CHAPTER 2114. CUSTOMER SERVICE
GOVERNMENT CODE
TITLE 10. GENERAL GOVERNMENT
SUBTITLE C. STATE ACCOUNTING, FISCAL MANAGEMENT, AND PRODUCTIVITY
CHAPTER 2114. CUSTOMER SERVICE
Sec. 2114.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "state agency"
means a department, commission, board, office, or other agency in
the executive or judicial branch of state government that is
created under the constitution or a statute of this state. The
term includes an institution of higher education as defined by
Section 61.003, Education Code.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.001 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.002. CUSTOMER SERVICE INPUT. (a) A state agency
shall create an inventory of external customers for each budget
strategy listed in the General Appropriations Act for that
agency.
(b) Each agency shall gather information from customers using
survey or focus groups or other appropriate methods approved by
the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning and the Legislative
Budget Board regarding the quality of service delivered by that
agency. The information requested shall be as specified by the
Governor's Office of Budget and Planning and the Legislative
Budget Board and may include evaluations of an agency's:
(1) facilities, including the customer's ability to access that
agency, the office location, signs, and cleanliness;
(2) staff, including employee courtesy, friendliness, and
knowledgeability, and whether staff members adequately identify
themselves to customers by name, including the use of name plates
or tags for accountability;
(3) communications, including toll-free telephone access, the
average time a customer spends on hold, call transfers, access to
a live person, letters, and electronic mail;
(4) Internet site, including the ease of use of the site,
information on the location of the site and the agency, and
information accessible through the site such as a listing of
services and programs and whom to contact for further information
or to complain;
(5) complaint handling process, including whether it is easy to
file a complaint and whether responses are timely;
(6) ability to timely serve its customers, including the amount
of time a customer waits for service in person, by phone, by
letter, or at a website; and
(7) brochures or other printed information, including the
accuracy of that information.
(c) Not later than June 1 of each even-numbered year, an agency
shall report on the information gathered under Subsection (b) to
the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor's Office of Budget
and Planning.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.002 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.003. PERFORMANCE MEASURES. The Legislative Budget
Board shall develop means to measure customer service
satisfaction and create performance measures for state agencies
in this area.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.003 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.004. INSPECTIONS. The Legislative Budget Board and
the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning may inspect a state
agency and analyze its customer service performance by sending a
customer service evaluator to confidentially pretend to be a
customer of that agency.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
2001. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.004 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.005. TEXAS STAR AWARD. (a) The Legislative Budget
Board and the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning may award
the "Texas Star" to a state agency that provides exemplary
customer service based on the performance measures and standards
adopted under this chapter.
(b) The board and the office of budget and planning shall
conduct an evaluation to determine agencies that may qualify for
the Texas Star award. The evaluation shall be conducted under the
procedures outlined in Sections 66-68, Article IX, Chapter 1452,
Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997 (the General
Appropriations Act).
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.005 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.006. CUSTOMER RELATIONS REPRESENTATIVE; COMPACT WITH
TEXANS. (a) A state agency shall appoint a customer relations
representative.
(b) The representative shall:
(1) coordinate the state agency's customer service performance
measurement under this chapter;
(2) gather information and evaluations from the public about an
agency's customer service;
(3) respond to customer concerns; and
(4) establish the agency's compact with Texans under Subsection
(c).
(c) Each state agency shall create a "Compact With Texans." The
compact must be approved by the Governor's Office of Budget and
Planning and the Legislative Budget Board. Each Compact With
Texans shall set customer service standards and describe customer
service principles for that agency and address:
(1) the agency's procedures for responding to public contacts
and complaints;
(2) applicable licensing and certification procedures; and
(3) customer waiting time for access and service delivery and
responses to complaints.
(d) Each agency that maintains a website shall publish its
Compact With Texans on that website.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.006 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Sec. 2114.007. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. (a) The Governor's Office
of Budget and Planning may adopt rules to implement this chapter.
(b) In developing the rules, the office of budget and planning
shall consult with and consider the comments of the Legislative
Budget Board.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1554, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,
1999. Renumbered from Sec. 2113.007 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch.
1420, Sec. 21.001(70), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.