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Fort Leonard Wood's Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System Identification Card office has received an upgrade that employees say allows them to help more customers while increasing productivity.
Customers visiting the DEERS ID office can now sign in using an automated kiosk. The system has been active since mid-December and allows patrons to monitor their place in line using the wall-mounted status board in the lobbies.
"The system is very user friendly," said Savannah Kennedy, human resources assistant. "With it, we are able to see customers on a quicker basis and help more customers a day with the time saved."
According to Lola Coble, Directorate of Human Resources and Military Personnel Division chief, the kiosk can be used by service members and their families as well as retirees, veterans and Department of Defense civilians. During peak service times, the kiosk minimizes wait times and simplifies the sign-in process.
"The kiosk streamlines the flow of customers and provides consistent delivery of services," Coble said. "It also lets customers view where they are in line, allowing them to remain productive while they wait and have peace of mind that they are not being skipped."
According to Coble, the DEERS ID office has a large amount of customers on Wednesdays, their walk-in day. On these days, they process between 75 and 100 customers, the majority arriving in the morning when the doors open.
"Before (the kiosk) we had to have someone sitting at the sign-in desk manually signing people in," Coble said. "Now with the queuing system, we can have that person in the back working with customers instead. We need all of our stations full so we can help as many customers as possible."
"We are only a staff of six," Kennedy added. "When we have someone working up front signing customers in, it limits the amount of work we can do in the back."
Behind the scenes, the kiosk provides on-demand information to management.
According to the Customer Support Branch of JBSA Fort Sam Houston -- another base currently using the kiosks -- the system allows leaders to see overall trends for peak service times and monitor staff performance. Daily metrics track how many people are served and calculates the average wait time per customer.
"The kiosk provides comprehensive reports for leadership," Coble said. "It also provides justification for additional manpower requests."
According to Ben Richardson, automation specialist, future capabilities of the kiosk include a text or email notification system, letting customers know when they are next in line, and online check-in options allowing patrons to check in prior to arriving at the office.
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