Page 13 - PGA Community News - October '24
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October 2024                                                             October 2024                                                  PGA C.A.N.!, Page 13
      Tax Talk




      Dear Friends:                                        “Customer service directly impacts public trust and   our meetings. The managers jokingly ask one another, WWJD:
         Our office was recently                        satisfaction. When residents interact with us, they often do so   What Would Jim Do? And the answer is: serve the client.”
      advised by the Florida                            during critical moments in their lives, original identification      He adds that an important component to success – both for
      Highway Patrol (FHP) that                         issuance, driver license testing, vehicle ownership, or   his team and for the customer experience – is recognition. “When
      they are warning drivers                          establishing a new business. Our focus on exceptional   clients leave a positive review for an employee, that feedback
      who have illegal Florida                          customer service ensures that these interactions are efficient   is passed along.”
      license plates, which have                        and respectful, which can significantly enhance the public’s      “As a leader, I think it is my responsibility to recognize my
      been altered or customized,                       perception of the government.” –  Matthew Johnson,   team for the good that they do, knowing that leads to better
      such as with air brushing                         Westlake Service Center Manager                    customer service,” says Jim.
      or vinyl wrapping. In fact,                          “The goal of our customer service is to build trust with      And what about when things are not going perfectly? Jim
      since 2020 citations for                          our clients through communication and knowledge of our   notes that, “We have a great team environment for discussing
      unlawful altered Florida                          services. We strive every day to do this by incorporating   challenges.”
      license plates have                               the LEAP principles (listening, empathizing, apologizing,      A common concern voiced by clients is the long lead time
      increased nearly 100                              problem solving) with all our interactions allowing us to   for making a reservation at one of our service centers.
      percent. FHP is being                             provide exceptional service.” – Michelle Arias, Central      “We’re researching a whole new reservation system,” Jim
      proactive in raising                              Service Center Manager                             says. “The goal is to enable us to take more clients by decreasing
      awareness of this and if                                                                             the lead time.”
      you are caught with one                           Faces Of The Tax Collector’s Office – James           Stay tuned to future editions of Tax Talk to read about
      of these customized or                            McConnell                                          improvements we are making in our service centers and across
      altered plates, you can receive a moving violation citation,                                         the agency. And keep an eye out for opportunities to learn more
      which includes a fine of $60 (plus fees) and three points on   Title: Chief Operations Officer       about our team and how we are serving you in upcoming “Faces
      your license! If you have one of these altered Florida license   Hometown: Wildwood, NJ              of the TCO” profiles!
      plates and it cannot be returned to its original condition, I   Favorite Activity: Attending various cultural events in Palm
      strongly encourage you to make a reservation to visit one   Beach County and beyond
      of our service centers to get a replacement license plate by   Favorite Food: Veal chop
      visiting www.pbctax.com/reservations.                There are more than 330
                                       Anne M. Gannon,  tax collector’s office (TCO)
                               Constitutional Tax Collector,  employees, and I thought you
                                Serving Palm Beach County  might be interested in getting
                                                        to know some of them. We
      Customer Service Appreciation Week – Going        will start with someone who
      Above And Beyond!                                 is behind the scenes, but
                                                        very much a part of your
         At our office, we make customer service our No. 1   experience as a client.
      priority! In honor of Customer Service Appreciation Week,      Jim McConnell, our chief  Jim with his shih-tzu, Charlie
      October 7 to 11, I asked a few of our service center managers   operations officer, is a member
      to share their thoughts on exceptional customer service and   of our senior leadership team, and he oversees the operation of
      here is what they had to say:                     our six service centers throughout the county. Jim is responsible
         “Exceptional client service enhances our agency’s   for approximately 200 employees who provide service to our
      reputation. Quality customer service is the distinguishing   clients, so I asked Jim how he helps ensure that our clients receive
      factor that sets us apart from other agencies. We prioritize the   exceptional customer service during each visit.
      client’s needs by being effective and empathetic.” – Brian      Jim says, “I’ve given my managers the ability to make
      Applebaum, South County Service Center Manager    decisions on their own. We talk about customer service in most of
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