4.2. SR 03-12-2001Kiver
MEMORANDUM
Item # 4.2.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Economic Development Authority
Mayor and City Council
Pat Klaers, City Admini~t~.~r
March 12, 2001
Marketing Project - Customer Service Process
As one of the managers of the city funds I go to great lengths to ensure that we get a quality
product for our expenditures and that we don't overpay for anything. On the other hand, I
also believe that we should pay a fair amount for services that we receive.
We are nearing the completion of a successful work project on improving how we provide
customer service to our clients. The emphasis has been on economic development and how a
prospect/client moves through the various city departments in order to get to the final
product, which hopefully will be the opening of their business in a new facility. While the
emphasis has been on business park prospects, the benefits of understanding on how staff
needs to work together and how interdependent staff members are upon each other for input
and work in order to better serve any of our customers has been invaluable. By going through
this process with Dukor and Associates, Inc. as the consultants, I feel confident that we will
not repeat any of the mistakes that we have experienced in the past in dealing with developers
or clients and that we are going to be much more efficient and professional in the treatment of
all of our future customers. The customer service process has been a lot of work for the team
(Michelle McPherson, Pat Klaers, Lori Johnson, Mark Nevinski, Cathy Mehelich, Steve Rolfe,
Bryan Adams, and Terry Maurer) and we have invested a lot of time in and out of meetings in
this process but I think that in the long run the city is going to be the winner as a result of this
project.
When Anita Dukor submitted her original proposal to me for the customer service work it
was for $20,500 for a complete and thorough project that included 22 hours in staff team
meetings. After reviewing the original proposal, staff indicated that the number of hours in
meeting could be greatly reduced, some of the work items could be eliminated, and that staff
could do some of the "leg work" outside of the meetings. The approved proposal was for
$15,500 and included 14 hours of team meeting time.
At this time in the project we are already at over 20 hours of meeting time with one more staff
meeting to be held in April. Additionally, Anita has spent many more hours than originally
envisioned working with our Team Coordinator, Michelle McPherson, and the overall project
has involved more consultant time than the original proposal envisioned. I believe that the
extra hours required by the consultant has been due to staff issues.
The fee for this project was split 50-50 between City Council and EDA. It is suggested that
the EDA pay the consultant an additional $2,500 for the customer service project by way of
using its reserve and that the City Council pay an additional $2,500 by using contingency
funds.
I should note that Anita Dukor, as the consultant for this project, has not requested any
additional money. Also, I want to note that writing this type of memo is pretty unusual for me
as I generally believe a "deal is a deal" but in the sense of fair play, I think we owe Anita some
additional compensation for her services
Action Requested
It is recommended that the EDA use its reserves and the City Council use its contingency
fund to each pay an additional $2,500 for the customer service project.