Why Can't Governments Treat Us Like Customers?
By Jon Coupal
There is a general understanding in the private sector that treating
customers well is good for business. Those businesses facing stiff
competition seem to provide the best service, while those with a
more secure market share are a little less motivated.
A good friend of mine related a recent experience with his bank that
illustrates the point. He chooses to do all of his banking
electronically with a well known national financial institution
whose name I will not mention. Let's just say it is a bank in
America. On those few occasions when he actually visited a
brick-and-mortar bank, the service he received -- or didn't receive
-- seemed to be designed to discourage his return. So when recent
business compelled him to actually visit a local bank branch, he
entered the building with trepidation, still haunted by the memory
of his last visit that included a long line and a surly teller.
Imagine his surprise when the line was short and the teller was
courteous. While the bank employee was going over his documents his
attention was drawn to a bell on the counter. Next to it was a sign
that read, "If our service meets your expectations, please ring."
Because he received efficient and courteous service, he happily
slapped the top of the bell as he left. He heard his helper say
and saw that all the other tellers were looking over to
see who had received the approbation.
The formerly hidebound bank was finally getting it. Using a simple
concept, they have set in motion an informal competition among
employees to see who could provide the best service.
Too bad government agencies like the DMV and your local planning
department can't do something similar to improve service. No doubt,
most of us who have stood in a long line at an unresponsive
institution like the Post Office have had similar thoughts, before
succumbing to the realization that when dealing with a total
monopoly, you either accept the service you get or you get no
service.
Now here is where things get really strange -- a real
"man-bites-dog" story.
A prominent California office holder is seriously working to improve
service to the community he represents by using a feedback mechanism
to measure customer satisfaction.
Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle recently announced that he is working
with J.D. Power and Associates, the nationally known company that
measures consumer satisfaction for major purchases like automobiles,
to measure how well the city's utility department, planning and
building department and police department deal with the public.
Pringle says that where residents and business people interact with
the city and its employees, especially where the city has a
monopoly, "... we need to rededicate ourselves to raising our
customers' level of satisfaction."
We hope other public sector leaders emulate Anaheim and pursue
customer service as a cornerstone goal because, in one respect, both
the private sector and public sector in fact rely on their
"customers." While their positions as monopolies may give
municipalities a false sense of security, if their ultimate
employers -- the taxpayers -- are not satisfied, there can indeed be
serious repercussions.
Perhaps that is why, in addition to Anaheim, a number of local
governments have at least paid lip service to the notion of improved
interactions with their citizens.
A San Diego based organization, the Performance Institute,
periodically conducts seminars to "examine the latest trends and
innovation in customer service for local governments" and notes that
"providing more open and responsive government is becoming
increasingly important for governments as technological advances and
private sector improvements raise the bar for satisfactory customer
service." We couldn't agree more.
Back to Anaheim, we want to thank Mayor Pringle for referring to his
constituents as "customers." We join the Orange County Register in
praising your effort to raise the level of service to Anaheim's
residents.
Jon Coupal is President of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
-- California's largest taxpayer organization -- which is dedicated
to the protection of Proposition 13 and promoting taxpayers' rights.
This column can be found on the HJTA website at:
http://www.HJTA.org/commentaryV6-09
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