Fayetteville Customer Service Strategy Report

CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE

CUSTOMER SERVICE STRATEGY CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE

Customer Service at the City

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Our Commitment

04

Our Vision

05

Our Principles

06

S.E.R.V.E.

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Clear Direction and Goals—Focus I/II/III

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Focus Area I

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Focus Area II

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Focus Area III

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Expectations

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CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE The City of Fayetteville consists of four main departments, and all are centered around providing excellent customer service: Finance and Administration l Public Safety l Public Services l Community & Economic Development

published Customer Service Strategy is a result of a series of consultations, research, collaboration, and best-practice review. It is the City’s first enterprise-wide customer service strategy and is intended

Customer service, much like communication and information technology, with which it shares an intrinsic connection, encompasses various elements.

At its core, it revolves around one central theme: fostering connections. Whether linking people with services, citizens with municipal employees, or aligning expectations with outcomes, the essence of customer service lies in forging meaningful connections.

This strategy recognizes that customer service is everyone’s responsibility, and it needs to be provided in an environment where mutual respect and knowledge connect to create service excellence.

Customer service, at its core, revolves While each department and around one central their divisions are unique, all of theme: fostering them exist to serve customers, whether those customers connections. Linking are business owners, utility customers, residents, or guests. people with services, The City’s Mission Statement citizens with municipal is, “To provide efficient and employees, and effective municipal services to the community through aligning expectations a culture of transparent Outlining a framework for the leadership, excellence, and with outcomes. teamwork.” It is all about delivering excellent customer service.

The landscape of customer service is changing, so it is critical for the City of Fayetteville to adapt its service strategies and adopt a plan that brings together organizational needs and citizen expectations. This

to connect the dots between what citizens expect from their local government, how the City can participate in the transformation of customer service, and how we can, together, build a consistently positive customer service culture.

City’s customer service approach over the next three years, this strategy is intended as a roadmap for employees and citizens alike to make a positive customer service culture part of the City of Fayetteville brand.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

COMMITMENT STATEMENT “Our promise at the City of Fayetteville is simple: to deliver outstanding service with integrity, respect, and efficiency. We’re here to listen, respond promptly, and always strive to exceed your expectations. Your satisfaction is our top priority as we work tirelessly to make Fayetteville a better place for all.”

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

VISION To develop a customer-centric culture where employees are equipped with the necessary skills and training, empowered to go above and beyond, and equipped with the latest technologies to address all customer service matters in an effective and efficient manner, ensuring the highest level of customer satisfaction at all times.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

PRINCIPLES 2

ONEST Y H D N A Y C N E R A P TRANS honest

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accurate, and Provide clear, unication sure all comm En . n io at rm info ful, and ard and truth is straightforw es es on process provide updat s. and decision

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ACCESSIBILITY Make services and information easily

RESPECT AND COURTESY Treat all citizens with respect and courtesy. Greet every individual warmly, listen actively, and respond politely.

accessible to all citizens.

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RESPONSIVENE TIMELINESS SS AND

Respond pro

requests, an

to response

follow up on

mptly to inq

uiries,

d complaints

times and re

. Adhere

gularly open issues.

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5

EMPATH UNDERS Y AND TANDING Show empat h

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ALISM PROFESSIONstandard of

high Maintain a ll times. alism at a n io s s fe ro p

y and under standin teractio g n s. Train recogn staff to ize and respon emotio d to th nal ne e eds of ensurin citizen s, g they feel he ard and va lued.

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in all in

EQUIT Y AND FAIRNES

Treat all citizens

equitably

and fairly. Ensure

practices do not

S

policies and

discriminate, and provide equa l service to all community mem bers.

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AND EFFICIENCYNESS EFFECTIVE in an

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rvices Deliver se ve nd effecti efficient a manner.

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TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for mistakes, provide explanations for decisions, and implement corrective

BILIT Y ACCOUNTAle for ntab Be accou ions. nd decis actions a

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CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

Strive for contin

improvement in

delivery.

uous service

measures when necessary.

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S.E.R.V.E. SERVICE EXCELLENCE RESPECT VIRTUE EMPATHY

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CUSTOMER SERVICE STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

. . . .

SE RVE

SERVICE

EXCELLENCE

RESPECT

VIRTUE

EMPATHY

We put others

We put our whole

We care enough to

We uphold

We recognize the

above ourselves and heart into our work,

think about how our behaviors of high

things we say and

make intentional

knowing that what

actions will affect

moral standards,

do have an impact

decisions and

we do matters. We

our environment

such as honesty,

on those around

actions to benefit

emphasize integrity,

and impact others.

diligence,

us. We will use

others within a

accountability,

We promote

responsibility, and

engaging words

friendly, engaging,

learning and

cooperation,

compassion.

and actions to unite

and collaborative

communication.

openness, and

people and avoid

honesty with a high

divisive behaviors.

environment.

level of integrity.

