Fewer of D.C.'s 311 calls answered quickly
By: Michael Neibauer
Examiner Staff Writer
October 26, 2009
The District's communications office is answering less than two-thirds of all 311 calls within 30 seconds, falling well below its objectives and leaving many callers to wait -- or simply hang up.
Under the Fenty administration, 311 has become the standard public information line for all questions about the D.C. government, whether for trash pickup, a pothole, substance abuse help or a dark street light.
But the wait to get through to the Office of Unified Communications is growing.
According to data collected by the Office of the City Administrator, the percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds fell from 86.5 percent in fiscal 2008 to 60.7 percent in the first quarter of 2009, 71.8 percent in the second quarter and 62.2 percent in the third. Mafara Hobson, spokeswoman for Mayor Adrian Fenty, said 75 percent of all calls for the year were answered in 30 seconds.
The objective for fiscal 2009 was 85 percent.
"It's terrible," said D.C. Councilman Phil Mendelson, chairman of the public safety committee and a staunch critic of OUC Director Janice Quintana. "That's roughly 30 rings. That's painful to sit on the phone for 30 rings when you're trying to reach the government."
The OUC is answering 911 public safety calls within five seconds 96 percent of the time, according to the most recent statistics.
It is possible, Mendelson said, that Quintana has shifted 311 call-takers to 911 to keep those numbers up. Or, he said, low morale among OUC staff may be having "consequential problems."
The mayor's call center handled 2.7 million 311 calls in fiscal 2009, an increase of 500,000 over the year before, Hobson said. Roughly 14.7 percent were abandoned by the caller before they could be answered.
In the coming year, Hobson said, the call center will continue to "hire the best customer service representatives," explore new electronic methods of handling calls and "encourage callers to use the online customer service center and contact 311 during off-peak hours."
"It's hit-or-miss," said Mindy Moretti, an Adams Morgan advisory neighborhood commissioner who calls 311 occasionally. "I think it really depends on what time of day you're calling."
Fenty rolled out his new 911-311 system in early 2008. Residents now dial 911 for any public safety need -- emergency or not -- and 311 for anything else.
mneibauer@washingtonexaminer.com
