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Customer Engagement

Tommy Gonzalez, City Manager City of Irving

Performance Excellence Network 2013 Conference

City of Irving

• Founded 1903; incorporated 1914 • Located between Dallas and Fort

Worth • 217,700 residents • 13th most populous

city in Texas; 107th largest in U.S. • Strong business community • Adjacent to DFW International

Airport • Transition from suburban to

urban community

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Everything from Animals to Zoning

• 15 Operating departments

• Seven support departments

• More than 100 services

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Vision Model for safe and beautiful neighborhoods, vibrant economy and exceptional recreational, cultural and educational opportunities.

Mission Deliver exceptional services and promote a high quality of life for residents, visitors and businesses.

SAFER CLEANER BETTER

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Values • We exhibit personal integrity with every

decision.

• We serve by leading and lead by serving.

• We show a high level of respect and concern for our coworkers and customers.

• We encourage creativity and innovation to improve our effectiveness.

• We learn and grow in a progressive work environment.

• We excel through desire, determination and dedication.

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Core Competencies

• Fiscal management

• Customer focus (internal and external)

• Strategic focus/alignment

• Communication

• Process improvement

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Our Customers

• Residents, businesses and visitors

• Sub-Groups

– Wide age range

– Diverse population

– Broad range of needs

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Resident Requirements • Safe/crime free community

• Timely fire response

• Aesthetically pleasing neighborhood and corridors

• Safe and reliable water supply

• Quality service/timely response/friendly staff/ convenience and low-cost

• Low taxes

• Innovative recreational, educational and cultural opportunities

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Businesses and Visitors Requirements

• Safe/crime free community

• Healthy economic environment

• Low taxes

• Speedy response time for permitting and reviews

• Access to restaurants, convention center and entertainment

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Customer Engagement

• In the past, it consisted of: – Speaking at council meetings

– Being a member on a board

– Conducting transactions as a vendor or business

• Citizen engagement has evolved into a constant process of dialogue and action – Input used to develop creative and responsive solutions

– Fewer complaints, increased satisfaction

Keys to Customer Engagement

• Communication must be two way and open – Regular and ongoing

• Must increase customer knowledge on issues

• Customers must have access to information

• Must use input and data to improve

• Workforce is passionate and customer-focused driven

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Communication Obtaining Voice of the Customer

A basis for engagement

Guided by City Communication Plan

Communication

• 39 different methods of communication – Interactive website (ex. Know the Facts,

Ask the Budget Guy)

– Social media

• 24 means of listening to the VOC – Citizen inquiries

– Neighborhood roundtables

– Surveys: Resident, POS, Vendor and Employee

– Town Hall meetings

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Voice of the Customer

• Living, working or visiting Irving is a choice

• Irving must engage customers and give them a voice

Resident Survey

• Performed annually

• Includes:

– Quality of life measures

– Citizen feedback on service quality

– Customer service measures

– Citizen priorities

– Subjective resident comments

The Resident Survey informs decisions across the organization from budget and strategy to service enhancement initiatives

Resident Survey

How is the survey used?

– Better target key services to needs

– Identify service performance gaps

– External benchmark comparisons

– Track city performance over time

Point of Service (POS) Surveys

• Over 40 Point of Service Surveys

• Allows those who use service most to give frequent and valuable feedback

• Surveys also include internal customers

• Scores of 90-98%

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Town Hall Meetings

Keep residents informed on key initiatives

Two Town Hall Formats

– Council-led

– Staff-led

Typical Discussion Topics

• Public Safety

• Code Enforcement

• Non-Compliant Apartments

• Corridor Enhancements

• Capital Improvement Projects

• Communications/Customer Service

• Neighborhood Improvements

• Economic Development Issues

Receiving Public Input

• Mayor and Council

–Citizens’ Forum

–Direct contact with constituents

–Email

–Website

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Centralized Complaint Tracking

• One-stop-shop for complaints

• 24 hour response time

• Real time notifications and status updates keep leaders informed

Builds confidence in city to resolve problems and increases citizen participation in

community improvement

Communicating with Residents

• Contact resident throughout the process

– Explain what steps are taking place

– Continue to follow up

– Exceed their expectations

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Strong Customer Focus

• Neighborhood Association Meetings

– Host quarterly neighborhood officer meetings

– Develop relationships

– Wanting to hear their concerns

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Customer Satisfaction Results

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Communication Increasing customer’s knowledge on issues

A basis for engagement

Guided by City Communication Plan

Communication Tools

• Fully use communication tools

– All About Irving (list serve)

