Watch the clock

Ten years ago a visit to a Chilean government tax office was synonymous with irritating delays and hostile service. Today, taxpayers entering customer service facilities like this one in Santiago punch a button to receive a time-stamped cue number. Under a program launched in 1997 and known as “Guaranteed Maximum Wait: 30 Minutes,” customers who have not been served within a half an hour are allowed to drop off copies of their paperwork. The tax service subsequently completes the transaction and mails all relevant documents to the customer’s home, free of charge.

The tax service was the first public service in Chile ever to offer such a guarantee. The team that designed the 30-minute program was awarded the National Prize for Innovation in Public Management in 1999.