In the modern world, where time is valued above all else, public service centers (PSCs) play an increasingly important role in the life of society. They are designed to simplify and speed up the process of obtaining various public services, making them accessible to every citizen.
One of the effective tools for optimizing the work of the PSCs is zoning. This system involves dividing the space for receiving applications into zones, taking into account the complexity and duration of the services provided.
This initiative was implemented by the Ministry of Justice in cooperation with the European Union and UNDP within the framework of the joint project “Improving the provision of public services and increasing the level of governance in rural areas of Uzbekistan”.
Advantages of zoning
- Reducing waiting time: Zoning allows the PSCs to effectively distribute the workload of employees, directing clients to the appropriate zones depending on their requests. This leads to a significant reduction in waiting time in line, making the process of receiving services more comfortable and faster.
- Improving the quality of service: Dividing services into zones allows the PSCs to specialize employees, which, in turn, improves the quality of service. Specialists working in each zone thoroughly know the features of each service, which allows them to answer customers’ questions and solve their problems faster and more accurately.
- Improved navigation: Zoning simplifies the navigation process in the CSC for customers. Clear signs and information boards help visitors easily find the zone they need without wasting time searching.
- Reduced psychological stress: Waiting in line can be stressful for many people. Zoning allows separating customer flows, creating a calmer and more comfortable atmosphere in each zone.
- Resource savings: Zoning helps the CSC optimize the use of space, resources and personnel, making their work more efficient and cost-effective.
- Improved image: Improving the quality of service and creating comfortable conditions for visitors forms a positive image of government agencies.
- Data collection: Zoning allows collecting more accurate data on service times, peak loads and population needs, which helps to further improve the work of the CSC.
- An inventory and classification of services was conducted: all services provided by the State Service Centers were identified and classified by complexity and duration.
What was done to successfully implement the zoning format in the State Service Centers:
- Service times were determined: the average time required to perform each service was recorded.
- Processes were standardized and documented: service standards were developed and implemented for each zone.
- A queue management system was implemented to distribute visitors by zones and control service times.
- Personnel were trained to work in accordance with the new zoning system.
Over the short period of using the zoning format in the Centers, the average waiting time for each visitor was reduced by 10 minutes and the average number of services provided per day was doubled (from 250 to 580).
Zoning is not just a change in the location of tables and signs. It is a comprehensive approach to optimizing the work of the State Service Centers, aimed at improving the quality of service to the population and the efficiency of government agencies.
The introduction of zoning in Government Service Centres is a step towards creating a more comfortable, customer-oriented and modern system for providing government services.