Wednesday, January 23, 2008

DCAP Costumer Satisfaction Survey. Yes, please.

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CHICAGO DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION AND PERMITS
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION SURVEY
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You have recently been issued a permit from the City of Chicago Department
of Construction and Permits, please take a few minutes to help us serve you better by completing this customer satisfaction survey. Any customer identification information will be kept confidential.

Your responses will be combined with others who complete this survey and used to address customer satisfaction.

CLICK REPLY TO THIS EMAIL AND FILL OUT THE BELOW.

1. Please check the category that best fits your role in obtaining a permit
from the City of Chicago.

Building Owner__ Developer___ Contractor__ Architect_X_ Engineer__ Expeditor__
Other (Please specify)_________________________________________

2. Please check the category that best describes your permit (s).

Electrical__ Residential General Repairs__ New Commercial__ "Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning"__ Plumbing__ New Residential__ Commercial General
Repairs__ Other (Please specify)__COMMERCIAL INTERIOR BUILD OUT (it's going to be awesome despite your meddling attempts to fuck with us)


3. Please describe the permit process used to obtain your permit?

Easy Permit Process__
Self-Certified Online_X - you know, the one that is supposed to be fast and easy....
Fast Track Online__
Standard Plan Review__
Developer Services__
Neighborhood Permit Center: (select location)
South-95th Street__ Southwest-Kedzie Avenue__
North-Addison__ Downtown-City Hall, Rm. 104__

4. Please describe your level of familiarity with the DCAP permit process.
New to the process/First permit__
Somewhat new to the process/Second permit__
Somewhat experienced/More than five permits_X - DCAP makes me wish I went to medical school.
Very experienced/More than ten permits_

5. Please rate the following using a scale of 1 to 5,
with 1 being poor and 5 being excellent -I CAN'T FUCKING WAIT!
Please mark N/A if item is not applicable

Ease in obtaining an appointment_2 - BECAUSE I ACTUALLY GOT ONE. I LOVE HOW THE APPOINTMENT FORM MUST BE FAXED AND WHEN I CALL TO VERIFY, THE OH SO HELPFUL DCAP EMPLOYEE ACTS LIKE THEY ARE GIVING ME THEIR REMAINING KIDNEY JUST BY SPEAKING WITH ME.

Ease in applying for a permit_2 - BECAUSE IT USED TO ACTUALLY BE HARDER! DO THEY DESIGN THEIR SITE AND PROCESS TO BE MORE DIFFICULT ON PURPOSE? SOME SORT OF TWISTED BUREAUCRATIC WAY TO TAKE REVENGE ON THE REST OF US FOR NOT HAVING TO WORK THERE .

Ease in submitting permit information online for Self-Certification - 2 -
NOW I REALIZE THAT A BUILDING IS A COMPLICATED AND FAIRLY PERMANENT STRUCTURE BUT WHEN YOU ASK FOR ARCANE INFORMATION ABOUT EXHAUST FAN RPM AND TOTAL FUEL OIL CONSUMPTION OVER THE LIFESPAN OF THE EQUIPMENT, QUESTIONS MY ENGINEERS DON'T KNOW, THE PRODUCTS SPECIFICATIONS DON'T LIST, WHEN YOU ASK ME TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS BEFORE I SUBMIT FOR PERMIT, WELL....IT REALLY PISSES ME OFF.
DCAP, WE'RE THE TROLL. ANSWER ME THESE QUESTIONS THREE.


Simplicity of the permit process_1 UM, FUCK YOU!

Convenience of the permit process_1 WOW, I WISH I COULD PISS ON YOUR FACE.


Friendliness, helpfulness and courteousness of neighborhood permit center
staff__ N/A_X- THANKFULLY I DIDN'T EXPERIENCE THESE ODDITIES OF HUMANKIND.

Friendliness, helpfulness and courteousness of customer service staff_3
N/A__ ONE LADY ACTUALLY SMILED AT ME. ONCE.


Friendliness, helpfulness and courteousness of reviewers_3 N/A__SELF CERT PROJECTS DON'T REQUIRE REVIEW, THIS MADE THEM ALL MORE FRIENDLY.

Timeliness of reviews_1 N/A__STILL TOOK TO LONG FOR THEM TO DO NOTHING.

Consistency, clarity and thoroughness of reviews__ N/A_

Approach of reviewers (positive and helpful)_3 N/A__MY PROJECT MANAGER WAS KIND OF HELPFUL. HE CAN LIVE.

DCAP staff was very knowledge-able about permit process/building code_4
N/A__HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO LOOK IN THE BOOK! THE CITY SHOULD HIRE MORE LIKE HIM.


