Team Georgia-Georgia Customer Service

Chaneille Lee, a student at Clayton State University (CSU) and a volunteer with the "Ask Me" program, knows that providing knowledgeable service to new students isn't just a job for faculty and staff. Chaneille and other student volunteers walk around campus wearing "Ask Me" t-shirts to identify themselves as having answers to student needs.  "Right away, students see the ‘Ask Me' t-shirts and know that this is a person who is here to help them. I like being that person," says Chaneille.

In addition to winning a Chancellor's Customer Service Award and being popular among students, the program has caught the attention of many faculty and staff who have asked to participate. "The initiative is so popular that many faculty and staff have requested ‘Ask Me' buttons to wear in their offices so they can assist in this effort," says Carolina Amero, Clayton State Customer Service Champion and Assistant Vice President of Auxiliary & Administrative Services. "There are also many examples of students whom we help coming back to find out how they, too, can be a part of our program," adds Chaneille. "I've been volunteering since the program first started, so it's great to see it continue to grow."

Now in its third year, the "Ask Me" program was created as collaboration among the Dept. of Campus Life, CSU's Customer Service team and student volunteers who wanted the opportunity to share their knowledge and experience of the CSU campus with new students. The information they share ranges from helping students locate rooms and buildings to friendly tips on how to maneuver quickly through campus. "Students can count on us to send them in the right direction," says Chaneille. "Student interaction is a passion of mine, and helping new students gain access to our many facilities and feel more comfortable is why I enjoy doing this each year. Again, it's nice to be a person they recognize as someone who knows how to help them."

Zach Ledbetter and Shawn McNew, Forestry Inventory and Analysis (FIA) experts with the Georgia Forestry Commission, know that providing accurate information is crucial to Georgia's economic growth.  Data collected by Zach and Shawn gives state officials the details needed to make informed decisions for forest management and conservation.  "Our job requires us to have a broad knowledge of Georgia's forests, so we can show prospective businesses the growth and development of our state's natural resources and its renewable energy potential," says Shawn.

With other Southeastern states competing to open new forest product facilities, providing the right information as well as showcasing Georgia's vast natural resources are key to attracting new clients. "Georgia is one of the highest producing states in timber production, and we have a vast amount of forest land to cover, so there is a great responsibility to provide accurate information to companies looking to move their businesses to Georgia," says Zach.

Zach and Shawn's work to protect and promote Georgia's natural assets correctly is helping create new jobs despite a difficult economy. "Times are definitely tough," laments Ledbetter. "But we are beginning to see more facilities open in Georgia, which has been very encouraging to us."

At DDS, Customer Service Center employees like agent Zelian Stewart and webmaster Joseph McClain share the responsibility for making sure citizens get the right answer whether they ask in person, telephone or look online.

The key is a single, consistent source of knowledge created by a team of subject matter experts in Customer Service, Licensing and Records (CSLR) and delivered through the Internet to employees in the Call Center and in 65 Customer Service Centers throughout the state. "Collaboration between IT and business operations is the key to making information consistent. Then you spread it through the regional and center managers. A call center agent and a license examiner see the same information," said Alan Watson, division director of CSLR.

The result is efficiency as well as good customer relations. "The right answer, the first time means fewer multiple calls from the same person and eliminates return visits," said Tom McMurry, CIO for the agency. "For example, it is important for citizens to know which documents are required before they come in. And the more answers found on the Web site, the fewer calls in our call center and fewer visitors, so we can serve everyone better."

Knowledgeable customer service is so vital at DDS that one agency strategic goal is a quality assurance system that increases the consistency of service and delivery to citizens throughout the state.

"She who learns, teaches." These words inspire Ondrea Hightower to build a more knowledgeable workforce. Ondrea is an experienced trainer who teaches The Art of Exceptional Customer Service and other courses to employees at the Georgia Dept. of Revenue.

