MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 6th Force Support Squadron identification card section was named the highest performing Department of the Air Force team in their field for the 2023 fiscal year.
With more than 40,000 ID cards produced, the 6th FSS ID card team dominated their closest competitor by more than 15,000. Leading the charge was Tech Sgt. Chauncey Griffin and Staff Sgt. Christopher Cobb, 6th FSS military personnel flight site security managers.
Over the last six months, the duo has transformed the office into the multi-capable team working today. According to Cobb, by focusing their efforts on efficiency and customer service, the team was able to create an atmosphere that was positive for both the customer and the Airmen.
“The biggest change that we’ve made was bringing in a different leadership style for the Airmen,” Cobb said. “We’ve started to take a more hands-on role in management, and we’ve looked to them for feedback.”
The duo started by honing their focus on service members, ensuring the process is quick and prioritizes active-duty service members. The goal was to alleviate unnecessary stress on uniformed personnel, giving them the space to focus on their mission.
“Traditionally, people had to take an entire day off of work just to get a new ID, but we thought that really wasn’t fair to our customers,” Griffin said. “Our whole job is to try to get people in and out in a quick and efficient manner. We want to get things right the first time, while still providing good customer service.”
After solidifying methods for providing services to their core customer, the team shifted their focus towards efficiency. Their first big change was a complete restructuring of their sign-in procedures.
“Over the course of six months, we started a new sign-in process that has been huge for our ability to see customers,” Cobb said. “The old sign-in had a cost associated with it and required more from our personnel. Now, we’ve eliminated the cost and we’ve expanded the number of customers we can see from 550 to 750 per week.”
With a simple shift to an online sign-in, the team was able to create an entirely new customer reception protocol, freeing time for their frontline Airmen and allowing for more time to focus on making the customer’s overall experience positive.
Next, the duo focused on syncing their protocols with agencies outside their walls. Commander’s support staff are embedded within individual units, each with separate in-processing requirements for their Airmen.
Griffin took on the responsibility to develop an open dialogue between units and the centralized military personnel flight, streamlining the “gaining” process for the entire installation.
“This has been a game changer because we’re now able to gain service members within their first 24 hours on the base,” Griffin said.
Over the course of six months, the team completely redeveloped their procedures for military personnel. Now, according to Cobb, the duo is looking towards their retirees, civilians and dependents to tackle their next challenge.
“What we’re working on now is navigating the process of installing a new sign-in for our regular or non-military customers,” Cobb said. “We’re working to mimic the system seen in the [MacDill] pharmacy so we can reduce the learning curve.”
According to Griffin, the new system is inspired by the current medical system and is designed to synchronize procedures across the installation. The updated reception software would still prioritize military personnel but would completely free Airmen to focus on helping their customers.
The team’s improvements haven't gone unnoticed. According to Cobb, a recent survey revealed that the ID card office’s customer satisfaction rate is up 24% in the last six months, reflecting a 98% positive customer experience.
The 6th FSS ID card office is just one example of units across MacDill embracing and localizing Gen. Charles Q. Brown’s “Accelerate Change or Lose” ideology. The 6th Air Refueling Wing is dedicated to creating more efficient practices on the home front to ensure the nation’s ability to deploy and sustain military forces, deterring our adversaries and assuring their allies and partners.