[Gyeonggi Province Civil Inquiry Resolution ①] 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center

Earns SQ Certification in October; offers consultation services on par with global standards; Gyeonggi resident satisfaction rate of 96.3%; consultations via telephone, app, KakaoTalk, and other SNS 

Gyeonggi Province currently runs a number of systems – including the 120 Call Center and the Public Service Center – to process civil inquiries and resolve difficult issues when people are uncertain where to go for help. It also operates the ‘Let’s Meet the Governor’ program through which Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil meets members of public every Friday and addresses their issues. has launched a new series of articles under the title of Gyeonggi Province Civil Inquiry Resolution to help more provincial residents utilize the advanced civil inquiry services available in Gyeonggi Province. [Editor]

◇ Since its launch in May 2007, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center has become the ‘face of Gyeonggi Province’ with its consultation services for general civil inquiries in Gyeonggi Province. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

Boasting a satisfaction rating of almost 100% from Gyeonggi residents thanks to its kind reception and excellent customer service, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center earned SQ Certification, which is awarded to businesses in Korea that offer outstanding service, on October 22 from the Korea Association for Service. Having already received ISO Certification – an international standard for quality management systems – in 2013 and KS Certification in 2010, the 120 Call Center has been widely acclaimed for the quality of its consultation services, which are on par with international standards. We went to find out everything there is to know about the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center, which has been serving as the ‘face of Gyeonggi Province’ since its launch in 2007. 

■ Call 120 to find out anything in Gyeonggi Province

‘All of a sudden, my child started complaining about stomach pain. It happened after I heard that all hospital emergency rooms in downtown Suwon had been closed because of MERS, so I didn’t know what to do.”

Lee (38) from Suwon called 120 last summer to find out which emergency rooms were open at the time. Ms. Lee was hesitant to call 119 because it wasn’t a very urgent situation. That’s when she called the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center for help. 

Jeong from Yeoju City also found some relief after talking to a consultant at the Gyeonggi Province Call Center. “I called because I was going through a rough patch after getting divorced, moving in with my sibling, and then being asked to leave. I didn’t have anywhere to live and I was suffering from a congenital condition. The consultant was very helpful and told me how to apply for the ‘Unlimited Care Project’ and how to apply for help at the Ministry of Health and Welfare. I tried taking my own life on several occasions when things became to tough, those consultation sessions gave me a place to turn to.”

From inquiries about Gyeonggi Province to civil complaint resolution, this consultation service listens to each and every word that Gyeonggi residents have to say. Since its launch in 2007, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center has truly become the ‘face of Gyeonggi Province’. 

The center gained the attention of other municipal organizations and public offices in 2009 by beginning year round 24-hour operation as well as by offering English and sign language services. The center also expanded its services through the use of Twitter, MMS texts, and mobile applications. 

◇ The 120 consultants also work as the ‘face of Gyeonggi Province’ outside the center. They are engaged in various activities including the Gyeonggi Province Call Center Garam Neoul Volunteer Group, which was launched in April 2012, and also serve as volunteers at events hosted by the province. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News Yoo Je-hoon

Consultation services are now offered in five different languages including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Mongolian. Additionally, the center signed an MOU with BBB Korea which offers services in 19 languages including French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, German, Portuguese, Arabic, Polish, Turkish, Swedish, Thai, Malay, and Indonesian to help migrant workers and multicultural families obtain information more conveniently. 

In particular, the center has been using various SNS platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and KakaoTalk as consultation channels this year. It has also set up a hotline for accidents and disasters, enabling callers to talk directly with officials in relevant departments when reporting safety incidents. 

Thanks to these efforts, the satisfaction rating for the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center was 97.6% in 2013 and 96.3% in 2014. The center has received an impressive array of awards as well. Beginning with the First Brand Grand Award from the Korea Economic Daily in April 2009, the center received KS Certification for Call Center Service in 2010, the Outstanding Civil Inquiries Policy Award conferred by the Minister of Public Administration and Security in 2011, the Public Information Society Grand Prize from the National Information Society Agency, International Quality Management System ISO 9001 Certification in 2013, and SQ Certification in October 2015.

