Page 24 - Sonoma County Gazette 3-19

Strength in Numbers
The Petaluma Service Alliance is rolling up their
sleeves to help yet another community organization.
Lessons learned
The Alliance is made up of Sunrise, Petaluma and Valley Rotary clubs, Kiwanis, 7-11 and Petaluma Lions clubs. Together they reach out to the community to raise funds and volunteer their time to different projects in the Petaluma Community that make a difference and need help.
By Elizabeth Slater
We had to go to the Department of Motor Vehicles last week. We had made
In the past the Alliance has helped the Petaluma Boys and Girls Club and C.O.T.S. ( Committee on the Shelterless) fix up and repair their facilities to name just a few. Working closely with the city and police department, the last project the Alliance took on was rehabbing Walnut Park in Petaluma to make it safe for families to enjoy and move out a bad element that had taken up residence there.
an appointment as there are almost 500,000 people in the county in which we live and two DMV offices, so they tend to be busy. We had one car to register and an address change.
David Adams the Salvation Army Board Chairman and Elk member reached out to the Service Alliance to see if they would be interested in helping to finish the work needed on the community center.
When we arrived, twenty-five minutes early we got into a line for those people with appointments. By the time we got to the person whose job it was to check us in and give us a number we were already ten minutes past our scheduled appointment time.
John Leary President of the Elks said, ”the bathrooms were in need of repair and the kitchen they were using to make food for first responders had a great deal of differed maintenance. The Service Alliance knew we could make a huge difference in our community by helping the SA increase their capacity to do what they do best.
Spending as much time as we did in line gave me lots of time to observe the person who was the first person that customers interact with. The couple at the counter when I got into line were having difficulty understanding what the DMV employee wanted from them.
“Making a difference in people’s lives”.
If you are talking to people who are having a hard time understanding what you are saying, do not keep repeating the same phrase over and over again. It may be that English is not their first language, or that you are using terms that they don’t understand because they are technical terms.
In early 2018 the Petaluma Chamber of Commerce Leadership class helped the SA by rehabbing three offices in the community center for use by Mentor Me and Petaluma Peoples Services. Major Mitham Clement said that
with this collaboration the community enjoys having Senior and children’s programs all in one eastside location. Along with the SA programs this makes the SA Corps a major presence in Petaluma to help those in need. Currently the Petaluma SA helps to feed over 250 families a week from their distribution warehouse at 721 S. McDowell Blvd. Along with many other programs such as Utility subsidies and counseling that the SA offers.
Instead try to use different words or concepts that they may understand.
A relationship between the Petaluma Elks and the Salvation Army was formed during the 2017 Northern California fires in Santa Rosa. The Salvation Army brought food to the Petaluma lodge and Elks prepared it and the S.A. took it out and delivered it to first responders that were helping in all aspects of the disaster in the Petaluma area. The Petaluma Lodge maintained an open cafeteria 24/7 the week of the fires for the shelter that was in the church next door as well as late night meals for the ambulance drivers that had their offices and yard across the street from the lodge.
As a customer I don’t need to know that employees do not like their jobs. Truly, I may not want to be there either, but have an important reason to be there. If we could have taken care of everything online we would have.
All the clubs raised money to fund the Salvation Army project and members from all of the clubs donate their time and skills to the project.
We were curtly informed that changing the address was not stated as part of the reason for our appointment and that we had to wait in another line.
As well as community businesses. Freidman Brothers Hardware donated $4,200.00. Tri County Floors donated the flooring and installation, Fishman Supply helped with sourcing materials and with discounts for the project.
Lesson Three: Streamline systems so they work for Customers
Lesson One: When People are Having a Hard Time Understanding
The next person to go up to counter said something about why it was taking so long as they were worried about missing their appointment, to the employee at the desk. The clerk’s snappish reply, which could be heard by everyone in the long line was, “Because one wants to work here...we have nine vacancies.”
Lesson Two: Need to know
After twenty minutes in line we approached the desk and explained that
we wanted to register a vehicle. There had been a mistake at the dealership in completing the sales forms that could not be corrected online so we had to do it in person. We were given a number and told to wait until called. We also said we would like to change our address (which involves completing a form and getting a little card that we wrote the new address on).
If you can simplify your procedures to the advantage for your customers, do so. It would not have been difficult to have a stack of the change of address forms at the check-in desk to hand to the customer, letting them know at the same time where to return them.
Pictured Left to right: David Adams SA Board Chairman, Major Mitham Clement and John Leary President of Petaluma Elks on the day that the check for $2,000.00 was delivered to the SA for the rehab project.
24 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 3/19
I understand that it cannot be easy to work at the DMV when they are too many customers and too few staff. I also know that some customers are not
as polite as they could or should be. However if customers are being polite, match their mood, smile and help them in any way you can. If they are angry or frustrated try to find out the source of their frustration. Then work towards solving the problem.
At that point we split up with Jack going off to get his registration while I lined up to get the form for the address change. I waited in line for another twenty minutes while Jack waited to be called for his appointment.
The employee who gave me the address change forms was very helpful.
He smiled and answered a question that I had. I was told to take the forms, complete them and return them when they were completed. I asked if I had to get in line again and was told I could just bring the forms right back up to him.
Just as we completed the forms, Jack was called to the window to organize his registration. Once again no smiles and when Jack asked a question the employee seemed quite put out at having to answer it.
We finished back at the counter with the person who checked our Change of Address forms and gave us the cards to carry with our driver’s licenses. Once again, he was smiling, helpful and efficient. He answered my questions and smiled and said goodbye as we left.
Elizabeth Slater is internationally recognized within the wine industry as a seminar and workshop leader, speaker and trainer. Specializing in all facets of direct marketing, including customer service, staff training, team building and more. Email Elizabeth at inshortmarketing.com.