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
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/487591
29 StateWays ■ www.stateways.com ■ March/April 2015 By Melissa Niksic K eeping up with changing technology is a struggle for any industry. With numerous online resources, mobile applications and tablet computers at their dis- posal, many control states are looking to modernize their systems and streamline internal and external processes. Investing in online platforms for licensing and training programs is one way to improve overall productivity and better serve licensee customers in the process. StateWays checked in with three states to review the progress in these areas and collect tips to share with other agencies that are gearing up for this process. Condensing processes for customer convenience In July 2013, Montana's Liquor Control Division, administered under the state's Department of Revenue, began the process of overhauling its online licensing sys- tem. The decision to do so was prompted by Governor Steve Bullock's Main Street Montana Project, which fo- cuses on providing better service to customers. It was determined that an online licensing system would pro- vide both convenience and better service to Montana's liquor licensees. Previously, the only way for someone to apply for a liquor licence in the state was to fi ll out a paper applica- tion that was roughly 20 pages long. Montana partnered with Fast Enterprise (the same company that manages the state's warehouse distribution system) to create a new online application, simplifying the process. "The reason the paper form was so long is because we needed to account for the various types of licenses a business may be applying for," explains Shauna Helfert, Administrator of the Montana Liquor Control Division. "The online version weeds out unnecessary questions based on the information people input, so it really speeds up the process." In addition to accepting new license applications, Montana's system allows users to pay for their license, renew their license and report any licensee changes on- line. One thing it doesn't do is allow applicants to up- load their fi ngerprint cards, which are required in order to conduct mandatory government background checks for all licensees. The fi ngerprint cards must be mailed in separately to complete an application. Users also have the option of mailing in additional information that may be cumbersome to upload into the system directly, such as location blueprints. Montana spent about a year planning and rolling out the new online licensing system, initially offering it to on- premise applicants in January 2014 and including manu- facturers and special permit requests as of Summer 2014. Prior to its launch, the system was thoroughly tested by "The online version weeds out unnecessary questions based on the information people input, so it really speeds up the process." — Shauna Helfert, Administrator, Montana Liquor Control Division ONLINE LICENSING and Training Programs in the Control States