Lighting the way to Lighting the way to process improvementprocess improvement

1111thth Annual AGCCE Annual AGCCE ConferenceConference

May 10-12, 2011May 10-12, 2011

Improve service delivery throughout your organization by improving your

processes.

IntroductionIntroduction

• Cindy RiordanCindy Riordan– Customer Service Manager with the City of St. Louis, MO, Customer Service Manager with the City of St. Louis, MO,

Customer Service Bureau (CSB)Customer Service Bureau (CSB)

• Sarah TaylorSarah Taylor– Director of Constituent Services with City of Indianapolis, Director of Constituent Services with City of Indianapolis,

IN, Office of Mayor Greg BallardIN, Office of Mayor Greg Ballard

• Charles “Rick” StanleyCharles “Rick” Stanley– Urban Forestry Supervisor with City of Hampton, VA, Urban Forestry Supervisor with City of Hampton, VA,

Parks and RecreationParks and Recreation

• Lori ThomasLori Thomas– Team Leader with the City of Hampton, VA, 311 Team Leader with the City of Hampton, VA, 311

Customer Call CenterCustomer Call Center

What is process What is process improvement?improvement?• Why it is important.Why it is important.

– Stay fresh, don’t get stuck in old waysStay fresh, don’t get stuck in old ways

• Why consolidated call centers are more likely to Why consolidated call centers are more likely to use it than individual departments.use it than individual departments.– Through citizen calls, we notice the pattern if something Through citizen calls, we notice the pattern if something

isn’t going right in the operating deptisn’t going right in the operating dept

• Example from CSB – implementation of new Example from CSB – implementation of new system.system.

New SR system brings New SR system brings opportunityopportunity

• Change from DOS to Cityworks Change from DOS to Cityworks databasedatabase

• Previously one template for ALL Previously one template for ALL request typesrequest types

• Now each request can be scripted to Now each request can be scripted to fit business processfit business process

• Dept’s say “What business process?”Dept’s say “What business process?”

Pilot with Traffic DispatchersPilot with Traffic Dispatchers

• I-64 being closed for construction added I-64 being closed for construction added the urgency and Director support.the urgency and Director support.

• They take same traffic calls we do, but They take same traffic calls we do, but historically not synced with us historically not synced with us

• Goal 1 – get rid of the duplicates Goal 1 – get rid of the duplicates between usbetween us

• Goal 2 – get requests closed out quicklyGoal 2 – get requests closed out quickly

Change is HARDChange is HARD

• Dispatchers will have to move from paper Dispatchers will have to move from paper system to computerized systemsystem to computerized system– And at least one of them can’t type!And at least one of them can’t type!

• Trained at same time as call center staffTrained at same time as call center staff– Created camaraderie Created camaraderie

• During training, really listen to their gripesDuring training, really listen to their gripes– Then show them how new system can fix it (ie Then show them how new system can fix it (ie

double-dispatching)double-dispatching)• Show them what they didn’t even know Show them what they didn’t even know

they were missing (ie – powerful search they were missing (ie – powerful search options)options)

Why process improvement is Why process improvement is needed?needed?

• How it can be used in call centers.How it can be used in call centers.

– Improve communicationsImprove communications– Saves resources (time, money, etc)Saves resources (time, money, etc)– Improve service deliveryImprove service delivery

Kaizen process for illegal Kaizen process for illegal dumpingdumping

• Problem description:Problem description:– Current practices were not clearly Current practices were not clearly

defined for handling/correcting illegal defined for handling/correcting illegal dumping in the City of Indianapolis and dumping in the City of Indianapolis and Marion County.Marion County.

Project Goal:Project Goal:

• Develop a more efficient method through Develop a more efficient method through collaboration with several departments.collaboration with several departments.– Mayor’s Action CenterMayor’s Action Center– Mayor’s Neighborhood Liaison’sMayor’s Neighborhood Liaison’s– Department of Public WorksDepartment of Public Works– Department of Code EnforcementDepartment of Code Enforcement– Marion County Health DepartmentMarion County Health Department– Office of Corporation CounselOffice of Corporation Counsel– Information Services AgencyInformation Services Agency– Office of the City ProsecutorOffice of the City Prosecutor

Project Details:Project Details:

– Budget concernsBudget concerns– Cause/Effect AnalysisCause/Effect Analysis– Illegal Dumping ProcessIllegal Dumping Process– Current SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Output, Current SIPOC (Supplier, Input, Output,

and Customers)and Customers)

Resulting action itemsResulting action items

– Use of technologyUse of technology– Sharing of case informationSharing of case information– Citizen outreachCitizen outreach– Impact on the line of businessImpact on the line of business

Informal approach to process Informal approach to process improvement.improvement.

• Site visit for 311 to Parks & Site visit for 311 to Parks & Recreation Operations division.Recreation Operations division.– Met Rick for the first timeMet Rick for the first time– Talked about his operationsTalked about his operations– Discussed how 311 fit into his daily Discussed how 311 fit into his daily

routineroutine– Met with the Information Manager about Met with the Information Manager about

what I discoveredwhat I discovered

Meeting of the MindsMeeting of the Minds• Set up meeting between 311 supervisors, Set up meeting between 311 supervisors,

Rick Stanley, and the Parks Operations staff Rick Stanley, and the Parks Operations staff techtech

• Open discussion of everyone’s area of Open discussion of everyone’s area of responsibilityresponsibility

• Unified goal was to reduce the number of Unified goal was to reduce the number of unnecessary requests being sent to the unnecessary requests being sent to the Tree TeamTree Team

ImplementationImplementation

• Separated those services that did not Separated those services that did not affect the Tree Teamaffect the Tree Team

• Revised scripting for tree requestsRevised scripting for tree requests– No anonymous requestsNo anonymous requests– Blocking the streetBlocking the street– Branches in power linesBranches in power lines– Verification of ownershipVerification of ownership– Low hanging and/or broken branchesLow hanging and/or broken branches

Speaking the same Speaking the same languagelanguage

• Helped call center staff better Helped call center staff better understand scope of tree team understand scope of tree team responsibilitiesresponsibilities

• Recognizing fear based requests Recognizing fear based requests – Clearer understanding of customer’s Clearer understanding of customer’s

desiredesire– Providing options to the customersProviding options to the customers– Giving personal contactGiving personal contact

Getting it right the first timeGetting it right the first time

• EfficiencyEfficiency– Improved communicationsImproved communications– Improved service deliveryImproved service delivery– Savings on resources (time, money, and Savings on resources (time, money, and

manpower)manpower)– Short term and long term planningShort term and long term planning

Legal ResponsibilitiesLegal Responsibilities

• Property owner responsibility and Property owner responsibility and rightsrights– City propertyCity property– Private propertyPrivate property

• Safety issues and obstructionsSafety issues and obstructions

Wrap UpWrap Up

• Recap of the different ways Recap of the different ways improvements can be doneimprovements can be done

• Variation of organization – size is not Variation of organization – size is not a factora factor

QUESTIONSQUESTIONS

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