Well, it's not in the official manual but.......:D

It doesn't have to be in the manual. I think we've determined here (or at least some have) that fear and money are the only two potential motivators. Without money as an incentive, no human is going to behave appropriately. Kinda like when humans go out of their way to help or save strangers for no other reason than just because it's the right thing to do. That doesn't happen, of course. Unless there's money in it. Lack of selfishness, if it were to happen, would need to be stamped out anyway. The more selfish we are, the better our economy runs. And after all, those are the goals. Economy and selfishness, not necessarily in that order.

It doesn't have to be motivation via fear Sup, it can be positive motivation as well, or any combination of the two......just some form of motivation to do their jobs well. In the current gubmint system their performance(beyond wild extremes) bears no weight in their station.

Now you seem to believe that we can rely on the happy and pleasant spirit of those who are drawn to Government employ. Good luck with that.

Super, both points of view can find plenty of specific examples to point fingers at. Plenty of government workers want to do the best job they can. Plenty of workers in private enterprise behave badly.

But instead of pointing out individuals to back up our biases, the basic atmosphere of the workplace needs to be considered. As a general rule, those in private industry must put a smile on their face, even though they don't feel like it. Not so when you're in line to apply for a building permit.

I just got off the phone with the dealership. They conducted their own research independently by calling the DMV and Secretary of State.

They were told by everyone they spoke to that: 1) the title must be sent to me and 2) the DMV does not accept incoming mail. This makes the Illinois DMV different from every other state in the country.

So, after some discussion amongst the dealership people, they have elected to send the title to me via DHL as they have no other choice. I will do all of the paperwork and pay all of the fees.

As a few other people have suggested, is it possible to go to a different DMV office?

Some people just arbitrarily decided they don't like you even though they don't know you. This is particularly uncomfortable when that person is behind a window processing paperwork for you.


I was flabbergasted when I needed to get a duplicate pink slip at DMV... I called in and made an appointment... showed up on time with my paper work... and got out of there in forty five minutes.

The next closest DMV office is an hour away.

I accept what you say Dan, but I don't see it. Right now, for instance, Auburn is working through some 'issues' with the garbage contractors. Rabanco, I think. Anyway, Rabanco failed to bill people for "extra" garbage pickup when they should have billed for that months ago. Instead, they billed all that recently and some of those billings are bogus. Big mess. I'd like to point out here that Rabanco, a private firm, has created a big administrative problem involving tons of citizens by both failing to do certain work in a timely fashion and then by failing to be accurate in their billing.

The nice ladies at City of Auburn told me to just pay the minimum (no "extras") figure on my bill until they can get it sorted out. I don't believe any of those "extras" should apply to me, and I have a belief that this is what the City will tell Rabanco and the problem will be fixed in my favor. And.....those ladies have been extremely efficient and pleasant each time I have dealt with them, now and with previous issues.

The two times I have gone to Department of Licensing (at their headquarters in Olympia) rather than one of those contracted shops, the service I got there was memorable. No problems whatsoever. Just like the contracted shops.

In public service there are Title Nazis. They exist in private businesses also. Perhaps I've had more than my fair share of frustrations with private businesses, though of course most of them give very good service. And perhaps I have been lucky to get unusually good service at public agencies.

Maybe it's because I'm handsome and charming. And maybe you guys get poor service because.......

Regardless of whether they work in the provate or the public sector, most people can tell when someone who they are attempting to serve has an "attitude" and many act accordingly. Of coures, in the mind of the "customer", it is the employee who should bend over backwards, suck it up and tolerate the "attitude". Humans are averse to negativism. Anyone ever hear that you attract more flies with honey rather than vinegar? I have very little trouble with service and those isolated occasions when a pleasant attitude doesn't cut it, I start first by asking to speak with a supervisor and failing that, letters to the proper authorities outlining the problem in objective, rational terms has never failed me. I emphasize Never. l

Indeed. I find that being upset does NOT make me more rational or effective. So, I stay calm.

Calmness is scary. The calm, rational customer who is disappointed by service and asking the manager "where do we go from here?" is very frightening. The rabid name-caller is not scary. I was a retailer once.

