chief customer officer
National Customer Service Week: Day One
Today I asked a group of city workers, “why treat citizens like customers?” The answers were on the right track, but my question drove at a larger philosophy. I’ve spoken before about translating private sector practices to the public sector, but today it’s no longer a question about translating practices. Being customer facing, friendly, or centered is no longer a matter of adaptation but one that should be built into your company or organization’s vision. We treat citizens like customers because they are customers. Our citizens, often unknowing, are giving us feedback about their customer experience and shaping our interactions with them.
This is just one of the topics we touched on during my lecture today for national customer service week. As the week continues Philly311 will invite customer service experts to speak about best practices and how they are making their mark in customer service. Our communications unit has organized a series of workshops and lectures featuring Darryll Adams, General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Philadelphia, Stacey Mosley, Data Services Manager for the Office of Innovation and Technology, Layla El Tannir, Manager of Social Interactions, and Sarah Levitsky, Marketing & Special Events Manager, for Reading Terminal Market.
We look forward to hearing from all of the speaks.
Do you have any plans for customer service week? Share your plans with us!
Philly311 named a 2015 United Nations Public Service Award Finalist
I am honored and excited that the City of Philadelphia Philly311 Contact Center was named a finalist for the 2015 United Nations Public Service Award in the category of “Improving the Delivery of Public Services.”
We have grown so much from our days as a startup organization serving 1.5 million residents, businesses, and visitors. The journey has had its challenges, but every step of the way we have learned something valuable about our operations. Today we have revolutionized the traditional 311 operations through a customer centric model. We are changing the culture of city government to be more collaborative, connected, and welcoming.
Philly311 knows that to deliver impeccable services we must meet our customers where they are. Knowing this, we have modernized our system through a new customer relationship management solution, and have taken large strides in connecting with our customers through social media and visual messaging.
In addition to a wide variety of community engagement initiatives we are very proud of our efforts seen through the 311 Neighborhood Liaison program, which has expanded and doubled within the last few years. Philly311 is also the first in the nation to have a mobile app with dynamic language capabilities accessible in 17 different languages.
Hats off to the leadership that provided guidance through our journey, and the United Nations Committee of Experts in Public Administration. And of course, we can’t go without thanking our customers, partners, vendors, staff, and city administration for their ongoing support. We see your support everyday when you connect with us through social media, on our world-class mobile app, and through our many other platforms.
For more information see http://www.unpan.org
10 Things Revolutionizing the Customer Experience in City Government in 2015
As the year inches towards a closing, I can’t help but to reflect on all that the City of Philadelphia has accomplished in the past year. With the implementation of a new customer relationship management system, new partnerships, and program expansion, it has been a long year. It has also been a year that has brought us at 311 closer to fully realizing our big goals. We are on the cusp of a movement. We are aggressively steering away from what traditional government has been, revamping our customer service strategy, and leading the nation with an innovative approach. By incorporating private sector methods, and platforms, to better our customer experience, we have been working to revolutionize the way government operates. Here are a few things that are changing city government, and in a very big way.
1. The Customer. Understanding that the citizen is our customer, and using those terms as synonyms, has reoriented our general framework. Our customers are unique because they are citizens! The citizens’ customer experience expands beyond providing city services. Every improvement we make for our customer affects their quality of life.
2. Executive sponsorship from Mayor Nutter and his cabinet. Having people who share your desire to create a city environment of customer excellence, has been imperative to the process.
3. Managing Director, Richard Negrin, follows suit in understanding and supporting our movement towards a progressive and transparent city government. Support from Mayor Nutter, Mayor Nutter’s cabinet, and the Managing Director, influences and facilitates change in every step of the journey. These folks are more than okaying improvements, they are standing by them, and pushing them to the next level.
4. The Mayor’s Goal Five: “Government Efficiency and Effectiveness.” A focus on efficiency and effectiveness is imperative for city government, and the Mayor’s goal five is a constant reminder of what type of experience we should be crafting for our customers. Keeping this in mind, sets a mindset of progress.
