DRPA Customer Service Year End Report

2019 Year End Report
of the DRPA Customer Service Department
of the Administration Division

The AImdeornicaatendHteoasrut pApssoortciation. DRPA
Customer
Service

“We’re here to help.”

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DRPA is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Customers First

The Delaware River Port Authority’s (DRPA) Customer Service Department
pays very special attention to the needs of our internal and external customers.
Throughout 2019, the small staff made it a priority to provide a high quality
customer service experience. The team is committed to addressing our
customers’ concerns in a timely and professional manner. They accomplish this
while modeling the behaviors and actions heralded in our organization’s mission
and vision statements.

Why is exemplary customer service so important to us? For insight in to
this question, we want to share some information from getsling.com. “The
cornerstone of every business (or organization) is customer service. By
extension, then, success in business relies on your employee’s customer
service skills. Good customer service communication skills involve more than
just words, although words are important. They involve body language, facial
expressions, tone of voice, and much more.” We strive to have every contact
with the Customer Service Department be professional, helpful and informative,
keeping the customer first.

This 2019 Year End Report offers a summary of key metrics, including
telephone calls handled, senior discount program applications requests filled,
emails answered and packages accepted for distribution at One Port Center.
The numbers are impressive. The Report also shares information on initiatives
undertaken in 2019, including the voluntary employee giving campaigns, a
novel summer intern “Speed Interviewing” event, the special Ben Franklin
Bridge lighting program, and the Authority’s 3rd Annual Customer Service Week
celebration.

On behalf of the DRPA’s Customer Service Department, and in support of the
Authority’s Shared Values of ‘Collaboration’, ‘Authentic Communication’, and
‘Credibility' (always following through on our commitments), we hope you find
this 3rd Annual Year End Report informative.

Sincerely,

Toni P. Brown
Chief Administrative Officer

Customer Service
Mission Statement

The DRPA’s Customer Service Department is committed to
providing excellent and proactive service, outreach,
and solutions to customers who use our facilities
and share our workplace, resulting in focused
advocacy and positive partnerships.

DRPA’s Customer Service Department Contacts

TINA M. PETACCIO, DRPA Customer Service Coordinator

Ext. 2221 | [email protected]

CustTONI P. BROWN, Chief Administrative Officer
ServicExt. 2270 | [email protected]

ANN DUVALL, Project Manager, Office of the CAO

Ext. 2245 | [email protected]

Please visit our E.net page at http://e.net/customerservice101/

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2019 Metrics

8 8

PHONE CALLS SENIOR
APPLICATIONS

PACKAGES EMAILS
DELIVERED

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Ben Franklin Bridge Lighting Program

With the support of CEO John T. Hanson, Bridge Directors Val Bradford and Joe McAroy,

Bridge Operations staff, and staff in the Office of the CAO, the Customer Service
Department administers the DRPA’s Ben Franklin Bridge Special Lighting Program.

The Program acknowledges national holidays, promotes awareness of important issues,

national campaigns, and celebrates regional sporting accomplishments, taking requests
from regional non-profit organizations. Below is a list of some of the reasons for which the
Ben Franklin Bridge was lit during 2019:

• American Lung • National Recovery BFB Bridge Lightings
Association Month
3
• American Red Cross • Neurofibromatosis (NF)
• Childhood Cancer Awareness

Awareness • Philadelphia Pride
• Donate Life • Prostate Cancer
• Easterseals 100th
Awareness
Anniversary • Purple Heart Day
• Heroin and Opioid • Ronald McDonald

Awareness House 45th Birthday
• International Overdose • Walk to End Alzheimer’s
• World Polycystic Ovary
Awareness
• Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (PCOS)
• World Sarcoidosis Day
Syndrome • 100th Birthday
• National Eating
Philadelphia
Disorders Association Thanksgiving Day
(NEDA) Parade
• National Gun Violence

Training Support

2019 Administrative Summer Intern Training Event

On August 9, 2019, in support of the Authority’s Shared Value of “Growth & Development”,
DRPA Customer Service Department staff hosted a “Speed Interviewing” event. The
event was branded as an opportunity to “Learn. Grow. Contribute.” The interns developed
practical skills to help them be successful in future career job interviews. During the
event, at the sound of the bell, the interns moved from station to station, and asked and
answered possible interview questions. We focused on helping the interns develop good
eye contact, firm handshakes, and strong two-minute elevator pitches.

