Eight more branches will allow customers to check in online or by phone to hold their place in line at their local branch

MACKINAC ISLAND, Mich. – Secretary of State Ruth Johnson today announced that customers at eight more of the busiest Secretary of State offices will get to use the new MI-TIME Line service to make office appointments and hold a place in line using their phones or computers.

“This is one more way we’re making it easier to do business with the Secretary of State,” Johnson said during the 2015 Mackinac Policy Conference on Mackinac Island today. “We value customers’ time, so this way they can get in line and run errands or go shopping instead of waiting in line.”

These eight additional branches are expected to roll out the system by late summer: Jackson County, West Wayne County, North Oakland County, Southeast Macomb County, Southwest Macomb County, Kalamazoo County, Northeast Kent County and Southwest Kent County.

Almost 1.5 million customers have used the MI-TIME Line system in the 10 branches where it is currently available since it was launched in January 2014. Response has been overwhelmingly positive with comments such as these:

• “The text messages indicating estimated time frame were great, and accurate. I was able to run a few errands while I waited, which made the overall experience better than it might've been otherwise. The texts allowing me to respond and the options to adjust timing as needed were so helpful. It was great to know that even if I needed more time to return, my place in line would still be honored. Thank you for providing this service!”
  
• “The MI-TIME online registration system was FANTASTIC. I selected my desired time and my number was called right on schedule. Simply AWESOME. All SOS Branches should implement this system.”
  
• “Love the text line service! Walked in and walked out! Never sat down! Never got in line!”

Once customers are signed in, MI-TIME Line calls or sends a text message when they are about to be called. Customers who don’t have a mobile phone can stop by the office, check in at a special MI-TIME Line kiosk and get a printed ticket. They can check their estimated wait time on a monitor at the branch before heading out to run errands.

Customers can find participating offices on the Branch Office Locator by searching for “Get in Line Online” offices.

To offer this cutting-edge customer-service technology, the Secretary of State’s Office partnered with QLess, whose line-management service has been successfully used by other driver and motor vehicle agencies, amusement parks, shopping malls, and health care and educational facilities to reduce wait times.

The new technology is the latest in Johnson’s efforts to improve customer service. In 2011, she launched ExpressSOS.com to offer some of the department’s most-popular services online. As part of ExpressSOS.com, customers can use the Print-and-Go feature that allows them to print off a proof of purchase for tabs to carry until their tabs arrive in the mail.