Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Digital Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Connect rollout gains features; bureau shows ER/HFT renewal wireframe
Summary
Bureau staff demonstrated Connect improvements (complaint form with attachments, insurance and suspension notifications) and walked the council through renewal wireframes for electronic appliance repair and home furnishings/thermal insulation. Questions focused on payment processing fees and ACH/e-check options.
The Bureau of Household Goods and Services previewed expanded Connect functionality and a draft renewal user flow on Oct. 16, 2025, telling the advisory council the project will begin development of an ER/HFT renewal in late October or early November.
"We have launched the complaint form on Connect," Deputy Chief Claire Goldstein said, describing a key improvement: the new form lets consumers attach supporting documentation to complaints at filing, which staff said reduces email exchanges and speeds investigations. Chris Sanchez, who has led the wireframe work, demonstrated the proposed dashboard, business information and owner information tabs, an attestation page, and a fee and payment screen.
Sanchez said the renewal flow will auto‑populate business data from the bureau—AS records and streamline confirmatory steps (address of record, primary business contact, and owner/LLC member details). "This section also shows the status of the license and the license number," he said while clicking through the dashboard mockup.
Council members asked whether card processing fees would be borne by licensees or absorbed by the bureau and whether alternative electronic payment methods (ACH/e-check) could be offered. The bureau said that remains under discussion and that prior vendor pricing made ACH options prohibitively expensive; they will continue to evaluate options and notify licensees when a decision is made.
Staff also said Connect will add enforcement case‑management features, automatic quarterly-report reminders for household movers, and a possible searchable thermal‑installation directory. The bureau emphasized the work is being built through maintenance and operations resources with DCA and Connect teams rather than a separate vendor contract to accelerate delivery and reduce cost.
Next steps include finalizing content and interactions, then beginning the technical build with the Connect team in late October or early November.
