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Why the DMV’s Online Customer Service Fails

why you shouldn't use the DMV's online customer service

When you think of the Department of Motor Vehicles, you might consider times where you stood in long lines, sat in boring waiting rooms, spoke with unhelpful employees, or filled out mountains of paperwork. You probably don’t think about any good times (if you’re one of the lucky few who has them). 

The only good memory you might hold onto is getting your first driver’s license at a DMV office. But that experience might not have gone well if you had to wait hours just to speak to someone. The excitement of driving a car as a licensed driver probably died as soon as you pulled a ticket number and learned that 20 people were in front of you. 

But the good news is that the DMV is finally moving most of its services online. This transition is mainly a result of the pandemic and the need to keep customers safe and healthy. However, regardless of the motivation, it’s good to see that the DMV is innovating. 

Moving online should increase efficiency. It should decrease wait times, provide convenience, and allow more customers to have positive interactions with the DMV. Right? 

Unfortunately, the answer is no.  

While this transition is a smart move, the DMV’s online customer service is the wrecking ball to their new hopes and dreams. 

What you need in excellent online customer service 

is the DMV online customer service good?

It’s no secret that great products and services are essential components of every business. It can make or break whether or not a brand succeeds. 

But right next to that necessary component is customer service. And because most companies operate either entirely or somewhat online, they have to provide outstanding online customer service to consumers. Otherwise, their business could fail just as quickly as it would if it had inferior products or services.  

Online customer service is so crucial that researchers have even conducted studies to show companies what they need to provide to make consumers happy. Results suggest that people look for the following in great online customer service: 

  • Satisfaction with the experience (27%) 
  • Positive interactions with company employees (38%) 
  • Quick customer service (42%) 

These expectations that people have for online customer service mimic the ones they have for in-person experiences. However, the pressure to deliver online is higher because most people prefer to buy things online. 

A recent Capterra survey found that 60% of U.S. customers preferred online shopping. So, if businesses can’t provide the online customer service that people expect, it could ruin their company even if their in-person experience is slightly better. 

Where the DMV’s online customer service goes array

contacting the DMV online customer service

The DMV has a list of expectations that it needs to meet to provide excellent online customer service. The good thing is that the list is short—it only includes three components. 

But unfortunately, the DMV’s online customer service fails in the exact spots where you need them to succeed. In fact, here’s a brief list of why the DMV’s online customer service is so bad (hint: it all relates to the research findings above). 

1. Slow customer service

Think about how long it takes to receive customer service. When you go into the DMV, do you find yourself waiting for hours? When you call the DMV center, are you on hold long enough to put your phone on speaker and continue doing household tasks until a representative assists you? 

If you answered yes to either of those questions, you should already assume you’re going to experience long wait times with the DMV’s online customer service. And this inefficiency will likely frustrate you if you’re one of the 42% of people who prefer to hear from a customer rep in a timely manner. 

2. Negative interactions with employees 

Unfortunately, the DMV fails to meet another significant online customer service expectation: positive interactions with employees. 

Again, consider your in-person experiences to judge how your DMV encounters will be online. How often do you have positive interactions with DMV employees while in the office? How often do you leave the DMV feeling satisfied? 

Even if you received what you needed, you probably talked to at least one DMV employee who was either unhelpful, unknowledgeable, or just in a bad mood. Or, maybe you spoke to someone friendly and helpful. But you saw the person in front of you speak to a DMV employee who was a little cranky and uninformed. 

Either way, neither scenario leaves a good impression. And if the DMV hasn’t perfected its in-person approach to customer service, then you can confidently assume the organization’s online customer service is also horrific. 

3. Leaving unsatisfied  

Negative interactions with employees might not be the only reason you dislike the DMV’s online customer service. Instead, you might simply be an unsatisfied customer. 

Maybe you talked to a DMV employee who tried to help you find something online, but you still couldn’t find it. Or, maybe a DMV employee didn’t even know how to find what you were looking for online. 

Both scenarios are equally frustrating. It wouldn’t be surprising or uncommon if you felt unsatisfied in either of these situations. 

Complete your DMV services online without the frustration

If you don’t want to deal with the DMV’s poor online customer service, it makes sense. Customer satisfaction is one of the most significant factors that determine brand loyalty. 

Research even suggests that eight in 10 consumers would buy from a competitor if they experienced poor customer service from a brand. And this sentiment doesn’t just apply offline—it speaks to online customer service as well.

The difficult part, however, is figuring out where to get DMV services if you don’t want to go to the DMV. Are there any companies that can help you? 

Thankfully, yes. 

Barry Risk Management, Inc. can fulfill your DMV needs, and their representatives are the definition of good online customer service. With Barry Risk Management, Inc., you can fulfill all your DMV tasks online with an agent who’s guiding and helping you every step of the way. 

The representatives at Barry Risk Management, Inc. are knowledgeable, quick, and friendly. They can help you no matter what state you live in, and they can answer any questions that you may have. 

Instead of choosing negative interactions with employees, slow customer service, and dissatisfaction, choose Barry Risk Management, Inc. for your DMV needs. Then, you’ll receive the positive online customer service you’ve been waiting for. 

Contact a representative with Barry Risk Management, Inc. today for the DMV services you need.  

