DMV

I’m sitting down to write this two hours later than I normally would. The delay is the result of a trip to the DMV.

Before jumping to conclusions and assuming the stereotypical DMV experience. Let me first say that the people were all wonderful. A young man greeted me at the door asking me what I needed and handing me the required paperwork. A young lady escorted me to the scanner to check in and offered me a pen to help fill out the form. I sat and waited only seven minutes before my number was called.

As I approached my designated counter #23, another young woman with the initial R on her name tag and long acrylic nails greeted me after first taking a few moments to unwrap a Starburst for herself. A task made almost comically more difficult by the afore-mentioned nails. She checked out my form noting my Christmas birthday - like most people do - adding that her ex-husband was also born on Christmas (albeit 20 years after me). Seeing my birth year, she looked up and said matter of factly, “You look good.” The “for your age” was implied but I’ll take it.

That’s where the fun ended. Her computer told her she could not process my request for a replacement license that I had misplaced last week. Apparently there was a hold in the system stemming from a violation in Pennsylvania. The specifics of which, I would have to call the DMV in PA to find out.

After multiple calls and holds and referrals to the correct person, I was informed that there was an unresolved violation stemming from an incident in 1995. My license in Pennsylvania, which I haven’t had or needed since I moved to New York decades ago - was somehow suspended. She admitted that this should have been resolved and was likely a clerical error. However, she was not authorized to do anything so she would have to refer it to the Resolution Department. I asked if there was anything she could do to help expedite this and she said she would send a note to her manager but was unsure if he could do anything. It would take up to six business days before I would hear back. I would just have to wait.

R with the acrylic nails was kind and understanding. She said years ago, I wouldn’t have had a problem but now they integrated data from all fifty states and mistakes happen. As I left, she said, “That sucks but I guess maybe I’ll see you next week.”

Bureaucracy and the delays they cause are often unnecessary. Automation - designed to simplify things - often compounds matters. Individuals who see obvious errors or injustices are not empowered to resolve them on their own. Resulting in more delays and logjams in systems and in lives.

On my end, this is an inconvenience as I should not drive without a physical license. For others, the implications are more serious. Just last night, I heard a report that many people will likely be denied the ability to vote - because some voter rolls don’t recognize a naturalized citizen as an eligible voter. Earlier this week, I heard stories at work where people weren’t getting paid on time due to migration to a new payroll processing system. In other cases, bureaucratic delays result in people no longer being able to access much needed programs and support - ranging from health care to food assistance.

As we move increasingly into a world of big data systems and AI, inevitably there will be more delays, mistaken identities, records or documents that cause more headaches and harms than they should.

For those who design these systems, I hope they look for opportunities to account for unintended consequences, build in ways to empower workers to immediately resolve obvious mistakes and remember that behind every number is a person just trying to go about their days with as little friction as possible.

And for those on the front line in customer service, thank you for your grace and kindness. R with the acrylic nails and her “You look good” comment is the only thing keeping me from banging my head against the wall right now.

This Week’s Recommendation: Find a way to take a little bit of friction out of someone’s life. A little act to remove a bump or a roadblock out of their way can go a long way.

UPDATE: I received a call a few hours ago from Kimberly at the PA DMV. Her manager did in fact go over to the Resolution Department and they were able to take care of it right away. The roadblock cleared, my new license is now on its way. Faith is restored. May others follow the example of the NY and PA DMVs.

Please share this with someone who might be frustrated by the friction all around us.