Xerox bungles another privatization contract with the state--this time it is with TxDOT.

[TexasTowelie]

KXAN, interviewed the head of TxDOT Joe Weber about the problems they been having with privatization and Xerox, TxDOT director addresses TxTag issues, promises fixes. FWIW:

Xerox’s $100 million contract with the State of Texas includes handling customer service and the TxTag website.

“Am I happy with Xerox? No. I’m not happy with myself. I’m not happy with TxDOT,” said Weber. “Anytime that the people of the state of Texas are giving us their tax money, they expect us to perform and provide them good services and in this particular case we haven’t. But we’re going to make it better and we’re going to work very hard to make it better. Again, it’s been a very difficult transition in the data transfers, but we’re going to work through it.”

But what about all of the customers still struggling to pay their bill or figure out if they were billed in error? Weber says TxDOT is going to make it right.

“Because as our constituents, as people of the state of Texas who have entrusted us their tax money to build these roads and pay tolls, we owe it to them to make it right. And we are. So be patient with us, we’re sensitive, we’re working very hard. We have some of the greatest people in the staff here working with Xerox and we’re going to make it better.”

The one question the interviewer didn’t ask is why don’t you return our calls?

I knew this story hit a fever pitch when a local GOP lawmaker finally got on board.

The problems also have one Cedar Park lawmaker calling for an audit into whether TxDOT has been collecting money from customers who may have been billed in error.

“This entire situation has gotten completely out of hand,” said State Rep. Tony Dale. “I wonder how many thousands of dollars of erroneous toll violations have been assessed and collected.”

In addition to the audit request, Dale sent a letter to TxDOT officials asking for an emergency meeting. Dale wants to know just how much money TxDOT has made in violation fines from toll users.

“When a person gets five, six or seven bills in the mail that all have violations attached and they never received a letter before in the first place, that’s unacceptable. It has to change.”

Better late then never. See EOW’s previous post, TxTag/Xerox Toll Issues Continue.

Source: http://eyeonwilliamson.org/?p=14421

[font color=green]After all of the failed attempts at HHSC by Xerox and Accenture (another Xerox subsidiary) when will the minions at the state learn that the public sector and the private sector have different goals? The public sector is there to provide services; meanwhile, the private sector is there to maximize profit. The two goals rarely overlap.[/font]

[TexasTowelie]

1. I did not read the story in its entirety.

Xerox has already been fined $177,000 for failing to meet performance goals. Additional fines are being considered.

[Downwinder]

2. It used to be that you maximized profits by providing service.

That was when companies were run by operations people. When the MBA's and financial personnel took over that changed. Back then the purpose of a business was to provide a product or service.