Summary of problem:
It is no secret that some people have experienced significant wait times when visiting one of our locations to access various Social Services programs or services. We are constantly seeking innovative solutions to managing this and making the experience more positive for citizens and employees.
How it affects the organization:
This obviously has the potential to increase any existing backlogs and create a negative or adversarial atmosphere when first encountering Guilford County government.
Current state of problem:
We currently experience an incredibly high volume of visitors each day, ranging from 800 to 1,000. People are coming in with different needs and going in different directions which makes triaging them complicated. We are currently forced to operate under the general assumption that people know why they are there, which is definitely not always true. Staff has to spend a considerable amount of time directing traffic as people enter.
Ideal state and its benefits:
Ideal situation would be one that greatly reduces lobby wait times, makes it incredibly easy to understand what programs or services potentially apply to you, provides you with what you need to start or complete the process, and connects you with someone that can help you if necessary. May be important to also focus on what we can do to help people before they ever come through our doors.