"Customer service is not only about smiling and being friendly," says Ondrea. "Your customer also wants you to know your core services. By giving the right information consistently, you provide reassurance and earn your customer's trust."

Ondrea and other Revenue leaders are building tomorrow's knowledgeable workforce today with mentoring and succession planning programs. Mentors are usually senior team members who partner with junior staffers to help develop their skills for career, leadership and life. Through succession planning, the agency identifies promising staffers and begins preparing them for future leadership roles within the agency.

Ondrea advises, "Learn from the people who have been here a long time. Even with all of our technology today, there's nothing like the perspective of those who saw things and know how we got here."

June 1 is the start of what is predicted to be a very active 2010 hurricane season. If a hurricane strikes, citizens know what to do and state and local officials are ready to act thanks to Georgia's Emergency Management Agency (GEMA). The lead state agency for disaster-related activities, GEMA and representatives of other state and federal agencies, volunteer relief organizations and businesses staff the state operations center. This is the single place for coordination of disaster information and response.

"Every disaster is local," says Chris Walsh, Hurricane Program Planner, "and responses must be configured to meet each particular event. We may need the State Patrol for traffic control or Georgia Power to take care of downed lines and outages. Counties that need additional support contact us with specific needs like sandbags for flooding. The Red Cross is always key because they operate shelters."

GEMA is working hard to make sure citizens are prepared and informed through its Ready Georgia campaign. At www.ready.ga.gov, citizens can create a personal profile that will generate a customized Emergency Plan and Ready Kit.

Probation experts Virginia Benoskie and Charolette Beard are on the frontline of a Georgia Dept. of Corrections (GDC) initiative to increase public safety. GDC's new Probation Reporting Contact Center (PRCC) enables Georgia's lowest-risk probationers to report by phone to PRCC agents, who complete essential paperwork and provide it electronically for probation officers' review. Less paperwork for the officers means more time to manage high-risk offenders.

To ensure success, GDC selected seasoned staff with in-depth knowledge of the probation system to operate the PRCC. "Some intuition is involved in this job," says Charolette, the team's supervisor and a former probation officer. "Our agents can pick up when something is not quite right with a case and alert the officers that something may be going on."

Good communication helps ensure consistent service. "In today's society, everyone is so pressed for time. It's important that we know what we're doing and get things right the first time to help the public solve their problems," says Charolette. Virginia adds, "If you don't know the answer, the caller will just go on to the next person until they get what they need. Being knowledgeable is better all around for everyone's time and energy."

Their knowledgeable service has already made an impact. GDC probation officers recently busted a major drug ring that they discovered during routine fieldwork. Charolette says this is how many discoveries are made. "The officers need to be on the streets monitoring the most dangerous offenders. We're proud to do our small part to help them protect the public."

Weather broadcasters announce yellow, orange or red smog level alerts provided by Susan Zimmer-Dauphinee, her team in the Ambient Monitoring Program (AMP) of the Environmental Protection Division, Dept. of Natural Resources, and their Georgia Tech colleagues. Citizens rely on these experts for the right answer about the quality of the air they breathe.

During the ozone smog alert season from May 1 through Sept. 30, AMP makes daily forecasts about air quality, based on knowledge of weather patterns and pollution data collected from 50 continuously reporting monitors placed all over the state. They also provide data to the federal Environmental Protection Agency to ensure standards are met in Georgia.

Regular, consistent forecasting of air quality in the metro Atlanta area began in 1996 when the International Olympic Committee requested information about the venues for the Summer Games. Now citizens can track air quality hourly on the web at www.georgiaair.org/amp.

Knowledgeable Service: The Right Answer, The First Time

"Every day, Georgians rely on your knowledge to help them make the right decisions. Our citizens expect useful, accurate information – and Team Georgia delivers. From education and employment to public safety and health, you are a talented team of experts working together to answer questions right the first time. Thanks for all you do to serve our state proudly."

-- Governor Sonny Perdue