal Responsibilities • Property owner responsibility and rights • City property • Private property • Safety issues and obstructions
Wrap Up • Recap of the different ways improvements can be done • Variation of organization – size is not a factor