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GCN Home > 10/11/04 issue

User feedback keeps services on the move

By Richard W. Walker, GCN Staff

Maine secretary of state Dan Gwadosky wants to change the relationship people enjoy with government—emphasis on the word enjoy.

His office has put numerous citizen and business services online to make state and local requirements less burdensome.

When his department launches new services at SOSonline.org, which users can reach through the state’s Maine.gov site, staff members follow up by surveying users about their experience conducting transactions.

The driver’s license Rapid Renewal is one of the most popular services, Gwadosky said.

Users surveyed said they liked the fact that they didn’t have to take time off from work or wait in line.

Among the user comments the state has received about the online services:
  • ”As a mother of four, the less time I have to spend running errands and waiting in lines, the happier we all are. A true time-saver and makes my job easier.”
  • ”Fast and Easy! After going through countless phone calls to try to track down where I could have misplaced my license, it was refreshing to find such an easy process to get a replacement.”
  • ”For a full-time worker, being able to update and renew a driver’s license saved me from taking a vacation day to wait in line at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.”
Users said they became aware of the online option from mailings, news articles and online search engines, reflecting the importance Gwadosky sees in broadly marketing the services. They also said they would recommend the service to their friends.



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