Providing feedback encouraged at border crossings

by Ashly Custer

Posted: 03.10.2015 at 8:40 PM

U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Field Operation Officials from Hidalgo, Rio Grande City and Roma Ports of Entry declared their commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence through a new PRIDE initiative.

“We want to build a culture and character that is reflective of the individuals that work for this agency and for the agency itself to be proud,” said Port Director Efrain Solis Jr.

Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-TX-, pushed for the initiative, and he said it’s important to treat those visiting the U.S. with professionalism and respect.

"There will now be people they can call. There will be no retaliation. People were afraid to call,” Cuellar said. “Imagine if you cross the bridge and you want to complain to somebody that has been very rude to you. There's been times that they have threatened to cut up your visas and people were afraid."

Mike Myers, the Director of Public Relations for the Reynosa Association of Maquiladoras, is also a general manager for a large distributor in Mexico.

"It’s very important to be here to see these new initiatives for CBP and see how they are trying to improve,” he said. “It’s something we do in the manufacturing system. We identify problems parts per million, and it’s nice to see CBP doing the same thing.”

This initiative will streamline the process allowing those coming in through the ports.

Those crossing will be able to easily file complaints or compliments as a means of providing service feedback.

"It was important that CBP not only protected, but they need to find that balance between security and what’s legitimate trade and tourism, which is so important to the local economy,” Rep. Cuellar said. “We got to make sure that the men and women that are actually conducting the interviews at the bridges get that message and are trained so that they understand there has to be customer service as they do their job."

Cuellar said the initiative has started in Laredo and at the Rio Grande Valley field offices.

However, it is expected to become the model for the other locations across the nation.

http://www.valleycentral.com/news/story.aspx?id=1175739#.VQBCXfnF-Lk