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Should You Use the DMV Online?

trying to use the DMV online

While the coronavirus has halted many aspects of life, states are slowly reopening and trying to provide some semblance of normalcy. 

Restaurants are open for business, most of them only requiring customers to wear a mask. Bars are operating under restrictions, allowing people to enjoy a cold drink after work and on weekends. And some businesses are getting back to normal by letting employees come to the office. 

While still different, the remnants of our old life are present today. States and local leaders are doing everything they can to operate normally and safely. However, one organization that’s fumbling to provide any sort of normalcy is the Department of Motor Vehicle Services. 

The DMV’s biggest woes

Like most businesses, the DMV is open, but it has restrictions. These restrictions are in place to keep people safe and healthy, but drivers aren’t too happy about them. 

A New York resident, for example, said that her experience with the DMV has been “ridiculous.” After making an appointment to get her license renewed, she discovered that she didn’t have the proper identification. 

A DMV employee turned her away and asked her to make another appointment, which she scheduled a month out due to a lack of availability. While commonly unknown, DMV offices book around 520 appointments per day, making it difficult for customers to address their needs in a timely manner. 

Some states are even seeing customers book DMV appointments that are two months out. But despite booking in advance, consumers are still finding themselves in long lines. Even if they get to the DMV before 5:30 am, they wait hours for their appointment to begin.

What’s worse is that some DMVs are totally booked, leaving drivers without any remedy to solve their problems. Customers have sent emails, tweets, and social media posts, asking the DMV for help. 

Some of them go onto the website, notice there’s no availability, and assume it’s a glitch. But they soon find out that there’s no glitch. Their local DMV is actually booked for 90 days. 

Why the DMV is moving online 

The difficulty in scheduling an appointment with the DMV results from two challenges: a discouraging backlog and a severe lack of employees. The coronavirus led to a 6-week shut down for DMV offices. 

And this closure quickly resulted in a backlog with hundreds of thousands of requests piling up. Some local leaders estimate that it will take a whole year to work through the inquiries.  

However, the DMV has tried to mitigate this issue by opening their offices, but some of them are operating at 50% capacity. Most DMV’s don’t have the staff and resources they need to work through their backlog, leading to long lines and less availability for appointments. 

To help decrease this issue’s impact, the DMV is pushing customers to take advantage of their online services. Yet, it’s unknown whether this solution is actually working. 

Using the DMV online 

why using the DMV online is hard

Online solutions are supposed to offer efficiency, ease, convenience, and great user experiences. But the DMV’s online solution is arguably not that great.

Conclusive evidence about the DMV’s online services will likely come out after the pandemic subsides. At that time, experts will better understand how effective and efficient it is to use the DMV online. But, in the meantime, certain clues can suggest how great the DMV is at servicing customers digitally.

1. The user experience 

In a digital world, online experiences are everything. They help determine whether people will conduct business with an organization.

Unsurprisingly, research suggests that 88% of adults are less likely to revisit a website after a poor user experience. What’s also interesting is that 40% of consumers will leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load.

If anyone has ever visited a DMV website, they know that sometimes the pages load slowly, and the user experience is awful. Instead of providing an easy path to what consumers need, most DMV websites have pages that lead to another page that leads to another page that leads to five different pages before people get to the one they need. 

When it comes to user experience, the DMV fails. The path-to-purchase is always slow, long, and confusing. 

2. The online process

If customers find the page they’re looking for, they’ll notice the steps they have to take to complete their transaction. 

But some of these steps might sound confusing and take a while to finish. Completing a transaction in-person at the DMV or online usually requires customers to navigate the same exact process. 

The only difference is that when people go in person, they have an employee to guide them through the transaction. However, if someone does it online, that customer has to figure everything out by themselves. 

3. The customer service

While trying to complete a DMV transaction online, consumers may have a few questions along the way. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely someone will be available to answer them.

On some websites, people may notice a live chat button or another easy way to communicate with a representative. For example, it’s not uncommon to see businesses offer an online contact center where customers can send a direct message and expect an answer within a few hours. 

However, most DMV offices don’t offer that capability. If customers have a question while completing an online transaction, they either have to check the FAQ section, call a representative, or show up in-person. 

But all of these options come with issues. 

FAQ sections don’t always answer very specific questions. Phone calls usually come with long wait times. And showing up in-person isn’t an option today unless someone schedules an appointment that’s 1-2 months out. 

The online solution people need

Right now, using the DMV online is not the best solution for customers. While digital solutions are necessary, the DMV hasn’t mastered the best way to provide great user experiences, seamless processes, and excellent customer service. 

Still, that doesn’t mean people can’t find other ways to complete their DMV transactions. In fact, Barry Risk Management, Inc. provides DMV solutions online that center around convenience, efficiency, and excellent customer service. 

With Barry Risk Management, Inc., consumers can encounter an online experience that’s straightforward and easy to navigate. What’s also great is that Barry Risk Management, Inc. provides knowledgeable representatives that not only guide and answers questions. 

People don’t have to wonder what to do, click through multiple pages, or wait a long time to get a question answered. At Barry Risk Management, Inc., customers will have an agent guiding them every step of the way to complete their DMV services quickly and without any hassle. 

If you don’t want to use the DMV online and prefer an easier solution, reach out to Barry Risk Management, Inc. today!