County to listen in to make sure employees are courteous as taxpayers call

Taxpayers should expect happy voices on the other end of the telephone if they call Beaufort County offices to complain about their property tax bills.

That's because the county launched a program this week aimed at ensuring residents get good customer service -- just in time for the expected onslaught of calls when tax bills go out in about two weeks.

The program is starting with 30 phone lines -- spread among the Treasurer's, Assessor's, Auditor's and county administrator's offices -- on which calls will be recorded, according to county administrator Gary Kubic.

Employees know which lines are being monitored, Kubic said. The software cost about $25,000 and allows for recorded lines to be switched and rotated throughout the departments.

Residents will hear a message similar to those played by banks or credit card companies, informing them their call could be monitored for quality assurance, Kubic said.

"We picked these areas simply because tax bills that will be going out soon are generated in these areas," he said. "Eventually, we'll introduce the program into other high-volume areas throughout the county so high standards will be maintained with all my staff."

Calls on each line will be recorded by a computer and stored until they are reviewed. Kubic said responsibility for monitoring the system will fall primarily upon him and that the assessor, auditor and treasurer also can listen to them.

He considers the recordings public information.

"We have a lot of complaints about people not being as professional as they should be," Kubic said. "At times, we have citizens who are emotional, and at times, we have staff who respond emotionally. You may be satisfied with the answer or not, but it's the process. It's the consistency. It's the respect and the professionalism that I'm trying to encourage staff members to follow."

Treasurer Joy Logan -- whose office accepts and processes tax payments -- said Thursday her line is set up to be monitored, as are the phones of other supervisors and lower-level employees.

"Quite frankly, it's working very well," Logan said. "I think it's excellent. It provides us with a better handle on our customer service."

Assessor Ed Hughes, whose office is handling thousands of appeals from property owners who disagree with the reassessed values of their homes, agreed.

"It brings forward to this community, our taxpayers, the business of this county," he said.

Auditor Sharon Burris said she also welcomes the call-monitoring.

Property tax bills are generated and mailed by the Auditor's Office. Files were sent early this week to the county's vendor, which prints and mails the bills -- a process that normally takes two weeks but could be faster this year, Burris said.

"It gives us an opportunity to be able to dispute with somebody who calls and says they got bad service or rude behavior," Burris said. "If there was rude behavior, it's easily checked. If there wasn't, it's also easily checked."

By the numbers

Phone lines that will be monitored

• Treasurer's Office: 10 lines

• Auditor's Office: 9 lines

• Assessor's Office: 8 lines

• County administrator's office: 2 lines

• To be assigned: 1 line