I have mentioned previously that I am as emotional as a post. It gets me in trouble when someone wants to argue about something, thinking that their "attitude" can get me in an agitated state. Sometimes, the other person simply loses it and by that time they have lost any chance of "winning".

I make it a point to learn the names of those with whom I deal on a regular basis, and use their name whenever I see them. Nothing elicits a positive response like recognition.

Okay, Super. I do admit you're handsome and charming.

But I notice that your example of poor service from private enterprise is your garbage service. With a contract with the city. Meaning no competition!

You can't tell Rabanco that you've switched your garbage service over to LeMay's (Which would be nice, since they are raising money for their car museum). You've picked an example of no competition breeding indifference, which is my problem in the first place.

Rabanco doesn't need to keep you happy. They need to keep the city of Auburn happy. (Sounds like they might be blowing their chance of renewing the contract, though.) You are not the customer.

I do think that the DMV experience is not as bad as it used to be. It seems to have improved since they allowed competition. I think there is a better atmosphere now that their workload has been reduced, and the customers aren't as cranky. Now that you don't HAVE to go directly to the DMV, people go wherever it's most convenient.

You're not my type, Dan. LOL

I understand and accept the mechanisms you describe. Competition v. monopoly. This actually raises an interesting twist. The motivations you mention are from the organization's perspective, and you assume the worker will adopt that same motivation. Questionable, but I accept it. To illustrate, Rabanco serves its customer, the City. We presume that its customer service behavior reflects its desire to please the City. Not necessarily the City's customers (owners), the citizens. No problem so far.

But if we accept the assumption that an organization's customer service agenda will be pursued and shared by the workers, then we have an interesting result. We have Rabanco and other private companies pleasing customers and stockholders.....and we have City of Auburn pleasing customers and citizens. Rabanco is serving two masters while Auburn is serving one. Further Rabanco's service is for the purpose of making money. City of Auburn does not have that goal. City of Auburn's agenda is to EXIST. Its customer service challenges are its ONLY challenges and its raison d'etre.

Ah well. Enough thinking. I need some lunch. I feel as though I get very good service from the public agencies on which I rely. Service from private companies is.....not as reliable.

The local Ford dealership this morning told me it would charge me two hours of labor to press four ball joints from two steering knuckles that I left for them in a box (removed from the Ford Ranger), and press in the new ones, along with two u-joints on two half-shafts I also brought to them. If they successfully accomplish this, I will feel satisfied but gouged. Charging me nearly $200 for these six pressings suggests it is four times more difficult than a $50 front end alignment job. BS. They will charge me $200 for forty minutes of work. I should have done it myself, or taken it to a regular machine shop. Plus, I've just got a feeling they're going to mess it up.

No. I do not trust private businesses like I trust public agencies. Private businesses may, if they prefer, bend me over or not serve me or lie to me. Public agencies are required, legally required, to perform better than that. And frankly, I find them reliable. for the most part.

Just go to a different DMV.

After reading your second paragraph, I must conclude that you must be happy with your garbage service after all.


Is this a great place, or what? Legion comes here with a legitimate gripe about Illinois, and two clowns from the West coast start poking each other in the eye about government vs. private enterprise.

I'm telling you. Just contact your State Rep. They'll do anything to hopefully gain your vote.

I did, and my "lost" titles were found in 4 hours. No kidding.

Yes. This works. I spent a dozen years at a state agency, and handled many correspondence that was addressed to the Governor. The Governor's office wants to see people served well and quickly.

I thought of another thing. Our local auto maintenance shop. This is a public agency maintaining and repairing its own cars. I'll confess that it appears to take them about five times longer (no kidding) to do have as good a job of repairs than the local private shops. That place is not impressive. Like Dan said.....no completition. No incentive.

Put a steak on that eye, Dan.

I've got plates.

Turns out the Title Nazi IS the supervisor of my local DMV. I love it when seniority matter more than skill.

And just to make sure I knew she was screwing me and I couldn't do anything about it...she added on a few of the fees I had to pay the dealership onto the purchase price of the vehicle just to increase the tax I owed. F***ing b****. Of course since Supe says this is far better than people who have to perform their job duties competently to stay employed, I should be happy, right?

Ever think of going to a different DMV office?

California passed a new law this year that makes it illegal for me to set foot in a DMV because I speak english and use deodorant. ;)