Interns in Action Interns in Action

Interns in Action CAO Brown, Customer Service Team and Interns
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Community Stewardship

2019 Voluntary Employee Giving Campaigns

Our employees gave a total of $30,317.00 to the following five (5) charity drives organized
by the Customer Service Department team.

• $28,377.00 United Way of Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey
• $640.00 March of Dimes for Babies
• $500.00 American Red Cross Go Red Campaign
• $400.00 Sunshine Foundation
• $400.00 Pink Roses/Teal Magnolia’s

Pictured above are many OPC employees who donated to a new 2019 campaign, Pink Roses/Teal Magnolias

$30,317.00 raised in employee donations. The AImdeorniactaendHteoasrutpApsosortciation.

5

Community Stewardship

The Unforgotten Haven

The Unforgotten Haven is a non-profit organization located in Blackwood, NJ. Its mission
is to help the less fortunate.
Thanks to the generosity of Authority employees, in a voluntary community service project,
Authority employees donated 470 new and gently-used handbags to the organization.
Participating employees exhibited what it means to be a community steward. We made a
difference in the lives of those who benefitted from this initiative.

Chong Young, PATCO Diane Troy, PATCO

182 handbags collected by Mike Cocosis, PATCO Mike Cocosis, PATCO
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Community Stewardship

Heather Still, PATCO Handbags collected at the Ben Franklin Bridge

Project “Donate Handbag”

470 HANDBAGS!

100HANDBAGS

80 Handbags

50 Handbags

20 Handbags

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Community Stewardship

2019 Adopt-a-Family Initiative

Thanks to the generosity of our employees, we adopted 21 families in need this year. We ran
the Adopt-a-Family Program from November 13 through December 12, 2019.
Families were identified by the following agencies: Delaware County Youth and Family Services;
the Borough of Westville, NJ; National Park, NJ (Giving Tree); Camden Rescue Mission; Antioch
Baptist Church of Camden; Impact Services of Philadelphia and Catholic Social Services of
Philadelphia.
Employee participation in this community service project was voluntary. Employees were able to
adopt a family on their own or participate with division/department colleagues.
The combined efforts of employees throughout the Authority was appreciated by the families.
This initiative demonstrated the Authority's commitment to community stewardship and the
importance of helping those in need

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Customer Service Week

Customer Service Week is an international event that recognizes CWSusetoeemkrve2irce019
the importance of customer service and honors those who support
customers every day. It became a nationally recognized event by o nmadmtrieursufsnsitatcacatnitidoionnng IC E
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From October 28-November 1, 2019, the Authority recognized mile
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“Service” is an integral part of the Authority’s mission, vision, and shared values. ibrant
Customer Service Week is a fitting reminder of the Authority’s commitment to go nspire
‘above and beyond’ serving the public. aring
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The 2019 theme was “ The Magic of Service”. During the week, employees were U S E
recognized by CEO John Hanson with a thank-you card and muffin. Employees M
also had an opportunity to participate in Customer Service-related training C CTUSOTOMER
webinars through our HRS Resource Library.

Employees were reminded that providing excellent customer service involves clear
communication that is responsive to the needs of our customer.

As part of the week-long recognition, we lit the Ben Franklin Bridge yellow from
October 28th through November 4, 2019.

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DRPA
Customer
Service

“We’re here to help.”

This report would not be possible without the following
individual and group contributors:

Tina Petaccio, Customer Service Coordinator
Toni P. Brown, Chief Administrative Officer
Ann DuVall, Project Manager

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Dierdre Donatucci, Laura Sadler Hunter,
Fritz Sims, Mike DiGiamberardino and John Stephenson
for their assistance with producing this book.