1. Customer Service Counters
a. Philosophy Statement
The front counter is the most important customer service area. It is the location of the first contact with customers - the frontline. It may project an image of the Town. The front counter should be the area where customer service is priority number one.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Long waits for service and associated queuing problems.
(2) Public/staff confrontations or customers creating a scene at the counter.
(3) Counters lacking cleanliness or looking disorderly.
(4) Lack of signage or other means directing customers to the proper location for information or service.
c. Service Standards
(1) Customer waiting times shall not exceed 10 minutes.
(2) All customers shall be greeted with, “Welcome to the Town of Davie. How can I help you?”
2. Field Communications and Inspections
a. Philosophy Statement
Field communications and inspections present a potential conflict situation, as many of these situations are one on one with personnel attempting to enforce regulatory codes on builders and on potential code violators. Effective communication, coupled with the ability to project authority in a peaceful manner, is the important consideration.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Confrontations over failed inspections or code violations issued.
(2) The inappropriate or lack of explanation for failed work or for code violations issued or other enforcement actions.
(3) Loss of personal control, inappropriate comments, or foul language in dealing with customers.
c. Service Standards
(1) Be on time for scheduled appointments on field matters.
(2) Make every effort to explain the code or other reason for the action you are taking in the field.
(3) Appropriate contact information should be given to customers as a courtesy.
3. Telephone Communication
a. Philosophy Statement
Telephone communication is usually the most important external access source between the Town and customers. A central question is can customers easily get through to the Town, and once connected, are customers easily routed to the proper person and number?
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Phone ringing more than 4 times in a given location.
(2) Not giving your name on your direct line and when answering for the Town, not giving the Town or the department names.
(3) Not asking customers for permission before placing them on hold; also, not advising customers of the possible wait time while on hold.
(4) Not returning phone calls the same day or within 24 hours.
c. Service Standards
(1) Ringing phones shall be picked up within 4 rings
(2) All phone calls shall be returned within 24 hours
(3) Department directors should have their phones answered by a live person (no voicemail).
4. Intra/Interdepartmental Communications
a. Philosophy Statement
Communication within the Town and with other departments within the organization must occur in a timely manner. Noncoordination of work items that affect the internal customer (organization) and the external customer (public, and the like) may impact the image of the organization.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Lack of respect for deadlines of others within the department/organization.
(2) Blaming other departments for customer service issues.
(3) Making promises to customers for other divisions/departments by which the promissory has no authority to ensure compliance.
c. Standards to Meet
(1) Ensure that all deadline dates are met.
(2) Ensure promise to stakeholders are kept (e.g. return phone calls, mail out information, and the like)
(3) When a customer has an issue that deals with more than one Town department, that customer shall be given the name and the number of a staff member to use as a main contact.
5. Customer Follow-Through
a. Philosophy Statement
Follow-through or following-up on promises to customers is perhaps the most important single act in customer service. It enhances your credibility and the credibility of the Town when you meet your commitments. Try to under promise and to always over deliver.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Not advising your customer that more time is necessary to keep your promise.
(2) Not returning phone calls the same day or within 24 hours.
(3) Making promises that you cannot keep.
c. Standards to Meet
Establish personal measurement by checking with customers to determine if your follow-through met customer expectations.
6. Department Process Communication
a. Philosophy Statement
The processes by which the Town operates should be continually reviewed and reengineered to ensure both efficiency and effectiveness. This measure can only be served by effective communication and feedback. Customer service issues should always be a discussion topic at every staff meeting.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Lack of performance measurement in customer service process.
(2) Lack of benchmarking efforts used to find a better way to perform a function or a task.
(3) Ignoring the advice of fellow staff and customers when suggestions are made.
c. Standards to Meet
Each department should commit to reexamining one process/ mechanism utilized every 3 months.
7. Town Code/Procedures Communication
a. Philosophy Statement
As a regulatory agency, it is hard to be facilitators and ambassadors for good customer service if the Town is forced to work with bad codes or inefficient procedures. Through the communication process, the Town’s staff must attempt to identify improper codes/procedures and must make effective corrections.
b. Situations to Avoid
(1) Finding code or procedural deficiencies and making no effort to correct those items.
(2) Hiding behind code provisions or procedural requirements rather than attempting to find an innovative solution to dealing with a customer service problem.
(3) Quoting the codes or the policy to customers as a reason why expectations cannot be met.
c. Standards to Meet
(1) Requiring each Town department to identify one code provision or one procedure a month as a candidate for amendment.
(2) Encouraging customers to offer alternatives to code provisions that will receive proper review by the staff.
(3) Striking these words from your vocabulary, “That’s the way we have always done it.”
8. Miscellaneous Customer Service Delivery Component
a. Philosophy Statement
Town staff should make every effort to promote and to enhance customer service delivery. This may occur through the marketing of customer service, making customer service results visible, and even the promotion of customers (with their permission).
b. Situations to Avoid
1) Failing to let customers know that the Town cares.
2) Forgetting the Town is here to serve the public.
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