Pasadena to Stress Customer Service
Pasadena City Hall will soon be the Nordstrom of local government, City Manager Philip Hawkey is promising.
Hawkey, with the City Council’s blessing, is reorganizing City Hall to provide customer-driven service.
And city employees this week got their first real look at Hawkey’s vision for a new organization thanks to a glossy booklet distributed throughout City Hall. The booklet is an organization effectiveness plan that talks about changing the way the city does business. Gone will be many of the old rules and the emphasis will be on customer service.
The first steps toward change are already underway with an effort to eliminate “stupid rules.” Recently, city management held a competition among staff members to identify the 50 most stupid pieces of bureaucracy.
The winner was an employee who noticed the City Council annually approves a contract for postage with the U.S. Postal Service after it put the contract out for bid and has it examined by the city affirmative action office.
In June, the city will introduce a customer service kiosk under the City Hall’s famous dome. “Those staffing the kiosk will meet and greet everyone visiting City Hall,” said Ann Erdman, the city’s public information officer.
In June, the city also will launch a customer service hotline. Callers will be asked about their complaints and referred to the correct department.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
