In government, it is imperative to measure our performance. However, in a lot of cases, creating measurements becomes a once-a-year financial exercise or defensive tool during the budget process. Performance measurement should not only be a work task but a real asset to an organization’s vitality. Bottom line…it should be meaningful. As a leader or manager, are you up to this challenge? Continue Reading ->
Understanding the development services process as a “system” will yield opportunities for improved efficiency. The system is more than just procedures. It includes many other system “building block©” parts, such as the people side of project management, regulatory framework, information technology, physical space, and performance measurement.
Finding the “right” staffer in the development and building services arena who fits not only the professional qualifications, but also the “feel” and “new attitude” you are trying to create during process improvements may seem like a near impossibility. The other scenario is the new staffer that is trying so hard to fit in that they are absorbing all the bad habits of the entrenched staff and are not grasping the new development processes as fully as you would like, making the shift to the new that much more difficult. The Human Resource function is so much more than filling a position; it’s making sure you have the correct tool or resource for the job.
In order to get buy-in, change must be not only attainable, but sustainable. It is easy to slip back into old habits and do what is comfortable; however, this will not help complete the change. Change must be incremental at first, so the old is not so far away, yet consistent, so small changes make dramatic leaps forward before you know it. The change must also be successful to the customer. The customer must “feel” the change in order to remain positive and make positive comments to staff that are often starved for positive feedback. Sustainable change will become a solid foundation for improvement. Sustainable support from executive management will go a long way towards staff taking the change not only seriously, but also applying it consistently.
A City change agent’s reflection on their experience……
We have undertaken significant improvements to the development processing system. No matter how good a plan is to address customer service culture issues ….we found that the plan did not meet expectations. We had good intentions by having full participation by a Staff Action Team, made up on representatives from departments, to develop and move improvements forward. We also had executive management and political leadership say that change MUST come or else, however, the truth of the matter is that unless the culture is changed from both top down and bottom up, the plan WILL NOT work.
Does your organization strive to get customers involved in development services-related performance improvement? Most communities have recognized that creating a public/private partnership with customers for managing services is essential for existence. Customers want you to succeed, but they have to be involved to help you. Experience has shown that creating a partnership, involving customers sincerely in your day-to-day challenges will create opportunities for support for resource additions, better communication, and at a minimum an appreciation for how hard your job is. Yes, you read it correctly. Development services is a tough business.
Surveying your customers is likely one of the most important things you can embark upon in the development processing system. Customers can be brutally honest if the survey process is confidential and timely. However their feedback often provides clarity on priorities for improvements, bottleneck areas, and generally gives a snapshot about frustrations they have experienced. Yes….you also get positive feedback about what you are doing right, much more than you would expect. Remember though, customer feedback is “perception” of your services. It is up to you to relate that perception to your processing system components and separate angst from reality.
If you have come to the conclusion that changes are needed to improve customer service in the development process, there are some key questions to think about. For example:
Your government agency has embarked upon a journey to improve customer service in the development processing system. A number of significant changes are anticipated, including a more co-located “one-stop” development services center, shifting to a project-oriented approach when processing applications, and an enhanced information technology and communication system. Can these changes happen? They can, but you must challenge staff and yourself to “suspend disbelief”. What is this challenge you ask? This challenge begins by looking at the basic definition of disbelief.
Making significant improvements in the development processing system is a very difficult and risky venture from the perspective of the staff members involved in the effort. Staff (and customers) are being asked to change old habits and embrace new ideas for providing information and processing permits or applications. As an individual, you could be leading an improvement team or you may be asked to participate as a contributing team member. So, how can you optimize your participation in the improvement effort? How can you be viewed as a contributing team member?