A Personal Touch at the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office

Gainesville, the focal point of Alachua County, is more than just a city – it’s a community. It’s where the University of Florida stands tall, where international college students get their first drivers license, and where many out-of-town visitors seek essential services. Understanding each individual’s unique story and background is critical. Enter Pocketalk…

At the Tax Collector’s Office, DMV services, property taxes, and licensing are all in a day’s work. Each visitor comes with a story: An international student from China anxious about her first driver’s test, a Farsi-speaking resident trying to sort out his property taxes, or a Spanish-speaking family from Miami looking for license renewals.

Valerie Jerkins, an integral member of the Alachua County Tax Collector’s Office team, recalls her conversation with a colleague from Hillsborough Tax Collector’s Office at a conference. She said, “Dale couldn’t stop talking about how Pocketalk had transformed their interactions. Our team had been struggling with Google Translate, and this seemed like the answer.”

It was. After a trial run in one of the three tax collector’s offices, the team was sold. “It felt like we were not just speaking the same language, but truly connecting,” Jerkins said.

That single device in the main office grew to 18 Pocketalk devices sprinkled throughout their organization, serving 100 employees.

Each device is more than just a piece of tech – it’s a bridge to understanding stories and needs. Whether it’s a nervous laugh during a driver’s test or a sigh of relief at the reception desk, the devices have turned interactions into conversations.

“Pocketalk is a fabulous resource. Our college town is made up of citizens from all over the world. Pocketalk allows us to effectively serve everyone regardless of their native language,” said John Power, Alachua County Tax Collector.

Alachua County has now been added to the growing list of government entities utilizing Pocketalk devices, making their services available to all residents. Currently, Pocketalk devices are in use at DMVs across 11 states.

Whether they are DMV’s, tax collectors, city halls, election offices, or anything else, government agencies across the US are improving their customer service with Pocketalk. Contact us today to learn more about how Pocketalk can help your organization.