– City Spectrum, City Briefs

– Facebook/Twitter

– Irving Community Television Network

– Neighborhood Associations/Newsletter

– Website

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WEB and Print Media

• Public input opportunities continuously posted on web and social media accounts

– Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube

• Operations newsletters are mailed to all residents and water customers

Proactive Communication

– Budget

– Special Projects

– Seasonal

• High Grass/Weeds

• Water Conservation and Irrigation

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Community Outreach

• Speaker’s Bureau

– Staff makes community presentations

– Allows for instant feedback

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Other Communication Tools

• Operations Updates Via Email

• Municipal Cable Programming (ICTN)

• Video on Demand

• Interactive Web site

– Know the facts, Ask Budget Guy

• Community Meetings

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Customer Focus Delivering Exceptional Service

Ways to Contact Us with Concerns

• In person

• Phone

• Public Input Section

• Through City Council

• Website

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Receiving Complaints

• Citizen inquiry

• City Council app

• Empowered employees

• Graffiti

• Hot Lines

• 90% resolved at time of call

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Tools for Immediate Response

• BlackBerries

– Litter Team – more efficient

• Laptop computers in field

• Cell phones for employees

• GPS for Animal Services, Water Utilities, Streets

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Responding to Problems

• Responding to the concern expressed

– Culture of customer focus

– Exceeding expectations

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Responding to Problems

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Thinking Like the Customer

• Being proactive vs. reactive

• Preemptively addressing issues

• Minimizing inconvenience to the customer

• Going to the customer

• Providing 24/7 service

• Modifying services for customer (when necessary)

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Customer Service Focus

• Mission

• Standards

• Pledge

• Training

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Recognizing Exceptional Service

• ICTN stories

• Inside Irving

• On-the-Spot awards

• Way to Go board

Delivering Exceptional Service

Customer Focus

Improving Processes

Acting on Input

Voice of the Customer

• Capital Projects involve at least two community input meetings

– Drilling down to more specific users

• Surveys during the planning process to gauge needs – at completion for satisfaction assessment

• Re-aligned in-house maintenance staff to promote customer contact for better communications.

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Customer Oriented Project Management Facility Design Example

Public Hearing

Design Team Work Session

Preliminary Schematic

Design

Community Meeting -

Public Input

Modify Plans to

Incorporate Comments

Schematic Design Review

Public Hearing

Final Schematic

Design

Modify Plans to

Incorporate Comments

Public Hearing and Council

Review

Construction On-Site

Customer Surveys

Exceeding Expectations

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• Lean Six Sigma

• VOC

• Quick wins

• Stand up

meetings

• Improved technology

• Better/more data

• Share knowledge

and results

Process Improvement Tools Water Utility Crew Truck Layout

Results: • Prototype truck created

with 80 percent of

needed resources

• 330 hours/year per

employee – 7,920 hours

• Streamlined restocking

and inventory process

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Street Cut Repairs

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Results: • Reduced repair cycle time

– from 14 weeks to

<6weeks

• Sustained results

• Leveraged technology

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Commercial Permit Process

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Results: • Average plan review time

reduced by 76% – 15.7 to 3.7 days

• Maximum review time reduced by 88% – 49 to 6 days

• Sustained results • 15 minute bi-weekly

standup meeting

Line wait time during peak hours at Municipal Court • 2009: 2-3 hours

• 2010: <10 minutes

• Since 2011: 6 minutes

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Exceeding Expectations

Process Improvement Culture

• Lean Six Sigma (LSS) • Keys to Successful

Deployment – Leadership involvement – Training everyone – Implementing improvements – Reward and Recognition – Project/Team Selection – Testimonials – Knowledge Sharing – Early wins

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Process Improvement Results

Began our improvement journey in 2007:

• Eliminated more than 50,000 hours

• Saved $44 million

– Cost savings and avoidances

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Lessons Learned

• Engage the Customer – Ask

– Listen

– Analyze the Data

– Respond

– Repeat

• Teamwork – Employees

– Senior Management

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Customer Focus

New since Baldrige

• New one and two-way communication methods

• Point-of-Service Surveys

• Customer Service training for employees

• Measures focusing on customer requirements

• Improving customer processes

• Vendor and business surveys

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Knowing Your Customer

• Anticipating needs customers might not know they want

• Listening, and then really listening

• Customizing projects in lieu of cookie cutter approach

• Using the latest, greatest technology/ trends

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Thank You

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