5. The Innovation Lab. The Innovation Lab encourages creativity and gives us a designated space for our citizens to generate new ideas. The Lab is another extension of how the city is bringing the customer further into the conversation, and also helping them lead the conversation.
6. The Neighborhood Liaison Program. NLP is just one example of programming that we have implemented to give our customs self sustainable tools. In the last year the program has doubled in size from 600 to 1,200 contributors. This increase demonstrates an increase in trust towards city government. Citizens are seeing results and relying on us more and more.
7. Having a Staff that Cares. Our staff at 311 is always there for the citizens, and realize that they are a direct reflection of the city they work for and love. Understanding our common objective, fosters a motivated and caring internal environment.
8. Customer Service Officers. 311 is no longer limited to City Hall. With people like Customer Service Officers, we are out in the communities and impacting people where it counts.
9. Partnering In and outside of the City. Especially with the implementation of the new customer management system, our partners have played a significant role in helping us move towards our goals this year.
10. Taking Notes from business and tech communities. Paying attention to what private sector companies are doing, and translating them into our own practices, sets us a head of the curve.
The list could easily go on, and will as 2015 unfolds. We are excited about the future and so are the citizens of Philadelphia. Tell me what’s changing your industry and what you look forward to in the New Year.
#1 Key to Government Customer Service: Hiring People with Passion
I’m excited to introduce our new series from Philly311 TV, “Day in the Life.” It has always been a priority for us to communicate our core values, and initiatives through creative and effective means. What we do at the City matters. Like I’ve mentioned in previous posts, citizens don’t get to choose their city services, so it is the job of those of us who work in government to ensure the best possible experience. In an effort to realize our goal, we look for passion in our employees. It is easy to find people who are qualified, have the skill sets, and can take on the necessary responsibilities included in a role. However, it is that extra something, a genuine passion for the work, that truly delineates a person in their field.
Daniel Ramos has always been an employee with a ton of passion for what he does. As the Community Engagement Coordinator for Philly311, responsible for connecting the 311 service and the Neighborhood Liaison Program to community stakeholders, Daniel is passionate about working in the community. Being from a neighborhood that continues to face adversity, Daniel knows what people in the community need, and actively works towards connecting citizens to city resources.
Call for Customer Service Speakers!
Mark your calendars! Philly311 will be hosting a customer service focused speaking series and would like YOU to participate in it.
Event: The 311 Customer Service Winter Series. The series will feature and be hosted by the City of Philadelphia’s Chief Customer Service officer, Rosetta Carrington Lue. The series spans over a six week period and will include panel discussions and key speakers.
Who: The 311 Customer Service Winter Series is looking for speakers who have a background in customer service, customer experience, or speakers who have participated in the creation or implementation of customer relationship systems.
Date: February 11, 2015 – March 18, 2015
Location: Philadelphia, PA (TBA)
Topics: The series will focus on customer service, customer experience, and how technology is altering internal and external customer relations.
If you fit the above description, and would like to contribute to the series, please contact Amanda Wagner.
Stay tuned-in for more updates!
Event Contact:
Amanda V. Wagner: amanda.v.wagner@phila.gov
#Crisis: How Government Uses Social Media in Emergencies
Hurricane Sandy’s path of destruction affected 24 states, and cost the U.S a total of $65 billion in damages. Nicknamed “Superstorm Sandy,” the hurricane quickly became the most cataclysmic hurricane of 2012. In Philadelphia, public transportation was shut down, Philadelphia International airport suspended flights, and all major highways were closed during the hurricane.
Catastrophes like Hurricane Sandy pose a unique challenge for 311 centers. Every day we at Philly 311 have a duty to provide citizens with factual information and critical answers about City services, but when the City is facing a crisis, the importance of that information is magnified. Citizens look to the City for guidance, and we provide it. One of the most efficient ways to do this is through our social media channels. Here are a few tips I’ve learned through the experience.
Prepare Ahead of Time
Like the hurricane itself, the best way to handle an emergency is to prepare for it ahead of time. During Hurricane Sandy this meant, using our resources and collecting data before the panic, and staying up to date on the storm’s progress.
