My DMV Revelation

Quiz: What is the most horrible customer service experience known to man? I'll give you a moment to think about it.

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The DMV, right?! It’s almost a joke, but I distinctly remember that the last time I was at the DMV, not only did I wait for hours, but when I finally spoke to someone, they treated me like I was an imposition on their time, and that they hated every second of having to talk to customers. I have been saying for years that the people at the DMV just hate their jobs and it shows. Going to the DMV is far worse than going to the dentist.

Since then, however, someone in California has been innovating. Last week, I discovered that I had been driving around with a license that expired almost a year and a half ago. I had to go to the DMV. I went to a new DMV License Processing Center in San Jose, which was recommended to me by a friend. It was a revelation.

This DMV was huge, and the entire mega-center was devoted to one thing: driver’s license processing. Right inside the entrance, several people are cheerfully greeting people who come in. “What can I help you with today?” I explained to the man what I needed, he pulled a form out of his mobile file cart, and told me which line to take it to when I was done with it. That line had no wait. That person processed my form and gave me a number.

In the waiting area were several large monitors that showed which numbers were being served at which windows, and what upcoming numbers were. This was very reassuring. And in less than two minutes, my number was up. The next person processed me, I paid the fee, read a few lines on an eye chart. Then I was given a slip of paper with a barcode on it and directed to the camera line. Again, there was no wait. I took a picture, and that person directed me to a bank of computer carrels to take my “written” test. Each computer had a barcode scanner, so I scanned my paper and used the touch screen to take the multiple choice test. Once you chose an answer, it indicated whether it was right or wrong. When I was done, I stood up and someone was there helping people. He directed me to the next line, where I handed my form in and got an interim license. The whole process took about twenty minutes.

As I was reading The Ten Faces of Innovation, I realized how much of what we read about was implemented in this new DMV center. Compared to the old centers, this place was not even recognizable. This is the DMV?

Look how many innovations were made:

-Set Design: OK, it’s not a spa, but it’s huge and spacious and clean. And since this center does only one thing, the whole place is more efficient.
-Caregiving: People at the door to greet you! Oh, you need this form, I’ll just whip it out here. People at the computers to help you!
-Caregiving: If you have to wait, at least you can see what the status of the wait is.
-Experience: I was bounced to six different stations, but each had almost no wait and seamlessly got my information and did what I needed. It felt very efficient.
-Experience: Computers were used very effectively. Remember the days when you were handed a paper test and a clipboard? They didn’t try to computerize the entire process, just the part that made the most sense and produced the most efficiencies for everyone.

Some wonderful Anthropologist fixed almost everything wrong with the old DMV. This experience has made me completely change the way I think about the DMV. Not that we have any choices, but now if I have a license issue, I will totally not dread going to take care of it.