This week, businesses around the world celebrated Customer Experience Day, which focuses on customer appreciation and strategies to deliver the best possible customer experience. I want to thank you – all of our customers – for allowing us the opportunity to work with you, and do our best to help your business grow and thrive in Maryland.

Customer service is a priority of the Hogan-Rutherford Administration, which a little more than a year ago committed to making improvements throughout Maryland state government by placing a renewed focus on customer service, improving training for team members, and creating new performance metrics to better track our progress.

This week, to recognize Customer Experience Day, Governor Hogan's office released its first annual Governor's Customer Service Initiative report, which details the steps that have been taken to improve customer service throughout state government, and our progress thus far.

Maryland Commerce also released its report, which speaks to how we've been working hard to create a culture that embraces customer service, and truly make Maryland "Open for Business." Among our efforts has been expanding of our team of regional representatives so we can better connect with businesses throughout the state; celebrating special anniversaries and milestones with our customers; and increasing our procurement outreach to small and minority businesses.

Once again, thank you for being our customers and we look forward to working with you to continue to make Maryland the best place to live, work and do business.

-Mike