The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will close its offices statewide for a half day on July 24, 2019, to “better prepare employees to process REAL ID transactions and reinforce training on providing excellent customer service.”
The training will take place at 183 DMV field offices, Commercial Drive Test Centers and Industry Business Centers throughout the state. More than 5,000 employees will receive the training at their home offices, which will open for business at 1 p.m.
“Our employees are at the heart of every transaction we perform,” said Kathleen Webb, DMV acting director. “With this commitment to training, we can ensure they have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to provide excellent customer service to the people of California.”
DMV Call Centers (1-800-777-0133) will remain open during the half-day office closure.
Been 12 years since the Real ID passed and DMV is just now implementing proper training for the October 2020 deadline. What a joke!
Poor customer service is a requirement for a DMV job, can’t change that.
You know they’re just going to sit around eating donuts and drinking coffee for four hours.
“Our employees are at the heart of every transaction we perform,” said Kathleen Webb, DMV acting director. “With this commitment to training, we can ensure they have the proper tools, knowledge, and experience to provide excellent customer service to the people of California.” Bwaaaaaaaa!!!!
And the cow jumped over the moon….
It ain’t gonna happen.
For years DMV had extensive training. Over the past 15 years they cut back on training. Example; 15 years ago the Drivers license class was 6 weeks. Now, with all the different processes, programs, and document verification it is a 2 week class. A half day of in office training isn’t fixing the state’s Real ID problem.
Gonna take much more than One day.
Never say Customer service and DMV in the same sentence.
Teach them how to put on fake
smiles and grimace!
What’s what this trend to close all offices for training? I believe Starbucks did the same thing after an employee had a moment of insensitivity somewhere on the planet.
To me, it seems it would be better customer service, and more efficient, to pull out a few people at a time on a rotating basis rather than shutting down the shop. If you discover that an individual is so essential that he or she can’t be removed from the shop for a day then you have found a weakness in your organization. You then add to the project list a plan to make that individual redundant enough that the shop could survive should the person not be available.
You can’t use common sense when talking about the DMV.
The closures will continue until attitude improves. And by that I guess they mean their customers.
Long wait times is the number one complaint I hear from friends, and my complaint as well. Seems like the DMV should expand its hours of operation if they are seeing as much business as reported. How about remaining open till 7 or 8 pm to accommodate workers?
The person taking photos at Walnut Creek DMV must have come over from the Sheriff’s Office Mugshot Division.
Don’t waste your time. Get a passport. Why get a band aid when you can get better. Going through the same burden (Proof), so do it right. Travel anywhere whereas CDL limited to US only.
A Passport doesn’t grant you permission to drive.
I’m certain most know I meant no need to go through this BS to upgrade CDL to fly. Passport much better option.
You’re comment just may have educated an illegal on needs for a CDL to drive. I can’t think of anyone who didn’t know this already. SMH
@TON Sooner or later when you renew your license you will have to get a Real ID. If you have to get a Real ID anyway, why would you pay additional and get a Passport, too, if you didn’t need one. Unless you have money to burn, the license is cheaper.
They need to make those offices only for licensing testing and renewals which require an in office visit. Everything could be handled by contract offices which is what other states have done for years. California is lame in a lot of areas.
My drivers license expires in 6 weeks and I haven’t gotten my renewal notice yet. Luckily, I thought ahead and in March I booked an appointment in August. Earliest I could get, way back in March. Don’t know if I need to take a test or not, because I haven’t received my renewal.
They didn’t tell you…..an appointment just means you stand in a different line..the appointment line.
Still say DMV should be privatized.
Train them to have ALL windows open between 9 and 5..
Perhaps they should do what most successful business do… let go of staff who are rude, unprofessional, and don’t perform their jobs.
Do they really think they can train folks who are not willing to change?
Perhaps they should look deeper than provide customer service training. Good luck!
To their defense, I went to the WC office two weeks ago without an appointment to get my real ID, and I was in and out of there in an hour. The clerks were somewhat officious, but got their job done. i received my new license/ID card in the mail today!
Mika, would you tell us the 3 or 4 pieces of ID required for the Real ID, please? I have been fretting about this.
“officious”, I love it!
Train the employees how to dress properly for work too. When I renewed my drivers license, at window #4, I was greeted by a young man in jeans, t-shirt, ball cap turned backwards and sunglasses! No respect for those who pay their wages!!!
I’ve been going primarily to Concord DMV the last 20 years (and 15 vehicles). I’ve seen FAR more customers come in with irrational demands and trigger-happy attitudes than I’ve seen bad service from employees. They don’t act fast, but are helpful and courteous, and friendly too if approached that way. I have appropriately different expectations for government service levels than I do Starbucks. They’re managing my periodic vehicle and license transactions 1-2 times a year, not my weekly discretionary mocha frapalotomus experience. The area I’d like to see DMV improve is processing time for registration changes, 3 months is too long.