Stateways

StateWays Sept/Oct 2015

StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions

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StateWays n www.stateways.com n September/October 2015 24 [ PROFILE ] with many outdated processes. It was the licensing process that struck Deloney as one of the biggest problem areas. He immediately made over- hauling that a priority. Back in 2011, it generally took between 270 and 290 days for a license application to be granted after an individual submitted the required forms to the MLCC. From Deloney's perspective, that was unac- ceptable. "There is absolutely no reason why a process should take that long," he says. "It was essential that we make the licensing process faster and easier for people to un- derstand." In addition to the delay in processing applica- tions, the licensing system contained multiple in- consistencies. Many of them were tied to the dif- ferent regional enforcement areas that make up the state of Michigan. Each division had its own set of re- quirements, meaning that the licensing process for applicants varied from one region of the state to another. Under Deloney's direction, the agency overhauled the li- cense application process, making the requirements con- sistent across all areas. Today, all licensee applicants complete the same ap- plication process regardless of their location. Another area of improvement revolved around simplifying the number of forms required for ap- plications. Before the overhaul, certain applicants were required to complete as many as 70 differ- Advice for other control states The MLCC has come a long way in the past several years, and Deloney has plans to take the agency to even greater heights. What advice can he offer his peers facing similar challenges in their states? He cites these quick tips: MODERNIZE, MODERNIZE, MOD- ERNIZE. It becomes harder for an agency to grow when its technology falls behind. "Make sure that you are constantly mod- ernizing and also ensure that your busi- ness model accurately reflects the current economy," he advises. EMPOWER YOUR STAFF. With 150 total employees across four divisions (Licensing, Enforcement, Financial Man- agement, and Executive Services), the MLCC has some staff members who have been with the organization for more than 30 years. Deloney recognizes that they are his most valuable asset, as they've seen the agency through numerous shifts. The rest of the staff are a tremendous resource as well, and control state leaders must make an effort to get staff input on a regu- lar basis. "These are the people who can tell you, from an employee perspective, how to make their jobs easier and custom- ers' lives better," he says. DELIVER A PREMIER RETAIL EXPE- RIENCE. The MLCC doesn't operate its own stores, but it constantly stresses the importance of delivering the kind of retail experience customers expect by keeping stores clean, having in-demand products in stock, etc. "If you don't put for th the effort, that will open the door for people calling for privatization," he warns. CONNECT WITH OTHER STATES. Learn best practices from and ask press- ing questions of your control state part- ners. "We're here to help each other and be resources for each other," Deloney says. "It's foolish not to take full advan- tage of that."

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