Running Government "Like a Business"

At some point or another, you've heard someone say (or perhaps you've said) that we should be running government like a business.  We should work to maximize our revenues while minimizing unneeded expenses.  The truth is that the government provides services that private sector businesses or non-profits would not.  If they did, the cost to the person using them would limit who could use them.  But I digress.  Instead of focusing on revenues / expenses, though, government can and should operate more like a business in other ways.  Namely, through customer service efforts.  Every constituent / taxpayer is a customer - treat them like one.

Instead of getting ping-ponged throughout a building through a process that may not be familiar, more should be done to capture a constituent story and have that story follow them.  If a person is trying to get a building permit and just happens to go to the wrong department, re-telling their story several times until they talk to the right person is unnecessary and inefficient.  In retail, associates are often directed to go the extra mile - including escorting the person to the right area and helping connect them with appropriate staff. Government shouldn't be any different. 

Establishing a well-known customer service policy for the city - and putting people first - builds a trust that can't be bought but earned.  It also shouldn't be expensive.  It really is a matter of setting the policy and enacting it.  Technology can assist, but the people and process is much more important.