Birmingham has renewed its contract with Avenu Insights & Analytics LLC, the corporate in command of the town’s on-line enterprise license renewal service. The renewal got here regardless of misgivings from officers about complaints that the corporate’s customer support is subpar.

On-line enterprise license renewal was a precedence for Mayor Randall Woodfin’s first time period, and a contract with Avenu was accepted in 2019. Whereas Avenu’s on-line service has elevated licensing effectivity, Woodfin mentioned, its customer support “has not been the smoothest.”

Talks with the corporate about enhancing its “high quality management … weren’t essentially the smoothest” both, Woodfin mentioned, and ultimately led to him having a one-on-one name with the corporate’s president. “I expressed on behalf of our staff (that), in its present kind, the service doesn’t meet our core values,” he mentioned. “It’s not working for the small enterprise proprietor. The staff within the (metropolis) finance division just isn’t happy, and there are some belief points, and so forth.”

However as a result of the present contract with Avenu expires Sept. 11, Woodfin mentioned, a “short-term” answer was wanted. Tuesday’s vote extends that contract for 2 years, for an quantity to not exceed $1,450,000 per yr, however provides a 90-day termination clause.

“We have now excessive expectations and if these expectations usually are not met, then we’ll come again earlier than this council,” Woodfin added.

District 5 Councilor Darrell O’Quinn, who mentioned he’d obtained a number of complaints from small enterprise house owners about Avenu’s service, mentioned Tuesday’s vote places the corporate “on discover.”

“That’s the way in which I view this,” he mentioned. “I’m very joyful to see the 90-day termination clause included on this contract as a result of I believe the enterprise group, though they recognize the flexibility to handle their enterprise on-line, they undoubtedly wish to see some enhancements.”