Vermont Transportation Research Collaborative 2015
VTrans Strategic Plan – Goal #4 - Surfacing Research Questions
Goal 4: Cultivate and continually pursue innovation, excellence and quality customer
service.
o Information given to customers is accurate and comprehensive
o Staff are competent, fair, polite and sympathetic to customers’ needs
o Staff deliver the outcome as promised and manage any problems
Comments and Ideas generated June 15th:
(The following notes were taken to capture the brainstorming session of the specific goal.
These are meant to inform ongoing conversation and problem statement development among
researchers and staff)
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Higher degree of staff knowing who is the customer, expanding VTrans staff
understanding of the customer base, and then be more conscious of a customer service
mentality
Revisiting the data currently collected and that was shared with the customers, then
double check whether that is useful compared to what could be collected and shared,
vehicle registrations is a good example of data which could be collected differently to
provide greater benefit and detail to data users – assessment of data use and data
collection, does it meet the data needs of the customer base
Greater specificity regarding the fleet operating in VT, as well as greater ease in getting
that information
How do we measure the internal workforce on customer service metrics, could be
incorporated into performance measures, if customer service is a strategic mission it
should be built into performance review (internal as opposed to external customer)
Definitions of customer service, how do you measure, train, develop that capability,
variety of customer, need a better understanding of who the various customers are and
how they can be better served
Opportunities to be out in the field, easier to provide better service when you know and
understand your customer
Understanding and managing the communications – being sympathetic to a customer’s
needs and how are we doing this, combining synchronous and asynchronous
communication, how do we reach the customers and incorporating the communication
taking place effectively
What are the characteristics of innovative public agency, do we have those characteristics
and where are the gaps, how do you create a culture of innovation, guidance on other
DOTs and what should VTrans be doing
Defining what are the constructs an organization has, that makes them better at
innovating, why, how can that be mirrored at VTrans,
Knowing how you measure sympathy, how do you train for it, how to know when you
have successfully implemented it
Definition of key terms, what do they have to do with each other (innovation, excellence,
quality customer service) – measurement, how to quantify
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Information of trying to get to people – multiple, disparate requests to data, same
information is needed, but the request come in separately, there is no process currently to
respond to such requests at this time, there needs to be an efficient process by which
sensitive requests can be addressed, so that the same information gets out to everyone
Accurate and comprehensive information given to customers – The more proactive
communication there is there is a greater identification of gaps, need research on how to
reach the entire population, how do people consume information across the state and by
region. No data exists on website hits or how the various customers retrieve information
from VTrans, no matter the effort in proactive communication, there are still surprised
customers (at bridge closures, etc.)
Customer feedback loop – no good way to address customer requests, the responses are
often similar, but how is a uniform, consistent response developed, how can we then
know the complaint/request has been addressed, how do we obtain feedback on that
complaint/request
How many agency staff know that Goal 4 is a goal and its importance, what is the
understanding of VTrans staff surrounding this goal at all levels and how it is involved in
their daily role, how are they supported in their supervisor and manager in accomplishing
this goal
Research on other State DOT’s practices on innovation, excellence, and quality customer
service, and what could VTrans then adopt
How do you measure your success using whatever methods you’ve used, how do you
quantify the communication methods in place, does that represent a total failure or an
improvement?
Review of other state DOT – Benchmarking is a good place to start – review of Virginia
DOT, knowledge management program
How do you measure, there will not be 100% satisfaction ever, due to unique preferences,
what metric do you set regarding bridge closures, etc., don’t have a measure about how
each region gets the data
What data exists on customer satisfaction, and is that being captured and stored for
accessibility of staff
Instrument to identify relationships of what VTrans does, to capture redundancy/
inconsistency in messages being sent, manage the services and how are requests
addressed; deal with ‘answer-shoppers’. What instrument can allow the agency to
respond in one voice?
Technology use in tracking intake of responses/response at other DOTs, needed for better
results in issue management, as well as customer response satisfaction
What technologies exist such that agency responses are unified and consistent, need to
capture basic communication and what is happening to it
Agency’s data customers – often the data is not in a condition that is best for research but
more useful for the agency’s immediate use, not for customer use
Use of variable message boards, how can they be used to maximize communication, do
they become ignored if left on, how do you maximize absorption
Understanding customer expectations, corridor management expectations, asset condition
expectations, what do they expect, what are they willing to pay for, understanding
education and etiquette
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Objective under this Goal… “Staff deliver the outcome as promised and manage any
problems ” – this is interpreted as problems should be solved at the lowest possible level,
what have public institutions done to empower their staff to address problems at the
lowest level possible, give them the flexibility to solve them, give them the ability to
solve them, value staff that solve problems instead of having them cause operation
hindrances
Ways to share innovation actions and activities taking place at the agency, showcasing
the departments/initiatives that are moving that innovation forward
How do you create a culture that values ideas, that fosters innovation without friction,
that allows for that curiosity regarding current practices, and how do you allow for
experimentation in application/performance of existing roles, how do you foster agility
and respond to an idea in a quick time, ability to recognize that some innovations are not
good ideas
How do you measure customer service, identify the key performance indicators, and
write the goals to meet those needs - that will drive innovation
How does risk as a concept relate to innovation, there has to be risk involved for
innovation to take place, DOT culture, Civil Engineering culture is risk-averse, how do
you find the balance between risk and innovation
How do you redefine what auditing is, such that the culture welcomes it as part of the
performance metrics, how do you balance risk with innovation, risk of the funding not
just the bridge falling down for example
Asset evaluation – grow the investment for the assets, review of accounting practices,
could the practices be revised to better communicate to the public how their investment in
the infrastructure is being safeguarded (accrual vs. existing standard depreciation)