Agency Customer Service Policy

Definitions:

Professional Workplace Communication: Means that communications are inclusive, respectful and professional and supportive of the mission and values of the agency and Oregon State Government.

Customer Service: Means timely, accessible, equitable, and responsive support-based interactions between the agency staff and our customers.

The mission of the Commission for the Blind is to “empower Oregonians who are blind to fully engage in life.” We fulfill this mission by administering federally- and state-funded vocational rehabilitation and independent living programs that support Oregonians who are blind so they can go to work and live independently in their homes and communities.

Our vision statement is “Blindness without barriers: A state of inclusion for Oregonians with vision loss.” Simply put, we believe in an Oregon where blindness does not pose a barrier to an individual’s ability to live the life they choose.

Who are our customers:

The Commission for the Blind’s customers are served through the following program objectives:

1. Help Oregonians who are blind get and keep jobs that allow them to support themselves and their families.
2. Train Oregonians in skills related to dealing with blindness such as adaptive technology, white cane travel, braille, and activities of daily living.
3. Support in-school youth who are blind as they transition from high school to further education, training, and employment through the provision of pre-employment transition services.
4. Help senior citizens and individuals who experience vision loss acquire essential adaptive skills so that they may remain independent in their homes and active in their communities.
5. License and support business owners who are blind to operate food service and vending operations in public buildings throughout the state.
6. Assist Oregon businesses so they may attract and retain qualified job seekers who are blind as part of their overall hiring and diversity initiatives.

Because of our multidisciplinary team environment, we also consider each other internal customers. This policy reflects our performance expectations for external customers as well as internal customers.

The Agency’s core values include the following:

• Customer Service – Dedication to meeting the needs of our clients and customers and to honoring our commitments.
• Leadership – Being open, authentic, and lifting others up while building consensus towards a common goal.
• Integrity – Meeting commitments, acting responsibly with public and personal trust, and being accountable for words and actions.
• Professionalism – Embodying a commitment to quality and pride in our work.
• Operational Excellence – Striving for the highest quality and continuous improvement.
• Innovation – Developing creative solutions and putting them into action.
• Collaboration – Demonstrating an ability to facilitate, negotiate, build consensus, develop strong teams, and empower others.

Accessibility Considerations:

Equity is at the center of the Agency’s core values. We are committed to ensuring that all Oregonians can access individualized, culturally responsive services they need to reach their employment and independent living goals. We believe that all people should have access to options and opportunities and that they should be equipped with the tools and resources they need to make meaningful choices for their lives.

Because our mission is centered around services to Oregonians who experience disabilities, we are focused on making sure that essential accommodations are made available for individuals to participate in our programs. The Agency will continue to ensure compliance with ADA and EIS e-Government guidance. Our website, documentation and other forms of information are adapted to the needs of our customers. Where needed, materials are offered in alternate formats and language interpreters are provided to allow full participation in agency programs and services.

The Commission for the Blind’s customer service strategy is outlined in our strategic plan.

Customer Communications Response Time Expectations:

As the only agency in Oregon that provides specialized services to adults who experience vision loss, being responsive to our customers is very important to us. Our performance expectation related to customer service is as follows:

Minimum Expectation: At a minimum, the agency will acknowledge customer communications within one business day. This could include an auto-generated email of an out-of-office or other information that indicates there may be a delay in response.

Business Expectation: Whenever possible, it is expected that customer inquiries receive a response within 24-48 hours. This means that the inquiry is both acknowledged and addressed. For more complex matters, the agency will provide an estimated time when the information may be available or when a complete response could be provided.

Method of Evaluating Customer Service:

The agency evaluates and reports customer service in the following ways:

• Maintains a Key Performance Measure for Customer Service that is included in the Annual Performance Progress Report (APPR).
• Engages in annual Customer Service Surveys for Customers in both the Vocational Rehabilitation Program and Older Blind Independent Living Programs.
• Completes an Exit Survey at the conclusion of services at the Orientation and Career Center for the Blind.
• Completes an annual Staff Engagement Survey to solicit internal customer feedback.
• Whenever identified, opportunities to improve customer service are prioritized by agency leadership to change existing systems and processes to better meet the needs of both internal and external customers.

How to Reach Us:

The Commission for the Blind is committed to providing quality customer service. You can reach us by phone or email to seek information or to apply for assistance.

The Commission for the Blind has five offices, located in Portland, Salem, Eugene, Medford and Redmond. All offices are open to the public Monday-Friday from 8:00 am-5:00 pm.

All office phone numbers, addresses, contact information, and an online request for assistance form are located on our Contact Us page.

Single Point of Contact:

Questions or concerns regarding this policy can be directed to:

Dacia Johnson, Executive Director
Commission for the Blind
ocb.mail@ocb.oregon.gov

This policy can be found on the agency website at:

https://www.oregon.gov/blind/about-us/Pages/Pages/customer-service-policy.aspx

The agency website is maintained as a communication portal to current and potential consumers and is maintained as agency resources allow.