"Busy Hoosiers finally have a more reliable way to predict how much time to allow for a visit to their local license branch," said Daniels. "This adds a convenience factor that BMV customers want and deserve."
Visit times, calculated from the time a customer checks in with a branch employee to the time the customer pays the transaction fees, are posted for all full-service, partial-service and satellite branches. Commissioner Stiver pointed out that the estimated current visit times, displayed in 5-minute ranges, provide valuable information to help customers make an informed decision about when and where to conduct their BMV transactions. The new service is an enhancement to the agency's average monthly visit time service, introduced in 2006. While monthly average times are helpful, they are often not a clear indication of how busy a branch is at a particular point in time.
Daniels and Stiver also dedicated the new Vincennes license branch. The state-of-the-art facility is located at 2031 Hart Street. The 3,000 square-foot office increases the number of customer service terminals from six to nine, including the addition of an expeditor position. It also provides a public restroom, which was not available at the former branch. In 2006, more than 62,000 customer transactions were conducted at the Vincennes branch.
A significant focus on better customer service in branches, along with the introduction of service at non-branch sites, have paid off, according to Stiver. Average BMV-calculated visit times for Vincennes branch customers improved from 17 minutes in June 2006 to 10 minutes in June 2007. With three new customer service representatives, Stiver predicted even more improvements in customer visit times.
Daniels and Stiver announced a pilot program last month to offer vehicle registration and title services in select auto dealerships. The program is aimed at reducing traffic in branches and providing faster visit times for customers who need to visit a branch for more complicated transactions. Currently, 30 dealerships have signed up for the program, with 12 currently operational and offering BMV services.
