My Time at the Early Assistance Desk (EAD)

Recently, I filled in at the Early Assistance Desk (EAD).  It is temporary and I am very glad I did it. Mainly, it offered me a learning experience and sharpened my customer service skills.

EAD is located in the Prince William County Development Services building. Several other County departments are in this building, including Public Works, Neighborhood Services, Planning, Transportation, and Health.  It is a combination reception desk for these (and other departments) and triage.  A bit of explanation. First, as a reception desk.  In pre-COVID manning the EAD was easier.  When a citizen came in and wanted to go to a specific department, staff at EAD responded, “Up the stairs, to your right.” 

Now, all first and second-floor offices are closed.  So we either had to track down someone in the department or offer a phone number to the citizen to call.  This can be a challenge as our list of staff in other departments is hard to find due to so many teleworking. Thanks to the supervisor, we simply give the citizen the general department phone number to call for an appointment.  Life in COVID-19.

However, what I discovered is several, if not many citizens, tried numerous times to arrange an appointment via email and/or phone. A couple of citizens said I left several voice messages and sent numerous emails to individual staffers in the building, and no one ever followed up.  So they would come into the building thinking they could go up the stairs to the appropriate office until EAD staff stopped them. It is hard to come up with an answer to a citizen who tells you they left numerous voice messages and sent a batch of emails, and no response.

Now EAD as triage.  EAD staff work with individuals seeking permits. It can be for a patio, deck, pool, a sign, a basement finish out, etc. You get the idea.  EAD staff listen to the citizen, then route the citizen to the appropriate counter(s).  Each counter is manned by trained and knowledgeable staff. (and no, this is not sarcasim)

For example, a person building a deck can stop at three counters.  The first counter is Zoning – that tells the individual that the improvement he wants to construct can be done on his land and he will not encroach on his neighbor.  The second counter is Plan Intake.  This counter reviews all required materials. Think of it as quality control.  Finally, to the permit counter to pay for and receive a permit.  It can be a very quick process, but really depends on the number of citizens seeking permits. 

Other counters include water shed, land development, GIS, Small Business Project Management Program (SBPM), Fire Marshal, and holding (this is not a counter, more like a place holder so a citizen does not lose his place in the process).  We all know how frustrating it is to have to leave, come back, and then go to the end of the line.  We have a remedy for that, each ticket issued is time stamped. So if a citizen has to go into holding, the ticket can be reactivated and the individual goes back to his place in the que. It is a fair and efficient system (I bet that is the first time you heard those words associated with a government program). 

One asset for anyone working EAD is the set of scripts available.  Any person at either station has access to 131 scripts on a variety of topics. Basically, each script asks a question, that can take you to another question, and so on.  A sample of available scripts are residential and commercial alteration/repair; antenna and cell towers; basement finish out; carport; demolition; dock; fire alarms; group home; kennels; land disturbance; signs; occupancy permits; sheds; storage tanks; and trusses.

In the end, a citizen gets a ticket that has all their counter stops on it. All they must do is listen or look for their number.  The ticket directs the citizen to each appropriate counter.   Of course, about one in six do not necessarily follow a script exactly as written.  This is where knowledge meets experience.

Many are home owners improving their home with a deck, pool, or basement finish out.  Commercial projects must submit plans electronically. 

By and large, people are polite.  A few get frustrated with the time it can take.  As noted earlier, COVID introduced a new layer.  Before COVID, EAD staff could simply send people to any office they needed to see.  Now all departments are closed.  We continually tell walk-ins that you must make an appointment. 

A couple of examples.  I had a couple come in to see a County staffer and I gave her the phone number.  She replied with a tone indicating that she had it with County staff and that she has been working on this for three months and left repeated emails and voice messages for a specific County staffer who did not respond.  We had a man come in to report on his progress about a code violation, but no one from code enforcement answered so I took a picture of his license and the violation and then emailed it to the appropriate staffer. (sometimes you have to be inventive.

• Serving at the EAD teaches you the following:
• Honing your customer service skills.
• Listening is a vital component of a successful time at EAD.
• Knowledge and experience helps you ask the right questions when talking to a citizen.
• People will get frustrated, remember it is usually not with you.  It is because the process does not make sense, they do not understand why so many copies of certain papers are needed, or other staff simply will not respond to repeated phone calls and emails.
• Importance of having a rudimentary knowledge of the various processes (hence review the scripts).
• You get lots of unrelated questions and that is where experience can help.
• “I do not know” is a very good answer. Especially if you try to help them get an answer.
• No is an answer. (not everything can be yes).
• You have a great deal of specific knowledge every department in building.
• What is asked for as part of the permitting process is truly needed.
• Finally, you get to see what a diverse and fascinating population we have.

This continued experience teaches me the front desk people have a much harder job than the public truly realizes. It is impossible to know all the factors in building a deck or installing in a swimming pool.  So why expect these individuals at a front desk to know it.  The next time I call a business and get the EAD like desk, I will know to say my issue is this, who should I talk to.