1. MTO FRENCH LANGUAGE SERVICES OFFICE
OPS Common Service Standards
and Best Practices for Delivery of Quality
Services in French
Presentation for Staff Managing or
Occupying a Designated Bilingual Position

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Purpose
 Highlight changes made to OPS Directive and Common Service
Standards (took effect April 2013)
 Share best practices for common service standards delivered in
French
 Identify tools available to staff
 Highlight achievements and opportunities
• 905-735-5074

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Common Service Standards and
the French Language Services Act
 The French Language Services (FLS) Act was introduced in 1986
and applies to all Ontario ministries and government agencies. It
guarantees the public the right to receive government services and
communications in French in 25 French-designated areas of the
province
 There are currently 600,000 Francophone citizens within the
Province of Ontario who have a right to accessing French
government services
 Good business practice would The Common Service Standards are
equally applied to services we provide in French, in designated
areas, and support the delivery of services that are actively
offered, easily accessible and of good quality. Revisions to CSS
should be reviewed through a francophone lens
 The public which (under the Act) includes individuals, businesses,
not-for-profit organizations, municipalities and community
stakeholders appreciate the efforts that are made
 Click here to learn more about the Act – need to hyperlink

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About the OPS Common Service Standard
Directive
•Common Service Standards (CSS) are OPS-wide
•Ministries are to measure and report performance on CSS
•Ministries are to establish levels of service that the public and employees can
expect when accessing internal and external government services
 telephone, in-person, email, regular mail, fax, websites
•Ministries must adhere to all legislative requirements which include:
 The provision of services in French in accordance with the
French Language Services Act (FLSA) and the
Communications in French Directive - see Guidelines for best communication
practices
 The Active Offer (see slides XX) and delivery of French-language services to
Ontario’s Francophone citizens

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 In the next series of slide, you will access information on protocols
for CSS for the following:
 Live Answers
 Recorded Voice Messaging (Automated Telephone Systems)
 In-Person Services
 Mail/Fax
 E-mail/Online Services
 Each slide will outline the CSS standards as well as the Best
Practices for delivery of services in French
 Best Practices in the case of CSS are important as when we fail to
implement best practices, the ministry is subject to receiving
complaints from Ontario’s French Language Services Commissioner
 Any complaints received from the Commissioner’s Office receives a
response from MTO’s CAO after being approved by the ADM of the
division touched by the complaint
Common Service Standards Versus Best
Practices

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Common Service Standard - Telephone
Best Practices – Live Answer:
•A bilingual greeting (Ministry of
Transportation / bonjour) is used by staff
in French-designated positions or any staff
answering a public inquiry line serving any
of the 25 designated areas
•Ensure staff is familiar with the process of
transferring a French
call to a French representative
•Keep an updated contact list of French
representatives to whom you can transfer
a call
•Ensure sufficient bilingual staff is
available to provide coverage during core
business hours

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Common Service Standard - Telephone
Best Practices – Recorded Voice Messaging
(Automated Telephone Systems):
•Record temporary or after hour messages in English and French
•Automated telephone systems are bilingual and the language option is given
as early as possible in the recording. “Bonjour” is used at the onset of the
recording
•When using an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System, option to speak to
a live operator is offered within the preliminary set of English and French
menu options
•Provide TTY lines when establishing toll-free numbers
•Build capacity for TTY in English and French and capability to leave a
message

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Best Practices:
•
•The active offer of service (in 25
designated areas) is provided at all times
by employees – “Good morning,
bonjour”
•Services are offered in English and / or
French during all business hours
•Staff deliver the same quality of services
to French-speaking customers as they do
for English-speaking customers
 The services delivered to French-speaking
customers is within a comparable time
frame as English-speaking customers
Common Service Standard – In-Person

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Common Service Standard – Mail/Fax
Best Practices:•
•Complaints submitted in French
receive a French response
•Translation time is factored into
turnaround time
•Contact Translation Services
(Communication Branch) to have
technical or voluminous documents
translated
•French correspondence is flagged in
CTIS by selecting French in the
language drop down box

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Common Service Standards – Email / Online
Best Practices:
•Communication (email / online) submitted
in French receives a French response
•Email signature block is in English and
French (designated staff)
•Out of office message is in English and
French (designated staff)
•French correspondence is flagged in CTIS
(select French in the language drop down
box)
•Translation time is factored into
turnaround time
•Contact Translation Services
(Communication Branch) to have technical
or voluminous documents translated

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What is the “Active Offer”?
 Is a set of measures taken by government agencies to ensure that
French-language services (FLS) are:
 clearly visible
 readily available
 easily accessible
 publicized
 and that the quality of these services is equivalent to that of services
offered in English
 This includes such measures as all communications, i.e. signs,
notices, social media and other information on services, as well as
the initiation of communication with French-speaking clients.

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Why Use the “Active Offer”?
 Use of the Active Offer is an indicator that services are readily
available in French in the respective location
 Promotes good customer service
 Fosters a culture of professionalism (whether English-speaking or
bilingual)
 Reduces the number of complaints received by the Ministry and the
French Language Service Commissioner’s Office
 The FLS Commissioner has a mandate to conduct independent
investigations under the French Language Services Act, either in
response to complaints or on his own initiative, to prepare reports
on his investigations, and to monitor the progress made by
government agencies in the delivery of FLS in Ontario.

