JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 When customers arrive at Missouri鈥檚 flagship driver license office near the state Capitol, they are given a number and a piece of paper noting what time they arrived.
Once they鈥檝e completed their business, a clerk writes down the time they depart in an attempt to reduce waiting times at the facility, which is located within the Harry S Truman State Office Building.
The new process is part of a strategy employed by the Missouri Department of Revenue to streamline the experience motorists have when they have to get license plates, truck driver permits and other documents needed to drive on the state鈥檚 roadways.
鈥淭his new process of tracking wait times has provided additional management information to improve our services in this location,鈥 said Revenue spokeswoman Anne Marie Moy.
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The data collected thus far has allowed the department to adjust staffing levels during busier times. In addition, the department has created an appointment window for more complex transactions.
At the Truman building office, which serves about 500 people a month, the department said 90% of the customers are in and out of the building within 30 minutes.
That is similar to waiting time averages in other states. In California, for example, customers waited an estimated 26 minutes for their appointments, according to a June 2021 report by the state鈥檚 Department of Motor Vehicles.
Other states are trying to help customers avoid the frustrations of a prolonged wait.
In , offices take walk-in customers only after noon. Appointments can be scheduled for mornings up to 90 days in advance.
The state also has an app allowing customers to see waiting times at each of the state鈥檚 115 license offices.
Virginia and Connecticut also have launched additional online services aimed at lowering waiting times.
The push for better customer service in Missouri is being led by Department of Revenue Director Wayne Wallingford, a former state senator and representative from Cape Girardeau.
Prior to his tenure in the Legislature, Wallingford served in various regional management positions for McDonald鈥檚 and Taco Bell.
He also served nearly 25 years in the U.S. Air Force, including stints in the United Kingdom and Hawaii in the intelligence division.
When he was appointed to the post in December 2021, Wallingford said his experience in the fast food industry, which relies on customer service, will help him as he takes over the agency.
鈥淵ou live and die by customer service, because you can get a burger anywhere but you can鈥檛 get good customer service just anywhere,鈥 Wallingford told the Post-Dispatch.
In addition to lowering wait times and headaches experienced by motorists at the facilities, Wallingford said he is trying to build a more positive environment for workers at the offices.
鈥淐ulture eats strategy for breakfast every day,鈥 he said. 鈥淓mployees are what make an operation run. They will decide its success or failure.鈥
Other changes implemented this year include an easing of some of the restrictions on getting a REAL ID. Now, a wider range of documents and letters are accepted as verification of a person鈥檚 residency, ranging from postmarked envelopes, banking documents and insurance policies.
鈥淭hese steps are simplifying the process and reducing some of the previously reported frustrations our customers have experienced, while still allowing the department to confirm an applicant is a Missouri resident,鈥 Moy said.
The agency also launched an online renewal option in 2022, allowing 900,000 people to skip their visit to a license office.
There were hiccups though.
The additional processing and mailing increased postage and staffing costs. And, if there was an issue with a motorist鈥檚 address, it took those customers longer to receive their registration tags.
The move also took business away from the license offices, cutting into their profits, which are generated by fees.
Beginning this year, the online system was modified to allow customers to choose an office to process their transaction, reducing postage and returning some of the fees that had been lost.
鈥淏etter customer service was the original goal of letting offices process online renewals, but the financial boost has been a big reason many license offices have been able to survive despite rising inflation,鈥 Moy said.
Commercial truck drivers also have seen changes designed to keep them on the road during a supply chain crisis, rather than having to spend time submitting paperwork at a license office.
Under a revamped system for processing medical certifications for truck drivers, the department now allows them to submit records by email or fax.
Moy said the department also has eliminated a seven-month backlog on title and registration errors that were causing delays.
When Wallingford took over, the backlog was more than 100,000. As of January 2023, the backlog stood at less than 3,500, she said.
The decrease has meant the number of telephone calls received at the agency has dropped by nearly 25%. And, it has meant fewer people having to return to local license offices to finalize paperwork, resulting in shorter waiting times.
鈥淭o reduce this backlog by over 90,000 in just one year took some very hard work by numerous dedicated state employees and some sensible administrative decisions by our management team,鈥 Moy said.