Governor Larry Hogan launched the Customer Service Initiative, a continuous program designed to foster improvements in customer service across Maryland state agencies. The initiative, which goes into effect immediately, focuses on three core deliverables: a renewed focus on a strong service culture in state agencies; improved customer service training for state employees; and the establishment of new service performance metrics, which will allow the administration and all Marylanders to track improvements in customer service over time.
“Marylanders expect the best possible customer service from their state government, and that is exactly what they deserve,” said Governor Hogan. “With today’s launch of a statewide Customer Service Initiative, we will ensure continued improvements across all Maryland state agencies by finally giving our state employees the leadership, the training, and the tools they need to be successful.”
A key provision of the initiative is a requirement for every state agency to develop and maintain a plan to continually improve service delivery, including minimum response times for phone, written, and in-person inquiries and services. These plans are due by October 1 and are required to be resubmitted each fall for review.
Agency plans will include appropriate customer service training programs for all staff and managers. State agencies will also be required to review agency business hours to better align them with customer demand and will begin to incorporate customer service goals into employee performance evaluations.
These plans will be reviewed annually by a panel that consists of the Governor’s Business Ombudsman, Roger Campos; the Director of the Governor’s of Office of Performance Improvement, Luis Luna; and the Chairman of the Commerce Cabinet Customer Service Workgroup, Greg Derwart. The panel, which will report to the governor, will make recommendations to agencies and will measure improvements in service delivery using key performance metrics established by the Office of Performance Improvement. These metrics will also be published online for review by the public.
In order to help further encourage a philosophy of outstanding service delivery, all state agencies will implement appropriate recognition and awards programs to highlight exceptional customer service. Governor Hogan and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford will also meet with agency award recipients at the State House to offer their own thanks to state employees who have consistently gone the extra mile in their jobs.
The final component in the Governor’s Customer Service Initiative is the launch of the Maryland Customer Service Promise, a series of key principles that will serve as basis of all interactions between state employees and their customers. As part of the initiative, Governor Hogan has directed all state agencies to display the Customer Service Promise prominently in state offices and on agency websites.