This award is presented to jurisdiction individuals who have excelled in customer service delivery in a call center or on the front line of motor vehicle administration.
This is an individual award and is awarded one per each region and among those, an international winner is selected.
Each agency may submit only ONE entry.
Criteria for selection:
- Impact on customer service delivery
- Positive effect on agency
- Serves as a model for other employees
- Customer testimonials endorse service
2024 Winners
International and Region 4
California Department of Motor Vehicles
Lauren Plines, Motor Vehicle Representative
Lauren Plines is a remarkable customer advocacy champion, who embodies the essence of superior customer service. Her unwavering commitment to prioritizing the needs of customers sets her apart as a standout contributor within the California DMV's contact center. In every interaction, Lauren consistently goes above and beyond to resolve customer issues and address their inquiries with exceptional care and dedication. At the heart of Lauren's approach is her dedication to the core objective of the California DMV's contact center – to serve as a one-stop-shop for all customer needs. She diligently works to ensure that customers' questions and roadblocks are addressed comprehensively during their initial contact with us. Her commitment to resolving issues on the first interaction streamlines the customer experience and aims to minimize the necessity for customers to physically visit a field office for their transactions or queries. Lauren's exemplary service extends beyond her regular duties as a customer service agent. She undertook the role of a subject matter expert for a special tagging project in addition to her existing responsibilities for an entire year. This project involved accurately categorizing and tagging customer calls and identifying the reasons behind their contact with the California DMV. This meticulous effort yielded valuable insights into the drivers and trends of customer inquiries. Week after week, Lauren has demonstrated her unwavering dedication as a customer advocate, maintaining an impressive 4.9 out of 5.0 customer feedback score from more than 760 customer surveys, which is a testament to her consistent excellence in service. Her commitment sets a standard for her peers, serving as a positive role model within the team. Lauren's willingness to share her knowledge and expertise with her colleagues in the unit reflects her dedication not only to her individual success, but also to the collective growth of the team.
Region 1
Pennsylvania Driver and Vehicle Services
Sonia Loraw, Driver License Examiner Assistant
Sonnia Loraw has been a Driver License Examiner Assistant with PennDOT for six months. Sonnia identified a problem at her driver license center. Customers whose primary language was not English were having trouble locating driver's manuals in their native language that they could use to study for their tests. She developed the idea of providing each customer service representative at driver license centers with a ring containing flash cards with QR codes linking to each foreign language manual available on the website to the Training Division for action. The idea was further modified into making a single-page, easy to understand directory of foreign language versions of the driver’s manual on the website with corresponding QR codes that take the customer directly to the manual in the language they need. The reference sheets were distributed to driver license centers in areas where customers who speak a variety of different languages reside. Now, when a customer whose primary language is not English needs a driver’s manual in their native language, they have an easy reference that takes them directly to the information they need to study for their driver’s test.
Region 2
Texas Department of Public Safety
Andrea Jackson, TxDPS Driver License Customer Service Center
Andrea Jackson has made significant contributions to the Texas Customer Service Center (CSC) in a number of ways. She is a passionate leader who is dedicated to quality customer service and customer-centric solutions. She has introduced many efficiencies, such as using AI technology to improve customer-friendly language. She has also been a vital leader during the Texas Legislative Session and has helped the CSC prepare for changes in processes that impact customers and the internal team. Andrea is also a positive mentor to her peers and is always willing to share her knowledge and experience. She is a highly effective team leader who meets with each member of her team one-on-one every month to increase their productivity. She also runs team-building exercises every month to help build team camaraderie and keep everyone up-to-date on current information. Andrea's commitment to helping others goes beyond work. She has been involved in domestic and international mission trips, and she has generously given of her free time to bring supplies and food to the homeless in the Austin area. She is passionate about quality customer service, promotes a customer-centric approach to changes and policies, and tracks and measures her team's performance.
Region 3
Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
Connor Drake, BMV Deputy Registrar Field Representative
As a BMV Deputy Registrar Field Representative, Connor Drake provides excellent customer service to both his internal and external customers. His responsibilities include monitoring agency transactions and ensuring compliance with BMV policy and procedures. BMV agencies and the public view him as an authority on all things BMV related. He identifies concerns and problems by listening to staff and creating effective solutions. He supports staff by clarifying policies and procedures. He provides a high level of professionalism and his enthusiasm and smile are contagious to everyone around him. In September of 2023, Connor was nominated for a "Champions of Hope" award through Lifeline of Ohio. The nomination came from a Lifeline coordinator that noticed Connor's willingness to help and enthusiasm for organ donation. In July of 2023, Connor was selected as the Field Operations Employee Recognition award winner. Connor was nominated for this award by his supervisor because of his passion, dedication, and commitment to the core values of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Connor was recently promoted but continues to provide excellent customer service to all Ohio BMV agencies.