Customer Video Interviewing

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2015

The San Bernardino County Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) and the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS) partnered to develop and implement a Customer Video Interviewing approach to obtaining mandatory child support enforcement information required for eligibility to the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. San Bernardino County is 20,000 square miles, much of which is remote desert land that poses a significant problem for customers lacking private or public transportation, and County staff needing to travel to remote offices to obtain required information through an interview. Customer Video Interviewing is customer friendly, flexible, efficient and supports the County’s Green Initiative to reduce environmental impact by eliminating unnecessary car travel. Customer Video Interviewing expedites the interview process, reduces the need for repeat customer contact or return office visits, prevents or reduces the sanction of TANF benefits, is more cost effective than having county staff travel long distances to interview customers face-to-face, and enables the county to meet federally mandated child support case management timeframes. Providing excellent customer services and working in a cost-effective and efficient manner is critical to the success of the County in meeting its goals to serve the public and maintain performance and quality results.