Public given chance to judge CIG customer service
‘Happy Or Not’ kiosk at the Business Licencing Centre
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is undertaking a pilot study to find out whether or not the public is happy with the customer service they get from 10 key government departments. Government officials have said that the five-year strategic plan for a world class civil service includes five goals, and delivering outstanding customer experience has been prioritised for this year. To measure what the people who use the services think, 30 “Happy or Not” customer satisfaction kiosks have been installed at the selected departments.
The departments that have been selected for the pilot study are some of government’s main customer-facing and diverse services. They are the departments of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing; Planning, Commerce and Investment; Immigration; Lands & Survey; Customs; Needs Assessment Unit; Cayman Islands Postal Services; General Registry; and District Administration.
Customers at these departments are encouraged to register their satisfaction levels by pressing one of four button choices at the kiosks: Very Happy, Happy, Unhappy or Very Unhappy. The data recorded by the kiosks will help determine the level of customer satisfaction throughout the working day and will inform management and staff about priority areas to address.
During March 2018, the baseline results will be established and the results published monthly. Measurement will continue to track customer satisfaction to see what progress is being made in service delivery and customer satisfaction. The devices also give each customer equal voice in assessing departments’ performance, and reminds civil servants that each customer is important.
The project includes initiatives for the public to suggest ways their customer experience could improve and identify the root causes of the impediments to good customer service. Critical to the success of this project is training both managers and front line staff on how to deliver a customer experience that makes a positive difference.
“The principle underpinning our customer service strategy is simple,” said Deputy Governor Franz Manderson. “We aim to put the customer at the heart of everything that we do.”
Gloria McField-Nixon, the chief officer of the Portfolio of the Civil Service, said that the portfolio’s team will assist and support the 10 departments and their ministries to enhance the customer service outcomes in the pilot group by providing training, improved management tools and other practical support.
Category: Local News
Some seem to love their job as civil servants pouring out good customer service even with long waiting periods and others just in it for the money and stability with their miserable poor customer service selves even by phone if you get through to anyone in government that is.
The much improved civil service leading the way again. I waited 9 min in trade and business yesterday and was given service with a smile. But had to visit my bank to conduct a transaction that could not be done online and waiting 26 min. Never thought I would see the day when the civil service outshined the private sector. But it’s happening.
There are a few civil servants who believe in customer service but they are on the endangered species list. The biggest problem is never answering the telephone, this has existed since I arrived almost 50 years ago and is still the norm. If Mr Manderson is serious he needs to give top priority to this problem.
I must say that there is a big change for some time now in especially The Department of Immigration with the answering of their phone. After two rings it is answered and the transfer is made which re usually picked up in a hurry except for enforcement which is alittle slow, but given the fact that they have their hands full they have a good excuse. I think our good Caymanian Mr Bruce is doing a good job there. However the Securitys at the door need some good training if that is possible. Good native Caymanians now a day has to wait outside and others as well like chickens. Even if they have to stand it is better than standing outside and they could certainly take a course in common sense and being polite while doing their duty. Government House has also improved for a long time now with the Receptionist answering however their transferring are usually not successful. Also the Hospital Receptionists are on the ball as well. Cayman Brac Admin had the best communication but now a day since the answering service machine is doing the job it is a total mess. That service is the nuisance in the Government as no one gets back to you. Just wish it could be cut out.
I was rolled over illegally in 2007, and during the process leading up to it, I was working with 3 different people that at some point gave me a number to call. I was never able to reach any of them again. It certainly changed the course of my life and my view of sunny islands.
That said, I have been mostly pleased with my interactions with civil servants outside of immigration.
Total waste of time, i know of a dept. where a worker supposed to work one Saturday a month and he refused and they cut his pay one day a month ( that is very good) but when they was rewarding people , he got the reward for the person of the year for coming in to work Saturdays and night times when needed, which he never ever did, so it depends who doing what and who knows who. Complete waste of time.
Yawn yawn yawn, How in the world can you determine what someone had an unhappy experience and fix it even if you treat all customers with care!
I had to take a number and wait 6 hours to reach the kiosk at DVDL in Prospect.
I was recently at the post office since this was introduced and I had never seen an employee multi-task so effectively! It was amazing. He was handling up to three customers at a time— effectively— and at the same time checking with persons in line to see if he could help. Most impressive.
Contrast that with another govt department where the reception desk was left unattended and where apparently the “ring for service” note on the bell meant nothing at all.
So these strategies do help. There is a saying in management circles — “you get what you measure.”
For the most part most employees bring very little initiative on their own. Something to do with how we raise our generations today, I guess.
Is there a box to tick for phone answering/returning voicemails/responding to emails, because I’m seriously wondering if the staff understand the computers, or if they’re deaf and don’t hear the phones, because it’s a flipping miracle if you get a response to any of these methods of contact. To say it’s frustrating is an understatement. It’s no good saying they’re all dealing with customers who are standing in front of them, because we all know there’s a veritable army of staff behind the scenes, where the phones are ringing. A senior Immigration staff member said to me once that she was “too busy to read emails”. God knows what she was doing because she certainly wasn’t dealing with the query that we had sent in weeks/months before.
I can’t even get an answer from the main switchboard these days.
If only Scotiabank would offer this too.
Just throw the entire bank away.
Whelp this is much needed especially in General Registry.
I as a drop off personnel go there every single day 2-3 times and trust me it’s frustrating to be standing there with documents in hand have the 2 ladies just look at you and do not acknowledge you they get that big red button a lot.
You can be standing there for a good 15 minutes or more and no one will come and attend to you.
I HATE GOING THERE
Trade and business side is so much more pleasant the lady to the back with the short hair is such a nice younge girl whom is always so eager to help good job to her .
