May 22, 2009
Contact: Liz Bahrns
Desiree Wolfe
(703)792-6600
Development Services Announces
Customer Bill of Rights
Prince William County Development Services Agencies are pleased to announce the adoption of the Customer Bill of Rights. The Customer Bill of Rights will be signed on Thursday May 28, 2009, at 10:30 a.m. in the atrium of the Development Services Building, 5 County Complex Ct. County Executive Craig Gerhart, Assistant County Executive Susan Roltsch and department directors involved in the development process will sign the document.
In November 2008, the county formed a task force to create the Customer Bill of Rights to document and formalize Prince William County’s commitment to address the customers’ desired outcomes of the development process. The Customer Bill of Rights addresses those outcomes of consistency, predictability and timeliness, and is part of the county’s ongoing efforts to streamline the process. The task force was made up of both customers and county staff from development services, public works, planning, transportation, fire & rescue and information technology.
In November of 2006, the county opened the development services building that brought the seven agencies involved in the development process together to create a ‘one stop shop’ for development customers. In July of 2008, the department of development services was formed to bring the land development division and the building development division together as a single entity. At the same time, development services put in place the new business process of project facilitation that promotes a partnership approach and provides a single point of contact to the customer for their project.
The Customer Bill of Rights reads as follows:
Customer Bill of Rights
1. Customers have the right to access initial information, checklists, process flowcharts, applications and FAQs that are easily and readily available in consistent locations.
2. Customers have the right to a timely and thorough review of their project, after providing a complete submission, and shall be provided concise comments with the Code section referenced or noted as recommendations.
3. Customers have the right to be provided appropriate contact information for internal staff members and external agencies to allow for follow up communication.
4. Customers have the right to access project comments and status via phone, mail and/or web.
5. Customers have the right to consistent application and interpretation of rules, policies and procedures.
6. Customers have the right to reasonable advance notification of changes in policies, procedures, interpretations and regulations with a grace period prior to full implementation.
7. Customers have the right to provide input during policy development and shall be provided a channel to make constructive improvement recommendations.
8. Customers have the right to a consistent team throughout the project whenever possible.
9. Customers have the right to a response or acknowledgement from staff of all inquiries by close of the next business day.
10. Customers have the right to rely on documented commitments/agreements made throughout the process.
11. Customers have the right to a predictable and timely development process based on published performance standards.
12. Customers have the right to a defined hierarchy of authority with access to the most appropriate person available to make decisions on issues.
