"Some people say government isn't a business; we don't have customers. I think the 600,000 people who live here, pay taxes, and contribute to the life of our city would disagree. This is the city that set the gold standard for innovative customer service. We must move from a culture of "sorry, not my problem," to one of rolling up our sleeves and fixing the problem."
-- Mayor Greg Nickels
Customer Service
Moving from "not my problem:" to fixing the problem
In a year the city of Seattle receives more than 10 million phone calls and thousands more e-mails, letters, and visits from people looking for help. Many are handled well. But too often, callers are confronted by a bureaucratic and unresponsive system that does not value their time or their intelligence. City government can do much better.
But first the City must establish clear standards and expectations, which will be based on the following guiding principles outlined in a Customer Bill of Rights:
- Easy and understandable -- City products and services should be easy to locate and access.
- Responsive -- City employees should be helpful, connecting customers with others who can help if they cannot.
- Fair -- There should be no economic, social or cultural barriers to accessing City products and services.
- Results oriented -- Customers should get results, not just process.
To help us develop a meaningful "Customer Bill of Rights," we need to hear from our customers. Please take a few minutes to respond to a few questions. Your responses will help us focus the Customer Bill of Rights and develop an open, responsive and accessible government that serves all customers regardless of language, income or neighborhood.
Read more about the Customer Service Initiative -Adobe Acrobat
Visit our Customer Service Bureau Web site
For more information, call the Customer Service Bureau at (206)684-CITY (2489)
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