New disposal support representative always on duty

Battle Creek, Michigan – A new disposal support representative is starting work for Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services, and should put in more hours on the job than any other. Twenty-four hours every day, in fact.

Customers may already know to contact a DSR when needing advice about turning in property, but the newcomer can claim to work longer hours because this is a digital DSR.

Helping new civilian and military users was the underlying focus of the digital DSR, accessible at www.dla.mil/ddsr via computer, tablet, smartphone or other devices.

“Navigating the complex processes and layers of property disposal can appear intimidating and difficult for new users wishing to dive into the system,” said Information Systems Coordinator and Webmaster Peter Gentry.

“In the DLA Disposition Services ‘customer support toolbox,’ DSRs can easily fit into the Swiss army knife category. They provide a broad spectrum of knowledge and capabilities for customers to call upon and address issues,” Gentry said.

He said the digital DSR was meant to capture the encyclopedic level of disposal know-how and customer service professionalism that physical DSRs provide.

The digital DSR is a simple display of five buttons. They cover the gamut of frequently requested topics from property searches and item turn-ins to ways to learn more about DLA Disposition Services.

A “Search for Property” button shows information about how military units and other eligible property recipients can get excess property for their organization to use.

The “Turn in Property” button is all about property turn-in with links to tips on how to turn in 30 different categories of property.

A “Quick Link” button gives fast access to all the references, rules and regulations on turning in or getting excess property.

The “Contact Us” button has the number for DLA’s 24/7 military and civilian customer support line, the Customer Interaction Center. It also has the number for DLA’s Enterprise Help Desk for information technology support as well. There are also listings for subject matter experts and staff at DLA Disposition Services’ headquarters in Michigan, and a map with contact info for each of Disposition Services’ field sites across the continental United States.

Finally, the “Training Schoolhouse” button leads to a compact “boot camp” training program to help people get the most from DLA Disposition Services.

A group of known Disposition Services customers tried out the digital DSR before its finalization. A survey found majority were very satisfied, with a few had improvement suggestions. The Training Schoolhouse was one area that specifically received feedback.

“That training content is important for all users, but especially those new military or civilian users,” said DLA Disposition Services Director Mike Cannon.

“We now have standard operating procedures for all our major tasks. That means we need standardized training for everyone on how to use our services, everywhere we operate,” Cannon said. “Each time someone in the military makes a permanent change of station, there is always a learning curve. Our standardized procedures are meant to turn our part of that curve into a straight line to success, no matter our location and no matter if the customer is a military member or a civilian.”