I wish in the Brac they would put in check in, check out clocks to stop the Govt. workers from STEALING time and not showing up to work 2 days a week and sometimes more and nothing is done about it.
it will never change, too many busy trying to promote family, running their own private businesses, lazy or chasing the barbie doll.
These kiosks are pointless. You can only state if you are satisfied or not, it allows for no nuance. It is great that a department can know if the public is unsatisfied with their service but these analytics are somewhat useless without knowing the person’s actual situation and/or why they are unsatisfied.
You can’t know how to address a problem if you don’t what the problem is or if it something that even warrants addressing. It also seems that some government departments would be more prone to negative feedback, such as our law enforcement agencies. For example, someone who is unhappy about the fees that Customs charges is more likely to leave negative feedback and said feedback is now counted among your pool of respondents and it could be argued if their grievance should really warrant any attention.
In the end it is just CIG once again trying to give the appearance that they are actually doing something about your concerns without actually doing anything meaningful. It is a nice budget write-off though.
Totally agree with this and I work in one of the Depts. that have it. You could have served them well but if they not happy with a decision you are still going to get an unhappy face. Pointless totally pointless.
You don’t belong in customer service
Any metric will have its problems. While these types of machines only give general information they do help to set baselines and measure change (provided that the sample size is big enough, e.g., at Immigration). Its why they’re used in places like Heathrow airport as you exit from security. Obviously you have to combine them with other actions – but saying ‘I solved what was really bothering my customers’ is pointless if you can’t also point to some metric to measure whether they are happier or not.
Did you know that also all over Heathrow are whiteboards where you can leave feedback … ANY feedback. You also usually receive a customer satisfaction survey afterwards to the email address for the booking. Bit different, comparing cherries to coconuts there mate.
A simple online survey, with a few printed versions for those who have no online access is all it takes. You cannot fix dumb and that’s where our government coffers went on this one!
Immigration and the DVDL??? I bet those terminals are tampered with so that only some buttons work.
yes we have a block on the unhappy button!
How do the results compare with the old comment cards? Did anybody read the old comment cards?
Yes I asked that one day and the staff member said the manager shares all comments them with staff and supervisors. The good, the bad and I guess the ugly!.
Yes they were read- thought about talked about -laughed about and forgot about.
I for one applaud the CIG for spearheading this so needed tool in order to further enhance the value and the importance of providing ‘value for money’ – GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
However, I for one also challenge ALL businesses in the CI to do the same. Too many businesses in the CI take for granted the importance of their customers’ patronage and assume otherwise.
The time for placement of such an important part of one’s businesses is NOW!!!!! Let’s face it, overall CUSTOMER SERVICE throughout the CI Is average at its best and really sucks at its worse.
I took the survey at both the Registrar of Births office and lands and survey. I was very happy with my service with a smile. Kudos to the civil service and CIG.
Me too and when I need to go Immigration I always get good service and get through fairly quickly. I don’t go at 3.45pm 15 mins before they close or first thing on a Monday morning or lunch time when the crowds are predicted.
Another great initiative by our much improved civil service. While much work needs to be done at the vehicle licensing department customs and immigration. The vast majority of civil service departments provide excellent customer service. Thank you CIG for not burying your head in the sand and hope that the problem goes well. Actually caring about what the customer thinks is the best achievement in customer appreciation I have seen in the civil service in 20 years.
If they cared what you think they would ask what you think. Not just offer a choice between yes and no. What good is that without asking why? Where will we see improvements based on yes or no? How does that resolve any problems?
OK, so at least two years ago Franz Manderson undertook to improve performance in the CS but he’s now just getting around to this!!?? Oh, I get it, he meant performance in the 5K Run!
he has Judicial Reviews to fight now instead.
Hahahaha ROTFLMAO! Are they really serious? Big balls! Hope the public seizes this chance!
No seriously, good move if they plan to do anything with the results! Wait and see that!!
Anyone ever going to be fired for being rude, incompetent, belligerent, obstructive, and corrupt? Is there a button for that?
Never going to happen.
CIG is not going to place themselves in such a position for potential lawsuits of not adhering to ‘tedious’ laws written within the labor laws, that those same rude and incompetent persons would be ready to call on as….’wrongful dismissal’..although more than half of the civil servants should’ve been served their termination papers from the time Jesus was in a manger…
What they should do is extend the probation period, or make all contracts such that they are not ‘open-ended’ contracts, like they do with the expats….and stop hiring persons on a basis of who knows who, and as favors.
A button won’t help the illerate and lack of basic knowledge front desk staff of T&B Licensing. Sorry. Try Again. Wipe them out and start anew.
Illiterate**
Woah, so much passion while typing there, almost placed myself in the same category.
Not today bobo 🙂
If anyone would just answer the phone in any one of those departments it would be a good start.
yep and the results of the study will put on the shelf next to the miller shaw and e&y reports……….zzzzzzzzzz
very unhappy.
In my experience as a patient and as a family member of patients, I’d have to say that the Accident and Emergency Room at the government hospital has absolute worst customer service. The fact is that caymanians needing medical attention having to cool their heels in a hospital emergency room for hours on end before being seen by a doctor.
The reason many are there for hours is because they don’t need to be there. If they need immediate help they get it, it is not a walk in clinic that some arm to think it is.
Staff at emergency could be alittle more quiet. It is usually so noisy when the patient is so sick. The patient can hear all sort of conversations. Needs some big improvement . All can say that Dr Sean Tealing works so quiet and efficient regardling of the circumstances. Staffing just needs some order.
Total waste of money. Another feel good exercise by the DG