3 Ways We're Showing Some HEART

Happy Customer Service Month!

If your first thought is, “Isn’t that every month?” – well, of course, working to give customers a positive experience is something we do every day, all year.

But a designated time gives us an opportunity as one County to renew our commitment to the qualities of HEART and learn about a few ways our colleagues are putting them into practice. Here are three examples of recent department efforts to deliver an exceptional customer experience.  

Pumped Up About Feedback

Every gas station out there gets inspections from three different County departments: Air Pollution Control District, Environmental Health and Agriculture, Weights and Measures. So the departments teamed up and put together a feedback forum for gas station operators. The business owners and contractors were invited to APCD’s office this summer for an open dialogue on what’s working and where there was room for improvement in the inspection and permitting process.

As a direct result of the meeting, APCD revised some of its scheduling requirements for testing, giving customers more flexibility. Also, AWM is now participating in APCD’s Gas Station School, educating gas station operators on price verification and gas pump regulations. 

Staff members said the joint meeting was a great opportunity to both hear directly from customers and work across department lines to improve services. 

A gas station gets a visit from Agriculture, Weights and Measures - one of three County departments that inspect the businesses.

Under One Roof

Many customers come to us for multiple services, and it’s clearly far more convenient if they don’t have to run around to multiple offices. That drove the County to open its second Live Well Center in May this year, this one in National City. While the Health and Human Services Agency previously had a South Bay presence for several of its services, neither Child Support nor Veterans Services had offices in the area. They are now all available at the Live Well Center, meaning many customers can meet all their needs with one stop.

The location – one block from a transit center for buses and a trolley stop – makes the site easily accessible. Inside, the office uses the QMatic software tool to streamline visits for eligibility customers, ensuring they are served as quickly and efficiently as possible. The lobby includes a children’s play area with not just toys, but books that children are encouraged to take with them to promote reading at home.

One customer survey comment sums it up: “Your new office and staff [are] more people oriented, people focused, and people friendly.”

A “Pawsitive” Approach

An important facet of the County’s Customer Experience Initiative is that each department can shape the Journey to a Positive Experience to fit its unique needs. In Animal Services’ case, that meant making the goal a “Pawsitive” experience.

A customer satisfaction survey showed the department hitting 4.8 out of 5 possible points. Pretty good, but Ambassador Laurie Joniaux said she’s now challenging staff to really be the top dogs and close that 0.2 gap.

The department also puts a lot of emphasis on peer acknowledgement. If staff members see one of their colleagues delivering excellent customer service, they’re encouraged to call it out by giving the employee a “Pawsitive” card. Employees who pick up the most get a special recognition.

DAS Ambassador Laurie Joniaux and friend.

That’s just a quick sampling of the efforts large and small across the organization to keep customers at the forefront of everything we do. Remember that the Customer Experience Initiative website is a resource for you. You can get information on training, find a printable HEART job aid, review the Journey to a Positive Experience and more.