Polygon, the Dancing Bear

Occasional notes on politics, history, technology, architecture,
and the life of a county clerk

2002:
May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2003:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2004:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2005:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2006:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2007:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July
August / September / October
November / December

2008:
January / February / March
April / May / June / July

Current entries

Thursday, July 26, 2007, 4:05 pm

From the Clerk-Register. A recent message to my staff: the perils of email

Have you ever said something you came to regret?

I certainly have. There are incidents I can remember from as long ago as my adolescence, when my careless words hurt feelings and severed friendships. I try not to dwell on these mistakes, but they come to mind from time to time, and probably will as long as I live.

But human memory is fallible. Maybe my recollection is inaccurate. Probably some of the people I offended have completely forgotten what I said.

Networks of computers, on the other hand, can remember with perfect clarity. The Internet can preserve one's words forever.

When you send an email message, you are releasing it into the world. Copies will be archived in multiple places. Even if you immediately delete it, the county's network servers retain a copy in perpetuity. Your recipient can forward it along to others - with your name still attached. The news media can obtain it either directly or indirectly. Your current and future employers, your spouse or ex-spouse, your kids and grandkids, your neighbors, all might get access to it one way or another. You can never blot it out.

Slurs or stereotypes about ethnic or racial groups, the disabled, the mentally ill, gays and lesbians, immigrants, religious believers, or even unkind remarks about specific individuals, are unprofessional and violate acceptable use policies. In the not very long run, an email message with such content is likely to embarrass and demean the sender, the recipient, this entire office, and Washtenaw County.

What might seem like harmless fun between friends might well look very different if published on the front page of the Ann Arbor News, or broadcast on CNN. And all our efforts to demonstrate respect for our customers could be for naught, if one single message convinces people that we're all sneering at them.

Let's not be paranoid about this, but please do recognize that email is not confidential. Let the words you write demonstrate your professionalism and your commitment to public service for all.

....Posted by Lawrence Kestenbaum —

Tuesday, July 24, 2007, 9:30 pm

From the Clerk-Register. Today's message to my staff: a Blink link

I recently came across a passage in Malcolm Gladwell's book Blink, which speaks to an aspect of customer service.

The topic was medical malpractice lawsuits. Studies show that the most important factor determining whether a doctor gets sued or not is how they talk to their patients.

One expert says, "When a patient has a bad medical result, the doctor has to take the time to explain what happened, and to answer the patient's questions — to treat him like a human being. The doctors who don't are the ones who get sued."

Gladwell describes the research, and adds: "In the end it comes down to a matter of respect, and the simplest way that respect is communicated is through tone of voice."

In the Clerk/Register's office, we don't often get sued by our customers. But the same principles apply. We sometimes have to give people unwelcome news, and the way we do it is critical. Will they leave the office furious at us? Or will they feel they were treated fairly?

This is one reason we strive to treat every customer with courtesy and respect — even the ones who are difficult or challenging or confused. Your tone of voice, your willingness to explain and answer questions, will help the customer feel better about the outcome, whatever it happens to be.

Let's have a great week!

....Posted by Lawrence Kestenbaum —

Monday, July 16, 2007, 3:58 pm

From the Clerk-Register. Today's message to my staff: it happens every summer

For four days every July, half a million people descend on downtown Ann Arbor. Major streets become crowded outdoor galleries with endless rows of booths and tents, each packed with someone's handiwork for sale.

If you work downtown, you can't help but notice the change. Parking facilities are full beyond capacity. Traffic is enormously heavier than usual, but with fewer streets to travel on. Slow moving crowds fill the streets, making even a short walk time consuming. The restaurants and gift shops are busy, but those of us who aren't catering to vast crowds of visitors are going to have a light week.

By the same token, the customers who brave the crowds to see us probably have some urgent need. They will be stressed, not just by parking and traffic issues, but by whatever problem brought them to our counter. We know how stress can make people impatient, demanding, even rude. The best response is to treat them with unfailing courtesy and respect, to pay attention to their needs, and to respond with the best service possible. We gain the respect of our community by upholding these principles even when it isn't easy.

In recognition of the special conditions of this week, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday will be casual dress days in Clerk-Register offices. And each employee will be able to take an extra hour for lunch on one of those days. Consult your supervisor for details.

Have a great week, and smile as you watch the throngs go by.

....Posted by Lawrence Kestenbaum —

Thursday, July 12, 2007, 11:31 pm

Another press clipping. The Ann Arbor News ran an article on the front page about the latest passport regulation. More than that, they quoted me and even included a (dour, balding) photo:

New bump in passport road
Local clerks can't process them for people born here

Thursday, July 12, 2007
BY AMY WHITESALL
News Staff Reporter

Just when you thought you had a handle on this summer's passport saga - a new wrinkle was added.

As of June 25, the U.S. Department of State has said county clerks can no longer process passports for anyone who was issued a birth certificate from that office.

"As if the passport situation wasn't enough of a train wreck already, they've decided to add something else,'' said Washtenaw County Clerk Larry Kestenbaum. "I think it's safe to say county clerks around the state are baffled and outraged."

The move is designed to quash any incentive employees in a clerk's office might have to issue a fake birth certificate or otherwise falsify a passport application.

But Kestenbaum says it amounts to an unnecessary inconvenience for customers - and it takes a bite out of his office's business. In the weeks since the directive was announced, the county clerk's office has turned away 88 passport-seeking citizens.

The county clerk's office usually processes about 2,000 passports a year, and the processing office receives a mandatory $30 fee.

In the two-week span, that amounts to $2,640 in missed income - which will surely rise with increased demand for passports leading up to the new year.

Passport demand has been high since the Western Hemisphere travel initiative went into effect Jan. 23, extending passport requirements to all air travelers entering the country. In early June, the State Department announced relaxed rules for air travelers returning from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean until Sept. 30.

The county clerk's office isn't the only place to apply for a passport - post offices and many municipal offices also can do the initial processing. But since a birth certificate is part of the required paperwork, the clerk's office offered one-stop shopping for people who couldn't find their birth certificates at home.

All local agencies send the applications to the State Department, which issues the passports.

"We're talking to our members of Congress, hoping we might get some amelioration of this," Kestenbaum said. "I heard a clerk somewhere has arranged it so birth certificates are issued on one floor and passports are processed on another to see if that will satisfy them. I think the whole thing is crazy to begin with."

Check www.state.gov/travel for information on nearby passport processing sites.