LTC 200-2024 Development Permitting Service Excellence initiativeMIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
LTC# LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
Honorable Mayor Steven Meiner and Members of the City Commission
Rickele wams, Interim city Mana@er 9/t_)
May 23, 2024
Development Permitting Service Excellence initiative
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) is to inform the Mayor and Commission of the
service delivery initiatives by the development/permitting departments (Building, Environmental &
Sustainability, Fire, Parking, Planning, and Public Works) and announce the upcoming Service
Excellence initiative for these departments. The City of Miami Beach is committed to continuously
improving its permitting process to better serve the community. We are excited to embark on this
important initiative to enhance service delivery for the benefit of the entire community.
As part of these improvement efforts, a study was conducted by consultant Berry Dunn in calendar
year 2023, which reviewed the development permitting processes, conducted fact-finding
meetings and focus groups, and provided a list of recommendations. The recommendations, as
shared with the City Commission on October 18, 2023, mainly focused on the permitting
system/portal, website, and technology implementations that could enhance user navigation and
understanding. Departments involved in the permitting process, alongside the Information
Technology Department, have been collaborating in working groups and policy decision groups to
discuss and implement these recommendations on a biweekly basis for the past year.
To enhance our customer service strategy, we have partnered with Moran Consulting, through a
piggyback contract, an experienced organizational development firm, to work with us to improve
customer service training for staff and administrative leadership as well as facilitate the
streamlining of our processes. One of the first steps in this new initiative will be to obtain additional
perspective from our elected officials, public stakeholders, leadership team and staff. The Service
Excellence project team will work closely with the newly formed "Ad Hoc Permitting Process
Improvement Advisory Committee" established via Resolution No. 2024-32936.
The following objectives have been identified as part of the Service Excellence engagement with
Moran Consulting:
• Energize all staff members to deliver excellent service to both internal and external
customers.
• Provide customer service training and materials for the development of essential customer
service skills.
• Enhance the service delivery and leadership skills of the managers and supervisors who
are overseeing the work of the selected departments (Building Department, Planning and
Zoning, Fire, and Public Works).
• Streamline service delivery through continuously improving processes.
• Empower employees to develop service standards for the organization and design
reinforcement tools to incorporate these standards into daily behaviors and department
practices.
• Realize measured results indicating improved service delivery.
200-2024
• Provide consulting and implementation support to the city for other customer-centric
initiatives as needed (for example: the design, development, training, implementation and
measurement of a centralized customer contact center).
Moran Consulting recommends a three-phase approach over the course of one year to implement
organization wide culture change and customer service training. The following process is designed
for the most effective and comprehensive results. The Moran Consulting proposal with more details
is attached.
Phase I - Assessment and Leadership Alignment
Phase II - Staff and Management Training, Process Improvement, Standards Development
Phase Ill - Reinforcement, Accountability and Measurement
Note that over the last two (2) years, the City Administration has implemented a number of
initiatives to determine areas needing improvement in the development permitting process. These
initiatives have involved conducting surveys, studies and focus groups to identify issues with the
process and gather suggestions for improvement. These efforts are not the first of its kind, nor is
it exclusive to Miami Beach. Generally, municipalities encounter comparable challenges in finding
a balance between meeting the development community's desire for minimal steps with fast
processing times, and the government's duty to provide regulatory oversight in order to ensure that
laws are correctly enforced for the safety, integrity, and quality of life for the community.
We are committed to identifying the challenges and obstacles for applicants and finding the
solutions and necessary adjustments needed to improve customer satisfaction and streamline the
process.