On the Road to Better Business Journal

Dec. 3, Tallahassee, FL

Today’s “On the Road to Better Business” in Tallahassee marked the conclusion of a five-month initiative to enhance business practices through end-user feedback. I traveled to five district offices across the state over the past five months, met with nearly 100 licensees and consumers and spent countless hours updating and improving DBPR business practices as a result of the meetings.

In late August, Governor Crist directed his agency heads to help stimulate Florida’s economy, through an initiative called “Accelerate Florida: Extending Florida's Economic Horizons.” We were charged with cutting through red tape and getting out of the way of business while keeping the safety of citizens and visitors the top priority. “On the Road to Better Business” was designed to obtain end-user feedback in order to identify shortcomings and devise solutions.

Based on anonymous surveys completed by attendees, 100 percent of attendees appreciated the opportunity to meet with me one-on-one and felt that their input would help DBPR improve customer service. “On the Road to Better Business” attendees also provided the following comments about their experience.

“The end-user is the person using the customer service the most. Sometimes things look great in theory, but in practice it’s not quite efficient. I feel like changes are on the way and appreciate being able to help with input.”

“This is exactly what you need to get input from the customer to improve processes that help everyone work more effectively and efficiently. Keep up the good job. I look forward to seeing the improvement.”

When we began, I was optimistic about the outcome but unsure about what to expect because this initiative was the first of its kind at DBPR. I have been so pleased with the willingness of our licensees and consumers to come and share their ideas. The feedback they have provided is invaluable as we move forward and make improvements in our processes.