Line management program: innovative customer service delivery.

• Author: Meeker-Berg, Amy
• Position: Partnership between the Johnson County Treasurer Department and a private-sector

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Everyone has experienced the frustration of a long wait in line, and many people have had such an experience at a department of motor vehicles (DMV) office. The Johnson County, Kansas, Treasurer's Department decided to address this issue through its line management program. The program is an innovative concept that uses text messaging, online reservations, touch screen monitors, and television displays to enhance the customer service delivery at the Johnson County, Kansas motor vehicle offices.

In Kansas, county motor vehicle operations act as agents of the state, processing renewals, titles, and other types of motor vehicle-related transactions. Johnson County has two motor vehicle locations with approximately 60 full-time employees. Vehicle registrations are due the last day of each month, based on the first letter of one's last name. Even though the state provides online registration renewals on most transactions, and the county uses a lockbox for processing mail payments, customers typically wait until the last day of each month to pay (see Exhibit 1). These customers must go to one of the locations and pick up a plate or decal in order to legally operate their vehicles.

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The title and registration division of the Kansas Department of Revenue establishes the rules and regulations that guide the motor vehicle process, along with providing a statewide mainframe computer system. To gain operational efficiencies and effectiveness in Johnson County's business operations, the county looked at the processes within its control--and customer service delivery was one of those processes.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

In an effort to manage customer lines, the county had begun using a manual push-button ticket dispenser in 2002, providing customers with a numbered ticket that indicated their place in line. In conjunction with the ticket dispenser, cashiers used an audio alert to call the ticket numbers. Customers would crowd into the lobbies, sitting in the available seating. When all the seating was taken, they would stand or sit on the floor in the lobby area to ensure they did not miss their turn in line when called. If customers needed to obtain additional information to complete their transactions, they were forced to leave the office, losing their place in line. Also, there was no monitor for customers to view how many people were in line and when their turn was coming up. During peak business volume at the end of the month, waiting times can vary from 90 minutes to two hours (see Exhibit 2).

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Since the...