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CUSTOMER SERVICE

CLEAR DIRECTION AND GOALS 10

FOCUS AREA I: ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS Ensure all residents can easily access City services and receive prompt and accurate responses to inquiries and requests.

FOCUS AREA II:

IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY Keep residents well-informed about City services, initiatives, and decisions through clear and open communication.

FOCUS AREA III:

FOSTER A CULTURE OF CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY Ensure all City employees are committed to providing exceptional customer service and continuously improving service delivery.

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FOCUS AREA I: ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OBJECTIVE: Ensure all residents can access City services and receive prompt and accurate responses to inquiries and requests.

OUTCOMES: •

Reduction in average response time for service requests

•

Increased use of online and mobile service portals

•

High customer satisfaction scores from feedback surveys

ACTION STEPS: •

Empower and Train Support Staff: o Comprehensive Training - Provide ongoing training to customer support staff to ensure they have the skills and knowledge to assist customers effectively o Access to Information - Ensure that support staff have easy access to up-todate information, tools, and resources needed to resolve customer issues o Authority to Resolve Issues - Empower support staff with the authority to make decisions and resolve issues without needing to escalate to higher levels.

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FOCUS AREA I: ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OBJECTIVE: Ensure all residents can access city services and receive prompt and accurate responses to inquiries and requests.

OUTCOMES: •

Reduction in average response time for service requests

•

Increased use of online and mobile service portals

•

High customer satisfaction scores from feedback surveys

ACTION STEPS: •

Centralized Customer Service Center- Establish a centralized customer

service center with extended hours of operation to handle inquiries and service requests.

• Multi-Channel Communication - Develop an online portal and mobile app for 24/7 access to information and services. Provide multiple communication channels, including phone, email, social media, mail-out, and in-person options.

•

Customer Feedback System - Implement a system for residents to provide

feedback on services and track the resolution of their issues.

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FOCUS AREA I: ENHANCE ACCESSIBILITY AND RESPONSIVENESS OBJECTIVE: Ensure all residents can access city services and receive prompt and accurate responses to inquiries and requests.

OUTCOMES: •

Reduction in average response time for service requests

•

Increased use of online and mobile service portals

•

High customer satisfaction scores from feedback surveys

ACTION STEPS: •

Departmental Process - Review departmental customer service processes and

align for the highest customer service outcome.

•

Self-Service Delivery System - Review high-volume, routine service

transactions for potential transfer to an outline self­service delivery system.

•

Wayfinding and Signage -Review wayfinding and signage at key municipal

facilities and develop plans to create easy access to citizens.

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FOCUS AREA II: IMPROVE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY OBJECTIVE: Keep residents well informed about city services, initiatives, and decisions through clear and open communication.

OUTCOMES: •

Increased website traffic and social media engagement

•

Higher attendance at town hall meetings and public forums

•

Positive feedback on the clarity and usefulness of the quarterly newsletter and annual report

ACTION STEPS: •

Website and Social Media Updates - Regularly update the city’s

website and social media platforms with current information, including service announcements, project updates, and community news.

•

Public Engagement - Host regular town hall meetings and public forums to

engage directly with residents and provide updates on city initiatives.

•

Transparent Reporting - Publish a quarterly newsletter and an annual

report detailing city projects, financials, and performance metrics.

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FOCUS AREA III: FOSTER A CULTURE OF CUSTOMER-CENTRICITY OBJECTIVE: Ensure all city employees are committed to providing exceptional customer service and continuously improving service delivery.

OUTCOMES: •

Completion rates of customer service training programs by employees

•

Number of employees recognized for outstanding service

•

Improvements in customer satisfaction scores over time

ACTION STEPS: •

Customer Service Training - Develop and implement a comprehensive

customer service training program for all city employees, focusing on communication skills, problem­solving, and empathy.

•

Mentoring Program - Develop a mentoring program for staff across the

organization.

•

Recognition and Reward Program - Establish a recognition program

to reward employees for outstanding customer service.

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EXPECTATIONS 18

By implementing this comprehensive customer service strategy, the City of Fayetteville can enhance its relationship with residents, improve service delivery, and foster a more engaged, informed, and satisfied community.

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“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.’’ —Phil Jackson

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