UPDATED, 3/14
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-does-derby-days-and-city-hall.html
OPINION: I was one of the few non-staff citizens, who attended the first "Budget By Priorities" community meeting on March 1. At the meeting, Mayor Marchione announced an emphasis on improving customer service; it was directed mostly to the staff-side of the chamber. Hopefully, customer service is one of his priorities again this year.
Three customer areas not getting adequate service are: City Hall telephone (425-556-2900) communications, front desk information services in the lobby, land use paper notice maintenance. My wife and a few friends are not very pleased about it. I'll probably address this dis-engaging atmosphere of City Hall at a council meeting.
A few examples of poor phone communication services: 1) The front desk is unattended so you have to search through thick books to find the extension numbers of staff. 2) Once I called City Hall to reach a development planner, Steve Fischer. You never get a live person answering the phone. You have to listen through numerous options while getting endless infomercials about Parks Rec programs. (This happened when I called Utility Billing directly) When I finally got to the option where you punch in the first three letters of Steve Fischer's last name, I got a long list of names - only one started with "F". The extension given was for a Tracy Fischer. Steve Fischer never showed up. I emailed Steve about the snafu but doubt it was ever fixed. Mr. Fischer is an important Principal Planner. 3) Yesterday, I tried to reach a safety officer on the phone, pressed #7, and Mayor Marchione's Executive Secretary answered. Don't ask me why. 4) I couldn't find the address and phone number on the city's website so I decided to call Utility Billing directly, thinking they could help. The phone robot that answered was endless, no matter which button I pushed. I finally hung up. Have you encountered this?
Various neighbors I have bumped into complain about empty front desk in the city hall lobby. How can the city spend $60,000/park for a park consultant, raise taxes 1% , build a $40M downtown park, install art under bridges & on main-hole covers, provide higher benefits and wages than the private sector... yet not afford citizens the courtesy of a telephone system that works or a live person at the front desk to route calls, greet visitors and maintain the public notice racks?
My wife came up with a brilliant solution (and she didn't have to hire a consultant or sit down with a room full of planners). Her solution? The Senior Center, only a block away, has many volunteers who would probably jump at the opportunity to work the front lobby desk - greeting, answering the phone and giving simple directions. Volunteers work the front desks in hospitals. Why not in City Hall?
Dear Mr. Mayor: Budget By Priorities is upon us and offers you great opportunity to carry out your request for improved customer service. This city definitely has the need and the resources. As they say: "Just Do It".
If you claim you don't have the money, re-prioritize. Lake Washington School District cut $7M from their budget last year and didn't lay off one teacher. Cutting spending doesn't have to hurt. Just Do It.
Opinion by Bob Yoder
GOOD NEWS! My opinion was published on 3/11. A day later, the City Clerk informed me that Mayor Marchione has implemented a February "Customer Service Initiative" to recruit volunteers for the Self-Help lobby desk. According to the Clerk, one volunteer is working the desk, 12-4 p.m. T,W,Th. This action was quite a coincidence but to reflect the good news, I posted an update on 3/12.
NO press release of the Mayor's initiative was issued by the City or posted on the city website at the time of this publication. My request for an interview was denied. ~Bob
http://redmondcity.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-does-derby-days-and-city-hall.html
Comments are welcome. Please post them below or email: redmondblog@gmail.com.
Thanks for the hoot. I couldn't believe that the city wouldn't post the police dept numbers on its website so I just tried to find them. Took all of 2 mouse clicks after getting to the city home page. Clicked on "Contact Us" at the top, next to the "Home" link. On the page that came up, I clicked on the 2nd link from the right, labeled "Police" and up came a long list of contacts and numbers, the first two of which were Emergencies and Business Office. Somehow I'm thinking this is not an issue with the web site...
ReplyDeleteAs for a phone operator - I've never had a problem reaching a live person if I really need one, unless it's before or after hours. Maybe it's karma.
As for the lobby - while we don't need someone sitting there all day with the limited foot traffic that comes through, there could be better self-help information available. The empty desk implies someone could/should be sitting there.
I can't explain why I got the Mayor's secretary when I tried to reach the police commander but somehow I got there. For me, it's not as simple as 1-2-3. If I really want the police I dial 911. Getting a specific officer of Mr. Fischer in planning was another story.
ReplyDeleteNice to hear your success story. Let's see if anyone else chimes in.
There IS a volunteer who has been working in the City Hall lobby for several weeks. He is not there all day. It is nice to have a friendly face behind that often empty desk. Maybe more volunteers well step up when they see your blog.
ReplyDeleteMaybe more volunteers will step up when the City reads this story. Hey, he could speak to the Senior citizens during a First Friday Chat!
ReplyDeleteNow that's news! Maybe the Redmond Reporter will pick it up and interview this person. Better yet, please give him my email or tell me when he/she shows up at the desk and I'll inteview him.
We are still left with the ugly "closed government" problems with the city phone system. If you're looking for confirmation (and pain), I recommend any reader call the City @ 425-556-2900 to listen to the robot. If you get a live person, try again in a few weeks.
Email from the City of Redmond Communications Director, 3/22/2010
ReplyDelete"Steven Fischer is in the City Directory but he is the very last name after a very long list of Fire Stations (the directory is alphabetical). I will talk to the staff person who looks after our phone system, but that just may be a limitation of the system. For future reference, his ext. is 2432.
The phone tree that answers for 2900 (the City’s main number) is long, but accurate. #7 is the Mayor’s office, so that’s why you got it when you pushed 7. The Police department is #8 – push it and you can be directed to the public safety information officer. (FYI – Jim Bove’s extension is 2545)
However, the phone tree does not allow for a “general information” number or questions that I could likely help with. To that end, I will get the phone tree changed to allow for that. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.
Regarding staffing the front desk, Michelle is working hard to fill the need with volunteers. While she is contacting many senior centers (not just Redmond’s) and is doing a fair amount of outreach, we still only have the one volunteer who has stepped forward at this time. Once we have more of the slots filled, we will be announcing the program publically.
The front desk receptionist was laid off during Mayor Ive’s tenure – with the accompanying salary eliminated from the budget. An offer was made to rehire a receptionist in the 2009/2010 BP budget, but it was not rated high enough by the Results Team to be funded. I am sure we will put in another offer this year and it will be up to the Results Team to prioritize."
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Regards,
Marta Gronlund
Communication Program Manager
City of Redmond
v: 425.556.2427 m: 206.498.8054 f: 425.556.4242
www.redmond.gov
Thank you Marta for your full response. I think I lost track of the Police number because the tree is so long; does it go up to 11 or 12?
ReplyDeleteI don't understand. If Michelle (city clerk) is recruiting volunteers to run the front desk, why do we have to prioritize, budget and pay for a front desk receptionist?
Thanks again for responding to this post (by email). I pasted it here for my readers and city hall users.