Fable
The counter first determines what the customer actually came to do
City hall had only one large counter. Customers started talking as soon as they arrived, and the clerk listened while guessing whether they needed tax, household registration, roads, or a shop permit. Regulars could explain clearly; newcomers often wandered in circles for ages.
The earliest method was to have all customers line up in the same queue. When it was someone’s turn, the teller asked more detailed questions. The line grew longer and longer, and people who really only wanted to fill out one form still had to wait for complex disputes to be handled.
The supervisor posted a keyword list: if the word tax appears, go to taxation; if the word housing appears, go to household registration. A few days later, errors occurred. Someone asked about shop rent tax, and both windows said it was not their responsibility.
Another teller suggested letting customers choose their own window. As a result, many chose wrong, waited half an hour, and were sent back, angrier than before.
Later, a triage clerk was added at the hall entrance. He did not solve problems, only asked a few short questions: Are you here to inquire, modify, complain, apply, or supplement materials? Which object is involved? Is there a deadline?
The triage clerk tags each request with an intent label, then routes it to the corresponding window. Vague requests get follow-up questions first, rather than being forced into a category.
The supervisor also regularly reviews misclassified cases. If many customers use the same kind of vague language, the entry point needs to change; if a new business type appears often, add a new category.
The hall quickly quieted down. Not because every window had become smarter, but because the entrance first judged the request type clearly, so the later process could match. The triage clerk said: before acting, first determine what kind of thing the other party actually wants to accomplish. Sort into the wrong door, and no matter how hard you work afterward, you are taking a detour. Later the supervisor found that entrance triage also exposed new needs. If many people cannot clearly state the same thing, the hall changes how it asks; if new matters appear frequently, it opens a new door for them. It also reduced misunderstandings. When customers hear their purpose repeated back, they often correct it on the spot: I am not complaining, I need to supplement evidence. Once the direction is accurate, there are fewer detours afterward. The clerks also argued less, because the matters each window received were more like what it should handle. The clerks also argued less, because the matters each window received were more like what it should handle, and processing truly became faster.