Residents are writing down their thoughts about a system some fear could make it impossible to talk to real people at City Hall.
Early results from a mail-out survey indicate some citizens don't want to hear that the city might soon install a voice messaging system to handle an increasing number of incoming telephone calls.Forty-one of the 60 residents who've returned surveys so far said they've never had a problem reaching a city employee or department on the phone. And only 29 of the initial respondents said they thought voice mail would improve the city's communication with them.
Nineteen said they'd rather be put on hold.
"Some did have comments and some were very much against it," said Sandy Ferderber, an executive secretary in the city's Community Development Department, which receives more calls than any other city department.
One of the anonymous survey respondents said, "When you can't reach someone there in Sandy City, it's because they are out golfing or gone home early or it's Friday . . . all at taxpayers' expense."
"Voice messaging in very impersonal and very frustrating," wrote another.
Betty Ann Armstrong, who signed her survey form, said she'd be "disappointed to see a city that functions so efficiently now turn to such an impersonal, inefficient system."
More than 3,000 surveys were mailed out last week to employees, businesses and others who call the city on a regular basis. With so many surveys still out, employees conducting the study say it's too early to hang up on the idea.
But the static at the other end could mean the city has some public relations work to do before residents are convinced voice mail would help, not hurt, their chances of talking with someone.
"People want to talk to a live person and I appreciate that," said Councilman Ken Prince, who's had trouble getting a call through to someone at City Hall more than once. "But when the demands for service are such and the public demands that we be more efficient, this is one avenue we can approach and do exactly what they're mandating without having to hire more people. . .
"I think it's the most cost-effective way to help build our city. We're a city of 87,000 now and that's a lot of people. This doesn't mean they still can't get a warm body if they need to."
Prince said the City Council has discussed voice mail informally. He said he believes it has majority support.
A number of city department heads and staffers are in favor of the idea because, they say, it would simply make their jobs easier.
"The problem we're having is that we're not able to serve the citizens," said Lesley Casaril, the city's business license administrator. "We've got people being put on hold forever. We can't get to our calls and instead they get into a loop where it goes from one secretary to another."
Ferderber said the city's departments counted the number of calls they received during a four-day period in late October. Community Development led the way with 942 calls. The city's main switchboard was second with 461 calls. The police department got 313, public utilities 173 and the legal department 161. Personnel received the fewest calls with 80, she said.
If the city does install voice mail, it could take one of several forms. Residents could dial a prerecorded voice at first, then be given the option to transfer to a receptionist. Or the system could be organized so that a switchboard operator would answer first, then send the caller to voice mail if desired.
The team of employees studying voice mail contacted more than a dozen Utah cities that use an automated messaging system, including Draper and Midvale. Both of those cities use systems that connect the caller to a real person first.
"They hate voice mail if it's implemented wrong," Art Hunter, Sandy's director of administrative services, said of the public. "If it's implemented right, it's a positive experience for them. We want to make sure it's a positive experience for them."
Hunter said residents who did not receive a survey are welcome to call in their opinions. He made no promises about how quickly the phone would be answered.