Features
What the Heck is an Ombudsman?
Jennifer Connally Provides Support, Answers to Members of Texas811
By Amy Chmura, Staff Writer
When members of Texas811 have a question or concern, they know just whom to call: Jennifer Connally. Connally is the Member Services Coordinator/Ombudsman.
What exactly is an ombudsman? An ombudsman is defined as a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organization and internal or external constituents while representing a broad scope of constituent interests.
It was a term which Connally was not familiar with two years ago when she first saw it. She had just accepted a new position with Texas811 at the time. Texas811 President Lee Marrs handed her a piece of paper with the term on it. Marrs wanted a title that was unique and would reflect the new job Connally would be doing.
“Member services on its own was too boring,” she said. “Lee wanted something different, so he did some research and came up with the title.”
For members of Texas811, ombudsman means they have one contact to call who will get them the answers to their questions, resolve any issues and serve as a direct link to any Texas811 service or department.
“If they need help receiving a locate ticket or updating a map, they go through me,” Connally said. “Everything member-related goes through me.”
This means Connally maintains files on all members of Texas811, as well as the other state one-call centers they manage in West Virginia and South Dakota. This accounts for more than 2,200 members Connally must keep track of and serve.
“I give advice to existing members and help new companies become members,” she said.
Her days are filled with answering tons of e-mails and phone calls. For her the term ombudsman means mediator, problem solver and listener.
“I like to help solve problems and make people feel better,” Connally said.
One of her greatest rewards is hearing she made a difference for a member. “I had one member thank me for being nice and patient and for spending 45 minutes with him,” she said. “That is my job. I like helping them. It is what I do.”
As a long-time employee of Texas811, Connally has worked in various departments at the one-call center, which gives her a broad understanding of the organization. This allows her to explain benefits and services to the members.
Connally began her career at Texas811 just out of high school as a customer service representative. In her 11 years with the one-call center, she has worked in the Fax Department, e-locates, the ROW Program and GulfSafe. She managed all of this while pursuing and obtaining her degree in sociology.
“It has been fun moving up the ladder here,” Connally said.
With this wealth of experience, when Connally talks about Texas811 services she knows what she is talking about. She has been involved with and seen first-hand many aspects of the organization.
Her job can be demanding and time consuming and requires meticulous record keeping, but the details and need for precise organization never seem to dampen Connally’s enthusiasm for the job. She admits that some days the phone seems to ring endlessly or the emails keep pouring in, but she loves what she does and the people with whom she works.
Texas811 has four damage prevention staff members who travel across the state speaking to existing and prospective members. They forward all prospective members to Connally who researches the company, explains member benefits and discusses why membership is part of the law and the right thing to do.
Other days, Connally works with existing members to help them make their job and interaction with Texas811 easier and better. She recalls spending time every day for a week talking with a woman at one member company who was new to the job of handling the locate tickets.
“She was new at the position and found much of the information in her database was out of date,” Connally said. “She called everyday looking for support as she sorted through her new job. I talked with tech support, forwarded information to her and assisted her in making the changes she needed.”
She remembers a similar situation at another company. “This company’s damage prevention guy was ill and not coming back,” Connally said. “Another guy was taking his place and not sure how one-call worked. I was there for him to explain the process.”
Connally assures all members that no question is stupid. She would rather have someone call or e-mail her with a question or issue rather than be frustrated or worried that they are doing something wrong.
“My job is to do what I can, the best that I can, to make members happy,” Connally said.
For Connally that may mean on any given day she is juggling five or more things at once, answering dozens of phone calls, weeding through a multitude of e-mails and contacting other departments at Texas811.
“I have great people working with me in all the departments that really understand what is going on and help me help members,” she said. “I know I can count on others such as GIS or tech support to help me out.”
Just as Texas811 allows excavators to make only one-call to start the digging process rather than multiple calls to several utilities, Connally is a one-stop call for members seeking answers or support from Texas811.
“Rather than having to call GIS to update a map or another department for a different issue,” Connally said, “everything goes through me. I help make the process easier and give members peace of mind that they have someone there to help them when needed.”
With her multi-colored spreadsheets, drawers full of organized member folders and phone in hand, Connally is ready everyday to serve the members of Texas811. She will spend whatever time is needed and work to find the solution to support the members and make them feel their voices are being heard.
“I am happy to be there for them,” Connally said.