Have a Practice in Place
In order to be affective during a crisis you have to have a strategy in place. Social media strategies are not born over night, and they certainly are not created on-the-fly during emergencies. Strategies take time and practice to develop. Know your company or departments goals, identity, objectives, and customers before jumping into an all around high-risk situation.
Keep Your Message Consistent
When people are panicked there tends to be a lot of miscommunication and inaccurate information circulating. As a source of data and a connection to City services, we can’t risk pumping out false information. False information during times of crisis can lead to people getting hurt. Refrain from reposting information from unknown sources.
Stay Calm
It is easy to get overwhelmed during a crisis, especially when you have an influx of people contacting you and reporting the same issues. However panicking doesn’t help anyone. Find effective ways to save time, don’t let customers get lost in the shuffle, and treat everyone with care and consideration. Customer service should not get lost during these moments, it should shine!
Our social media platforms were crucial in handling Hurricane Sandy and helped extended the City’s reach. During the storm our followers nearly doubled, demonstrating how citizens were collecting information, and connecting with the City of Philadelphia. People use the internet to connect with social media not to search for information. We provide people with a single, real time, and responsive platform to receive the information that they needed most in order to guarantee their safety.
Photo by: MattysFlicks
Philly 311 Empowers the Community with Multichannel Service
Customer Experience Excellence Best Practices
2013 Global Contact Center Awards finalist Philly 311 empowers the Philadelphia community by providing quality multichannel customer service. Watch the video for a behind the scenes look at how they do it.
See on www.icmi.com
Top 5 Easy Ways Government Can Proactively Communicate with Customers
In the customer service industry, we’re always looking to give the customers what they want. But as great as our intentions may be, we’re often confined by budgets or technology or buy-in from others in our agency.
While implementing or upgrading new or existing technology (or even creating a new touchpoint) isn’t an easy task, there are opportunities and more economical ways to give your customers exactly what they want. It all hinges on your ability to adapt and consistently use these tools within your agencies.
Customers certainly value the addition of new, easier ways to connect with your agency but chances are what they really want is relevant information. What’s your agency’s “hot topic” of the month? In order to give your customers exactly what they want, you must pay attention to the reasons they’re contacting your operations. This is where the adaptation to technology comes into play.
Once you can identify frequently asked questions or common inquiries, you can begin to adapt your customer multi-channels. Specially, you can:
1. Arm your customer service agents with frequently asked information in real-time. For the “hot topic” of the day, provide customer service reps with more information than usual. This information can include basic research or even testimonials from other customers and customer service representatives regarding this issue. Using this information, customer service agents can relate to your customers better and share insight on a more personal level.
2. Write a blog post. If you keep seeing the same issue or misunderstanding arise, why not post something on your agency’s blog to save your customers the trouble of calling or sending an email?
3. Make a quick video. Just as easy as writing a blog post is to address the month’s “hot topic”by shooting a short video. This video could simply feature a customer service representative answering a frequently asked question. Watching a short video could be a much easier way for your customers to get the information they want.
4.Frequently post and pre-schedule social media FAQs and updates. While every agency has scheduled posts on social media, it’s important to frequently update these posts with the most relevant information for your customer. Make sure that your social media accounts are pushing out information on your “hot topics” at least a few times a week.
5. Update your telephony Interactive Voice Response (IVR) platform. If you’re using an IVR, make sure it’s loaded with the most relevant, up-to-date concerns for your customers so that they can get the information they need as quickly as possible without having to speak to a call center agents.
While large-scale adaptations can be challenging, proactively communicating relevant information to your customers does not have to be.
How are you anticipating and proactively communicating with your customers? Let me know in the comments!
Rosetta Carrington Lue is the Chief Customer Service Officer and Senior Advisor to the City of Philadelphia’s Managing Director. Follow Rosetta on Twitter @Rosettalue or visit her blog at www.rosettacarringtonlue.com
Should Local Government Offices Develop Customer Service Plans?
On April 27, 2011, President Obama issued an Executive Order titled Streamlining Service Delivery and Improving Customer Service. The Order directed each fede…
See on www.govloop.com
Innovative Customer Service Leadership Strategies 