V. Top 10 Customers were asked to indicate which ten services, in no particularly order, are most important to their agency. Services were ranked according how often they were selected; the following table presents the results. Rank Service N Rank Service N Rank Service N 1 Budget Policy & Analysis 720 18 Risk Management (overall) 368 35 Sate & Fed Surplus Property 162 2 Mail Services / Shuttle 618 19 Printing-Group 352 36 3 Statewide Training 616 20 Data Storage-Group 350 37 4 Facilities Ops & Maintenance 514 21 5 Labor Relations 445 22 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Classification & Compensation SW Payroll Services Legislative Coordination HR Mgmt & Consultation Fleet Management (overall) State Procurement (overall) Parking & Commuting IT Security Management 444 23 Publish. & Distrib (Overall) Statewide Price Agreements Data/IS Service Response [274] Public Affairs/Media Relations Agency Specific Procurement 159 152 317 38 Internal Audit 146 289 39 286 40 Accounting/Budgeting Shared Services Geographic Info Systems 442 24 ORPIN 259 41 Leasing 127 430 25 Economic Analysis 243 42 420 26 406 27 405 28 403 29 14 Custodial 399 31 15 Voice Services (telephone) Info Tech & Investments Computing Infrastructure Enterprise Info Security Perm. Assigned Vehicles 242 43 242 44 228 45 SW Audit & Budget Reporting Client Agency Helpdesk Services Capital Investment Budgeting Planning/Construction Mgmt 134 128 125 114 86 85 222 46 Risk Claims 72 403 30 HR IS & Services 190 47 Risk Consulting Services 70 398 32 SW Accounting & Reporting Services Client Agency Payroll Services 16 E-Government 371 33 SW Financial Mgmt 178 17 Network Management 370 34 Daily Rental Vehicles 186 48 Executive Recruitment 55 183 49 SW Facilities Planning 50 174
VI. General Qualitative Comments from Customer Survey Question A What one issue do you think the DAS organization should be paying more attention to than it has been? Overwhelmingly, customers favored a focus on better communication, improved customer service and improved performance and training standards. Sometimes we need to communicate with more than one division in DAS to accomplish a task. There are so many divisions, so many rules/procedures that steps can easily be missed causing delays in service requests. When you provide a service, recognize that it is important to understand the client's needs and assign people capable of doing the work. Statewide Training, proper training is key to an efficient state government, it was disappointing to see the cuts in an area. Additionally, many customers voiced concerns regarding both the State Data Center and Custodial, stating that more attention should be paid to the quality, value and services provided by these service areas. They were interested in seeing more streamlined processes to aid better service and communication between DAS and its customers. State Data Center and IT planning and other technology services are very poor. The industry is changing so fast and there are so [many] options that having a central location for them made sense but the sense shown in implementing them and translating them to actual services only cost the line agencies tens of [millions of] dollars more than what they were spending and yet the service is very poor [275]
Question B What is the most important thing DAS could do to improve customer services? Based on the customer feedback, it was evident that the number one thing DAS could do to improve customer service was to communicate more efficiently, openly and in a timelier manner when dealing with customer requests, feedback and policy related decisions. Communicate better and really listen to outside agencies that may actually have a better, more cost effective way of doing things. Provide more information about why DAS is doing some things. We don't understand the logic behind the steps they are taking. DAS tells us they are closing the Portland motor pool but not why they took that step or how employees in Portland are supposed to do their jobs with no car. In addition, there is a concern regarding the level of training staff receives as well as the overall quality of service provided by the State Data Center and Facilities. Overall, customers are interested in a more streamlined system that is flexible and puts their needs first. Provide onsite training about services provided and the best fit for our agency needs. Appear less bureaucratic; understand and value flexibility when it comes to making smart decisions w/taxpayer funds [276]
Question C What is the most important thing your division or DAS could do to reduce inefficiencies (e.g. time-consuming procedures that appear to add little value, unnecessary steps to get things done, etc.) and waste? Customers are calling for more communication and collaboration for policies or programs that affect them. It appears that many customers feel completely isolated from DAS. Customers also noted problems with poor-performing employees or those that do not have adequate training to do their jobs. Do a customer analysis and listen to the data. One size does not fit all. Give agencies better guidelines or explanations of procedures we must follow. Retain experienced staff, hold staff accountable for regular and routine errors (that don't improve with training). Provide better training. Human Resource technology and policy improvements were also present in the customer survey comments. Customers called for a better organizing system or for work to be contracted out if DAS did not have appropriate services to fulfill the need. Customers also felt that DAS micromanaged their agencies and that they do not have enough discretion to make their own agencies function efficiently. In addition, some customers felt that if there was some type of quality control or performance program implemented, they might be able to take care of issues before they reached DAS. Don't duplicate services that can be accessed faster and more inexpensively through the private sector. Cut out some of the levels of government so that not everyone has to approve each thing. Delegate functions to agencies that have the demonstrated capacity to adequately perform those functions. [277]
Customers also seem pretty frustrated with the current system for procurement or the lack of control over their own individual budget items. A number of customers asked that the price threshold be raised so that they could execute more timely decisions on behalf of their agencies. Customers also advocated for process improvement analysis to identify inefficiencies. This mostly included third party evaluations or at least an evaluation of the forms and policies currently in effect. DAS procurement rules are cumbersome and poorly written. They could be simplified greatly. Allow offices the flexibility to purchase items that are not on contract when cheaper items are found. Identify what needs to be fixed, prioritize these items and get them done, involving other agency professionals. Less complicated paperwork. One of the largest areas for feedback in the Customer Survey concerned the restructuring of DAS. Most of the comments were negative and indicated that DAS is larger than it needs to be. Technology was also another major category for improvement in efficiency. Electronic forms, resources on the web, and better data systems were high on the list. Disband the agency in general and have a very small number of employees to provide true oversight. DAS does not need to have so many employees that provide little to no value. The attitude I have seen is "we are DAS so you have to do what we say"...even if it has no benefit or value to a specific agency. Go electronic in as many processes as possible. Clean up the issues with the data center. [278]
Question D Use this space to write any other comments that you would like to make. Due to the open nature of this question, no dominate theme was apparent. However, several respondents did raise concerns about communication and accountability. Some respondents also used this space to address concerns about specific services. DAS has started making (bad) unilateral Public Policy decisions without consulting program delivery agencies (State and County) and Judicial (the third leg in our form of government (remember them). Policy directives come out of DAS without input or feedback from the staff implementing the policies. Too much is expected from too few staff. I am extremely disappointed in the SDC. What a waste of money A number of respondents also addressed concerns about specific processes and agency leadership. DAS needs to get out of their box and learn what other agencies are doing and adapt to other agency needs. Stop dictating! DAS is not always the expert or always correct in their decision making. There are some great, talented and very dedicated exceptional professionals at DAS however collectively the agency struggles with identity, internal turf battles, and the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. There seems to be a large leadership void and during the past year when times have been tough and so much could have been done, the agency just sat by and waited for things to get better. They haven't and DAS is doing little to nothing to improve the reputation, morale, and courage of state government. [279]
In addition, several respondents commented on the survey. This survey was too detailed for the kind of position most employees are in. It should have been targeted at key positions. I don't even know what most of the divisions are, and their names are arcane. This survey is too long. this survey was way too long [280]