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How to Incorporate the “Active Offer” in Your Workday
• Use a bilingual greeting (good morning, bonjour) at the counter or on the
phone to let client know that services are available in English and French
• Provide service in the language chosen by your client, English or French
• Respond in French to all correspondence received in French
• Post signs indicating that services are available in English and French at
your location
• Ensure adequate number of bilingual staff are available to provide quality
services in French during all business hours
• When using social media, incorporate a medium that reaches the
Francophone community
• Provide French representation when participating in a public event – display
pamphlets, brochures, videos in bilingual format and have bilingual staff
attend event or make arrangements for a qualified interpreter
• Sign up for French language training. It is available to all employees and
could provide a level of comfort to use the Active Offer

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Voice Mail Protocol – Staff in Designated
Positions
 Record a bilingual voice mail greeting
 Include a French term such as "Bonjour“ in your introductory greeting
 Provide name (unless there is a security issue)
 Provide name of branch, division or ministry
 Provide current date or week range
 Provide bilingual zero out option or alternate number for immediate
assistance in French
 Use an extended absence greeting when out of office for one
business day or longer
 Enable TTY users to leave a message after business hours

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Sample Voice Mail Message – Absence from
Office - No Access to Voice Mail
 Bonjour, you have reached (name) in (either: Branch / Division /
Ministry) on (date). I am away from the office with no access to
voice mail. If you require immediate assistance, please (press zero
on your touch tone phone or dial alternate number) and a staff
member will assist you. If you wish to leave a message, please do
so after then tone I will return the call upon my return to the office.
Optional: Thank you and have a nice day!
 Vous avez rejoint (nom) de la (soit : direction / division / ministère) le
(date). Je suis hors du bureau sans accès à ma boîte vocale. Si
vous avez besoin d'aide immédiatement, appuyez sur le zéro ou
composez le (numéro de téléphone) et un membre du personnel
vous répondra. Si vous désirez laisser un message, faites-le à la
tonalité et je retournerai l’appel dès mon arrivée au bureau. Option :
Merci, passez une belle journée!
 Add audio feature

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Sample Voice Mail Message – Absence from
Office - Access to Voice Mail
 Bonjour, you have reached (name) in (either: Branch / Division / Ministry) on
(date). I will be in meetings throughout the day and will be checking voice
messages periodically. If you require immediate assistance, please (press zero
on your touch tone phone or dial alternate number) and a staff member will
assist you. If you wish to leave a message, please do so after then tone I will
return the call within 24 hours. Optional: Thank you and have a nice day!
 Vous avez rejoint (nom) de la (soit : direction / division / ministère) le (date). Je
serai en réunion tout au long de la journée et vérifierai ma boîte vocale au cours
de la journée. Si vous avez besoin d'aide immédiatement, appuyez sur le zéro
ou composez le (numéro de téléphone) et un membre du personnel vous
répondra. Si vous désirez laisser un message, faites-le à la tonalité et je vous
rappelle d’ici 24 heures. Option : Merci, passez une belle journée!
 Add audio feature

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Best Practices for Formatting Menus Using
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) System
 IVR telephone system used to handle large call volumes
 Main greeting is recorded in English and French
 Language preference option is available (English or French)
 Selected language (English or French) is available throughout menu
and sub-menu options
 Menu and sub-menu options are recorded identically in English and
French
 After hour or special messages are recorded in English and French
 Ideally, recording performed by one person

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Best Practices for Formatting Voice Message on
Stand Alone System
 Stand alone system (such as Octel) used for voice mail products
and services
 Voice mail greeting is recorded in English and French
 Menus options are recorded identically in English and in French
 Options to select language preference is available at the outset of
the main greeting
 Menu options and sub-menu options are available either all English
or all French
 Ideally, recording done by one person

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Internal Staff Lines Used as Dual Purpose
 Used in some regions/program areas for public enquiries as well as
an internal staff line
 Recommendation is to record a generic voice message instead of a
personal voice message
 Recording should be in English and French
 Active offer should be used in English greeting or a statement that a
french message will follow

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Highlights and Achievements
 Ministry is making steady progress with French standards through
the annual CSS review
 Proven success through ongoing education and raising awareness of
Active Offer
 System upgrades have allowed for efficiencies in customer service
 Positive outcomes as a result of staff ensuring Active Offer is being
delivered
 FLS Office receiving requests for additional information on best
practices for telephone standards and in-person services
 Ministry continues to make progress in delivering quality customer
service to Francophone community through social media

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Additional Considerations to Ensure Success
 Phone coverage during absences (vacation, sick, lunch hour, meetings)
 A bilingual staff member is recommended for coverage
 Ensure that staff answering public enquiry line or designated staff line are aware
of their responsibilities when handling calls coming on a designated line
 Active Offer is used (English and bilingual speaking staff)
 Process in place for handling/transferring French calls
 Staff trained on phone system(s) to transfer a call
 Contact list of French-speaking representatives is available to transfer the call
 Plan in place in for back-up coverage
 Rotational shift work
 Plan in place for coverage of staff in designated positions
 Staff covering designated position are aware of responsibiilities for managing public
enquiries
 Billingual contact cards made available to the public
 Contact list of French-speaking representatives available to assist with the enquiry
 Commitment made to provide a response within possible timeframe (when bilingual staff
is available)
 For other cases that are not identified in this slide deck, contact FLS Office
for options to minimize disruption in meeting FLS obligations

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Resources
 MTO FLS Intranet Site
 Active Offer / Common Service Standards
 French Language Training
 Staffing & Managing Designated Bilingual Positions – A Practical Guide to Managers
 Translation Services
 FLS Office contacts:
 Rachel Baril – 905 704-2045
 Sheryl Sumbler – 905 704-2046
 Communications in French Directive
 Communications Guidelines
 Office of Francophone Affairs Intranet Site