Motor vehicle line driving you nuts? Guv eyes refunds

Notorious wait to get a license spurs novel idea

Steven K. Paulson, Associated Press

Published October 20, 2007 at midnight

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THORNTON - It worked for Wendy's and it worked for Chrysler - a money-back satisfaction guarantee. Can Colorado offer the same at its Division of Motor Vehicles, notorious for understaffing and long lines?

Inspired by the Wendy's and Chrysler examples, some in Gov. Bill Ritter's administration think so. Ritter is considering a proposal to offer residents discounts - or full rebates - on their driver's license if state workers don't deliver on time.

How it would work is up in the air, and Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer cautions that it's "just an idea that may go nowhere." But it comes as Ritter studies dozens of ways to improve efficiency in government.

William Horny, an 80-year- old retired government worker from Broomfield, said he found it a good idea. He also said it could be expensive.

"He's going to lose a lot of money," Horny said after waiting in a DMV line for more than an hour to get a state identity card. A streaming message sign urged customers, "Please be patient. We are so few and there are so many of you."

Stung by recession, the state closed 25 driver's license bureaus in 2002 and 2003 to save $800,000. People complained when they had to wait three hours or more to get a license. So this year, the state reopened three bureaus in Adams, Jefferson and Larimer counties and hired 25 more workers at existing locations. It also raised the price for a license from $16 to $20.40.

Republican House Minority Leader Mike May, of Parker, said he doubts a money-back guarantee or discount would work because there simply aren't enough employees. He said the state would be better off hiring more workers and opening license bureaus at night and on weekends.

"People don't want $10 off. They want their driver's license," May said.

The National Conference of State Legislatures said some states offer incentives to employees to improve customer service but that Colorado's proposal was the first it was aware of to offer customer incentives.

Policy analysts for state lawmakers said Wendy's and Chrysler LLC have similar policies, and Colorado set up a quality management program under former Gov. Roy Romer that focused on the use of Internet kiosks to improve government services. It had limited success.

Denny Lynch, spokesman for Wendy's, said founder Dave Thomas, when he opened his first restaurant in 1969, offered customers their money back if they didn't like the food.

The offer still stands, even though it isn't advertised.

Chrysler offered a 30-day return policy in July and August last year. It deemed it a success after fewer than 1 percent of 330,000 car buyers took up the offer. The company said it would consider doing it again.

Lynch said people expect customer service, and he believes that approach can be adopted by state government.

Ritter said he has received 12,000 suggestions from state employees on how to save.

Elizabeth Hanrahan, of Thornton, waiting for her daughter-in-law to get a license, laughed when asked how Ritter could make government more efficient. She had been waiting more than half an hour, watching a ticker spit out such tidbits as the fact that coriander gives frankfurters their flavor, the Blarney Stone is made of limestone and Fairview is the No. 1 name for communities in the United States.

"I like the idea of refunds, but I also like the idea of keeping offices open at night," Hanrahan said. "People can't get here unless they take time off."

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