Not many people look forward to a trip to the DMV, but the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has launched a new effort to improve customer experience.
Governor Tom Wolf and other state officials were on hand Friday for the grand opening of the new Driver's License Center (DLC) in Norristown, Montgomery County.
According to the Governor’s Office of Transformation, Innovation, Management and Efficiency (GO-TIME), the new location will implement strategies that focus on customer service and new technology.
“There are few points where state government interacts with more Pennsylvanians that at the DMV,” Wolf said. “Today, we’re taking innovations at our Driver’s License Centers to the next level. This new center relies on new technology and many other upgrades to deliver better customer service and experience.”
The Norristown location, which officially opened for business on Aug. 1, will be the first DLC in the state to allow residents to schedule an appointment, placing them in line before their arrival.
- Related coverage:
- PennDOT finally goes paperless for traffic signal management
- Wolf: GO-TIME saved $156 million in efficiency initiatives
- PennDOT to eliminate registration stickers in 2017
Customers who don't make an appointment can benefit from the new notification system. Once arriving at the DLC, customers can receive a text message sent to their mobile devices so they can run other errands instead of waiting at the center.
However, the most useful innovations might also be the simplest. The center will provide free Wi-Fi and a network of televisions to relay information to waiting customers, which will help alleviate boredom.
“When people come to PennDOT, they want a quick, no-hassle experience,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie Richards. “What we’ve built here in Norristown shows our commitment to giving customers the best experience and service.”
The Wolf administration established GO-TIME in Feb. 2015 to improve service, increase efficiency and generate cost savings.