MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Sometimes, the smallest changes have the largest impact. This is the case for the 6th Force Support Squadron’s ID card office at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida.
MacDill serves one of the biggest military populations in terms of active-duty service members, reservists, dependents, retirees, and contractors. The 6th FSS ID card office helps customers with common access cards, dependent IDs, reserve IDs, retiree IDs, and Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System (DEERs) updates.
In the past, the 6th FSS ID card office dedicated most of its resources to scheduled appointments. However, out of the three offices on base that issue IDs, the 6th FSS ID card office is the only place that allows walk-in customers.
“Before we made any changes, I use to be apprehensive about working the front desk,” said Senior Airman Krystal Olivieri, a customer service technician with the 6th FSS ID card office. “I felt walk-in customers would often blame the front desk person for not being helped in a timely fashion.”
The longer wait times resulted in numerous complaints from customers, and increased tension on Airmen.
When Olivieri first arrived at MacDill AFB in March 2017, the ID card office had nine terminals dedicated to assisting customers, but only had six Airmen to man them. One of the solutions was bringing in more personnel. Now the 6th FSS ID card office has 12 Airmen.
“Increased manning has played a big part in our increased efficiency,” said Olivieri. “It’s much easier when we can use all of our terminals to help as many people as possible.”
Despite adding more Airmen, walk-in customers were still experiencing longer wait times. In response to this lingering problem, the 6th FSS employed a system freeing up its schedule to accommodate more walk-in customers, and ultimately, to assist as many customers as possible.
As a result, the transition has been met with positive feedback by the community and the 6th FSS personnel.
“Before the new implementations, our office would help around 150 to 170 people per day and now, we are averaging around 240 customers per day,” said Tech. Sgt. Bryan Karason, the section chief of customer service assigned to the 6th FSS ID card office. “Our Airmen are less stressed, our customers have responded positively and we are running more efficiently at the same time.”
According to the 6th FSS ID card office data metrics for all its customers, walk-in customers are now being taken care of at an average of 34 minutes from start to finish.
The ID card office assists scheduled appointments from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and walk-in customers can receive assistance from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m Monday through Friday. Also, the first Saturday of each month is open to only walk-in customers between 8 a.m. and noon. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, call 813-828-6673 or visit www.macdillfss.com/.