Speed in obtaining the permit_1 N/A__THE CITY EQUIVALENT OF WHAT SUPPOSED TO BE A THREE HOUR CRUISE. I MADE A WHOLE BUNCH OF SHIT OUT OF COCONUTS IN THE TIME IT TOOK TO GET OFF THE PERMIT APPLICATION ISLAND. (too much Gilligan?)

DCAP Web site was useful, informative and easy to navigate_1 WHEN YOU NEED A SITE TO EXPLAIN HOW TO NAVIGATE YOUR SITE, IT IS NOT USEFUL, INFORMATIVE OR EASY TO NAVIGATE, IT'S EVIL.

DCAP hours of operation _1 N/A__I JUST HATE DCAP SO MUCH THAT I THINK THEY SHOULD BE OPEN 24 HOURS OUT OF SPITE.

6. How quickly did you receive your permit after submitting an application?

Same day__ Three days__ One week__ One month__
Other (Please specify)_____FIVE WEEKS - WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN AMAZING IF THERE WERE THE REGULAR PERMIT PROCESS BUT LIKE I SAID, IT WAS SELF CERT. SELF CERT IS SUPPOSED TO BE FAST, ONE WEEK FAST. WE PAY EXTRA FOR THAT SHIT.

7. Please rate the following using a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being poor and
5 being excellent.

Satisfaction with the level of professional service at DCAP__2 I THOUGHT MY PROJECT MANAGER WAS GOOD, SO HE BRINGS THIS SCORE UP FROM THE NEGATIVES.

Satisfaction with the permit process (simple and easy to follow)_2 MY EARLIER COMMENTS ON THIS ASIDE, WHEN A PROCESS CHANGES EVERY YEAR OR EVEN EVERY FEW MONTHS, IT MAKES THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE ANYTHING BUT SIMPLE AND EASY TO FOLLOW. THERE WERE THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE PERMIT APPLICATION! WHICH ONE SHOULD I USE? I FELT LIKE I WAS PICKING FOR MY LIFE, LIKE THE WRONG CHOICE WOULD END IN ME RUNNING THROUGH A CAVE WITH A GIANT BOULDER OF STINGING SCORPIONS CHASING ME AND I DON'T OWN A BULLWHIP! RUN INDIE, RUN!

oh and expediters. The best way to get a permit fast seems to be by hiring expediters to move it through the process. Doesn't it seem odd that a service has sprouted up solely for the purpose of waiting in line at DCAP? Nothing against them as people, but expediters don't know anything about construction, why are they required? because DCAP permitting process is so fucking slow, unprofessional, and needlessly complex.

8. In what areas do you feel DCAP performed well?

The project manager was reasonable and professional.


9. What else can DCAP do to make the permit process more convenient?

The separation of the Zoning department, separate review process
caused significant time wasted waiting in their lines. The zoning
examiners were prohibitive to a speedy process. I would like to see
the DCAP project manager expedite the zoning review, act as the
interface between myself and the Zoning department.
This project was a Self Cert. It was unclear as to which of three
different permit applications available online we were supposed to
use. This confusion caused the zoning people to repeal their approval
due to irregular application documents. This was infuriating as the
project is interior work only and doesn't change use, no zoning
issues. This caused a nine day delay in permit being issued. CAN WE HAVE THE ENTIRE ZONING DEPARTMENT STAFF LIQUIDATED? WHO DO I SPEAK TO ABOUT THAT?


10. What else can we do to make the DCAP Web site more helpful to you?

The site is slow, poorly organized and has too much information is on
each page. Make it clear what documents are required for each permit
process / type. Make it clear or only have one permit application
available. Be able to schedule appointments online - NO FAX. Be able
to submit drawings in PDF format.

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These are my thoughts on a recent experience with the Chicago Department of Construction and Permits. These are my feelings, however unrefined, and don't necessarily represent the feelings of the LWoA staff...at least not at this very second. Maybe now. Or now.

I'll end with a story. Once I was working on a prospective project in Palm Springs, CA. I walked into their immaculate and empty building department. A lovely woman stood with a smile and said to me, "Welcome to Palm Springs Building Department. How can I help you get a permit today?" Bless her. RIP Sonny Bono.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

A new year and we still have our jobs

Well, most of us do... ...so far. I guess with all of the doom and gloom of the economy, we should be happy. Things are looking up though. At least this is what you might think if you consider what a client of ours said the other day: "At least now they are talking about an overall recession and are no longer fixating on how the housing market is in the gutter."

And what do we need to pull us out of our economic-induced coma? A cool horror flick that depicts havoc in the largest American city. One uplifting thought comes to mind while watching the head of the statue of Liberty crashing into a building, chunks of the city flying here and there, and major portions of the city infrastructure getting ravaged. That thought: they're gonna need some architects when this is all through."Earthquake in New York" is on tonight. I don't know about you guys but this architect is making a shit-load of popcorn and parking himself in front of the tube!