News Release Archive
BUSINESS/CONSUMER SERVICES--CUSTOMER DRIVEN SERVICE ----------------------------------------------------------------- Recent customer service improvements at the Registry of Motor Vehicles are paying off. A recent survey indicates that customers are satisfied with service at the registry and that line-ups are shorter. The improvements are due to the registry's Customer Driven Service campaign, through which the RMV is changing the way it does business. "The good old days of eight-hour line-ups at the Registry of Motor Vehicles are definitely behind us," said Business and Consumer Services Minister Sandy Jolly. "And service will continue to improve as we integrate customer feedback into our programs and delivery mechanisms. Providing innovative and convenient services to Nova Scotians is what this department is all about." Survey statistics, collected in September at RMV offices throughout the province, show that more than 82 per cent of the 1,761 walk-in respondents rated customer service as very good. Service was rated in terms of attentiveness, friendliness, knowledge and professionalism. Three-quarters of the people surveyed rated the speed of service as very good and more than 60 per cent were waited on in under five minutes. The Customer Driven Service campaign has implemented a number of initiatives including extended hours in all 13 RMV locations. Offices are now open until 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. To improve service to metro residents, a new RMV office will open in Dartmouth in 1997. The expiry date on drivers' licences has been changed to reflect the holder's birthday so that renewals are staggered throughout the month and not concentrated at month-end. Permits for cars and light commercial vehicles have been lengthened to two years. And when it is time to renew, owners have a variety of options. Instead of the traditional visit to a registry office, they can mail in or drop off their renewal for processing on the next business day. In addition, a Switch Lines campaign has been launched to encourage vehicle owners to avoid the line-up by switching to a telephone renewal service. The registry is also improving service to its business customers. It will soon be cutting the paperwork in half for more than 1,300 motor vehicle inspection station operators by introducing a streamlined administrative process -- the first of its kind in Canada. To improve service to car dealers and buyers, RMV now provides on-site service at the Canadian Auction Group automobile auction in Dartmouth on a weekly basis. Changes in registration are finalized before the customer leaves the lot. "Department-wide, customer satisfaction is our priority," said Ms. Jolly. "The RMV survey indicated that our efforts are being noticed and they also highlighted ways in which we can improve. We're taking those suggestions seriously and hope to further develop both our access channels and the taking our service to our customers approach." -30- Contact: David MacNeil 902-424-2933 trp Dec. 18, 1996 - 1:20 p.m.