■ This is how the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center works

Then, what does it look like inside the Gyeonggi Province Call Center which operates 24/7? Located on the second floor of the Public Service Center in the Gyeonggi Provincial Government Complex, the center is fully staffed by consultants who speak intently and calmly. They scrutinize their monitors and their hands work quickly and expertly while searching for useful information so as to address inquires as soon as possible.

The endless number of calls could weigh them down, but the consultants monitor consultation types and status via a large screen display. They appear totally committed to resolving issues quickly and accurately

More than 60 consultants work in three shifts to cover 24 hours. Every day, they receive more than 3,000 telephone inquiries alone. The number balloons when inquiries via SNS and mobile applications are added. 

Currently, 46 consultants are working with the daytime team, 10 with the nighttime team, and 6 with the late-night team. They work 24/7 to provide consultation services regarding provincial Government administration and civil petitions. They also receive inquiries, 95% of which are resolved internally by the consultants. 

The 120 consultants also work as the ‘face of Gyeonggi Province’ outside the center. They are engaged in various activities including the Gyeonggi Province Call Center Garam Neoul Volunteer Group, which was launched in April 2012, and also serve as volunteers at events hosted by the province.

◇ On October 22, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center received SQ Certification, which is awarded by the Korea Association for Service to Korean businesses that offer outstanding services. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

Last February, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Center began its talent donation program by visiting more than 80 vulnerable senior citizens, those who currently live alone or receive basic living security, and keeping them company. The center is also planning the creation of a system to link senior citizens to appropriate welfare services in Gyeonggi Province if they discover that a particular service is needed during their telephone conversations. 

Gyeonggi Province Call Center Promotion Team Manager Kim Sang-hee said, “We’re currently engaged in a talent donation program to share a few kind words with senior citizens who are vulnerable in terms of welfare.” Kim added, “If there is a need for our consultation experience and know-how in civil inquiries, we will be there to lend a hand.”

■ Send a message to Gyeonggi Province using KakaoTalk! Taking full advantage of 120

The 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center is available via phone, text message, the Internet, and on smartphones. Dial ‘120’ (no area code required) when you are in Gyeonggi Province and you will be connected with a consultant. In other regions, dial ‘031-120’. Also, during text consultations, you can attach photos and videos to explain your situation in greater detail.

You can also download the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center mobile app to your smartphone to access various consultation services. If you press ‘120 call’ in the app menu, the application places a call to the Gyeonggi Province Call Center. ‘SNS ggsmart120’ links you to the Gyeonggi Province Call Center’s Twitter account and Facebook page. In addition, the application offers emergency numbers and civil inquiry hotline numbers for all public organizations across the country, as well as phone numbers for key public offices.

You can become a friend with Gyeonggi Province by searching for “Gyeonggi Province” using the ‘Find Friends’ option in KakaoTalk. The system offers 1-on-1 consultations if you enter a message in a chat room. You can report hazardous facilities, civil inquiries, and disaster accidents using KakaoTalk. It also connects you via text messages and phone calls.

From 9:00am to 6:00pm on weekdays, the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center offers sign language service for the hearing-impaired. You can access information on the service by calling See Talk on 070-7947-3939 or video calling 010-****-****.

Twitter (http://mobile.twitter.com/ggsmart120)
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/ggsmart120)

◇ You can download the 120 Gyeonggi Province Call Center mobile application on your smartphone and press ‘120 call’ to place a call to the center. You can also use the ‘Find Friends’ option on KakaoTalk to search for “Gyeonggi Province” and become a friend for its consultation services. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Roh Kyung-hee khrohh@kg21.net 

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201511111639347055C048&s_code=C048