Creating a Culture of Customer Care

About the Program

Category: County Administration and Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

While customer service has always been important in the county, departments were often understandably focused on data analytics about compliance issues, such as issues relating to program standards, auditing, budgeting, or regulatory matters. To build trust internally and externally, it was essential to establish a unified culture of customer care across county departments. The program to build a culture of customer care consisted of three components: stepping up customer service assessments or surveys; highlighting the importance of customer service as a core value to inspire all departments; and establishing progressive customer care steps. In addition, in order to bolster the commitment to customer service, the program included: 1.) encouragement for individuals and groups to set goals relating to customer service, and 2.) continual improvement for essential customer service skills. The results of the program showed customer satisfaction rates of more than 90% within large, compliance-based departments; improved assessments in bureaucratic processes, such as passport processing; the development of a new revenue source; and additional successes with customer service standards. The culture of customer care strengthened and integrated departments. Information from the program helped to improve policy decisions. The coordination of services resulted in better outcomes for the public.