Last year, as part of Department of Administration’s Strategic Planning initiative, my team at Facility Management (FM) brainstormed about ways that we could increase efficiency and lower costs. We have lost several positions in recent years due to budget cuts, but the volume of service requests has only increased. It was vital that we find a better way to manage our workload.
It didn’t take long before we agreed that our current work order model, which relied on too much paper forms and phone calls, needed to be modernized. Thanks in large part to our DOA colleagues at Management Information Systems, FM launched the new Customer Work Request (CWR) system on July 27.
Just 10 business days later, we had logged 194 requests for service, everything from replacing light bulbs and basic bathroom maintenance to HVAC repairs or plumbing leaks. The CWR system tracks tasks from start to finish, and ensures that no logged request for service can fall through a virtual crack.
These online requests accounted for about 64 percent of the total 303 service requests received during the period, which we view as a positive response to the new system. This is especially notable given that, to date, just 74 of 266 building coordinators have asked for and received a username and password.
We will continue to encourage building coordinators to transition to CWR with the eventual goal of using the format exclusively for the submission of service orders. We ask that all state agencies join us by switching to the new method as soon as possible. Feel free to use that old-fangled phone on your desk if you have any questions or need help getting started.