History of the Customer Service Bureau
(Formerly known as the Citizens Service Bureau)
1965 - 2007

The Citizens Service Bureau (CSB) has changed its name to Customer Service Bureau (CSB). After 42 years of being known as the Citizens Service Bureau, Mayor Greg Nickels decided it is time for a change. The name change comes at a time when the communities we serve have become increasingly culturally rich and diverse.¹ The Bureau’s name needed to reflect our mission to welcome and serve all people in the city of Seattle as our customers and to refocus on customer satisfaction.

The Citizens Service Bureau, now known as the Customer Service Bureau, first opened its doors in March 1965 with a staff of two. The Bureau was created following a request by the League of Women’s Voters to Mayor Dorm Braman in 1964 for a one-stop location in City Hall where people could obtain information, request City services, and resolve complaints about any City department. Throughout the years, the mission of the Bureau has not changed.

Too often, people find themselves being routed from place to place in search of an answer to a question or in search of a service. The staff’s vast knowledge of Seattle government and how it works is critical to a positive outcome for the people who come to CSB for help. Located on the first floor of City Hall, the staff consists of a Director, four Complaint Investigators and two Administrative Specialists, who spend their time helping people navigate the intricacies of City government. Customers are given advice on how to resolve problems on their own or we can help resolve disputes for them.

In 1970, Mayor Wes Uhlman made the City Departments even more accountable to the Bureau. The Mayor instructed all City department directors to fully support the Bureau in responding to service requests and complaints, and each succeeding Mayor has equally supported the Bureau’s work.

In 1972, to assist customers in finding their way around City government, the Bureau began publishing the Citizens Information Guide. The name of the Information Guide is now the Customer Information Guide. The Information Guide lists 200 of some of Seattle’s busiest telephone numbers. The Guide was first distributed through “The Seattle Times” and later in neighborhood newspapers. Today the Guide is updated every two years and mailed out with Seattle City Light bills. They are also available at all 13 Neighborhood Service Centers (Little City Halls), and staff who work in the field often carry the Guide with them.

In 2006, the Customer Service Bureau received over 48,000 complaints, requests for information and service requests. If you have a problem or question about City services, the staff of the Bureau is prepared and ready to assist you.

¹ The percentage of foreign-born residents has increased significantly in the last three decades. In 1980, the foreign-born population constituted about 11 percent of Seattle’s population. In 2000, it was almost 17 percent. By 2010, that total may rise to 20 percent and total up to 120,000 people. As the face of Seattle changes, City government is also changing to embrace our city’s newest residents. The word “citizens” did not encompass all the people we serve and was confusing for some. The Customer Service Bureau is the City’s frontline and to promote the full and active participation of immigrant and refugee communities in Seattle’s civic, economic and cultural life, our name was changed to be more inclusive. Drawn to freedom and opportunity in the United States, tens of thousands of immigrants and refugees from around the world have made Seattle home.

“Though the growing number of immigrants and refugees in Seattle come from different parts of the world, they all share a desire to build a new and better life in this country,” Mayor Nickels said. “I’m committed to removing barriers to that better life and ensuring that this city serves all of its residents equally. We all benefit when we are all included.”