Using Qmatic solutions, the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles managed to decrease its wait times by 42 percent while the number of customers rose by 22 percent.
The Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles delivers a wide range of services - issuing drivers licenses, vehicle registrations and license plates in the Silver State. Being in a people-focused business, it’s vital for the department to be proactive and have a customer-centric focus, especially when having hundreds of thousands of people visiting the DMV offices each year.
The road to a better citizen journey
The previous system that Nevada DMV used experienced issues with its reporting tools, which delayed the DMV’s response to increases in walk-in and appointment customers. Not only did this increase the wait time but frustrated employees and hampered productivity. As a result, the Nevada DMV needed to modernize its citizen journey to meet the demands of their citizens and provide a better customer experience.
“We just knew we wanted to improve the customer and staff experience. We were in situations during busy times in prior years in our Las Vegas offices where we could easily see 4-5 hour wait times,” said Field Services Administrator, Tonya Laney. “That almost always translated to being in the papers or on the news as not being able to serve our customers timely. It was stressful for staff and customers alike. We knew that if we could direct some of the traffic into the DMV at times where we have better coverage, we could better manage the unknown waves of customers coming in at will without an appointment.“
Real-time data equals greater flexibility
In its commitment to meet the ever-changing need of its citizens, Nevada DMV explored different options for the agency to improve its services. The agency understood that a solution that would provide real-time data for its 18 different offices was needed to be able to focus its resources where the data showed it was needed most. In December 2018, the DMV contracted Qmatic and received a solution that would manage appointments, decrease wait times and provide real-time data.
After the implementation of Qmatic’s Customer Journey Management solution, the DMV was able to track transaction data in near real time and staff to adjust as needed to the data. This enabled greater flexibility for the agency, which made it possible to spot bottlenecks and other problems.
“Reporting was a main factor for us, to see what our techs are doing, what types of appointments are taking up the available slots, who do we need to target to get the word out about appointments, and where do we need to focus our attention to address another way to serve the public,” said Laney. “Being able to drill down to the transaction level to determine additional training or staffing needs is a huge benefit. We can address red flags we are seeing before they become issues for the customer or staff.”
42 percent decrease in wait time
A year after the Customer Journey Management solution from Qmatic was employed, the department was able to demonstrate significant results. From October 2019 through December 2019, the department’s six largest offices in Carson City, Las Vegas and Reno, served 436,832 walk-in customers with an average wait of 40 minutes. Over the same period in 2018, the DMV served 356,075 walk-ins with an average wait of 69 minutes. The numbers made it clear that the department had successfully decreased the average wait time for walk-in customers by 42 percent while the number of customers rose by 22 percent.
Director of DMV credits Qmatic
The Director of Nevada DMV, Julie Butler credited Qmatic’s Customer Journey Management system for the decreased wait times. "I'm very pleased with these decreased wait times and the performance of both our new system and our staff," Butler said. "The DMV team is committed to serving our customers as efficiently as possible and we’re doing just that. We will continue to look for innovative ways to serve the motoring public in the years ahead."
The significant drop in wait time was also recognized by Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, “As Nevada’s population continues to grow, we must think creatively about ways to deliver more government services with fewer resources, and the DMV has risen to that challenge by working tirelessly to decrease average wait times by nearly half an hour for customers across Nevada,” stated Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak. “Many Nevadans, myself included, have stood in a long line at the DMV in the past, and it’s great to see the DMV implementing state-of-the-art, time-saving tools to ensure our citizens can get back to work, school, or home in as little time as possible.”
Business Intelligence increase operational efficiency and transparency
With Business Intelligence from Qmatic, the DMV office managers can now access actionable information about how well the department is working. For example, identify transactions that last longer than average and take action by providing additional assistance on a case-by-case basis. The dashboard serves as an accessible source of information that makes it easier for the agency to report its progress to the governor’s office, and to the public, which increases the transparency.
Advice to other states – look for a similar solution!
Field Services Administrator, Tonya Laney advise other states seeking to decrease wait times while accommodating a growing population to look for a similar solution.
