Customer Satisfaction in the Public Administration

Summary

What is Customer Satisfaction? Who is the Customer? Why we should assess CS? How can we assess Customer

Satisfaction? Who should do it?

“Customer” is…

a person who has a material experience of our services

“potential” customers can provide info about reputation (e.g.: expectations) of the service

“Provider” is….

He who provides a public service and organizes its delivery

What is Customer Satisfaction…

Customer Satisfaction is the way services provided meet / surpass / delude citizens’ expectations

The value of Satisfaction is the gap between expectations and experience

…and why we should care??

In a public service, which is normally monopolistic, measuring CS is the only way to assess the performance. Private companies have other tools such as profit.

Helps public services providers to choose priorities of intervention

Helps to improve service quality and the reputation of the provider Satisfaction adds value to the product

“Performance”

“The capacity of pursuing the institutional purpose of a public service”.

Desired End State

Achieved

WHERE you get

HOW you get

On the Provider side, performance is….

Productivity (the capacity of turning factors of production into a product: input -> output)

Efficiency (working or operating in a way that gets the results you want without any waste) 

Effectiveness: producing the intended results

On the Customer side, performance is…

Effectiveness: the way a public service satisfies a need

Customer satisfaction analizes the gap between the customer's expectation of performance and their perceived experience of performance.

Expectation – ExperienceReputation – Satisfaction

BEFORE going to court

• After going to Court

Different perceptions

Client normally takes for granted technical and professional aspects

Provider focusses on tecnical and professional aspects

Client focusses on the quality of delivery and of the relationship

More informations (on technical aspects) = more satisfactions

Gap / coherence analysis:

Client: Provider:

Expected quality Quality target

Perceived quality Quality granted

The Cycle of Satisfaction

Assess

Report

Improve

Customer Satisfaction assessment methodology: the SERVQUAL model

tangibles reliability, responsiveness, competence, access, courtesy, communication, credibility, reassurance, empathy

1. Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness

Tangibles: Appearance of physical facilities, equipment, personnel, and communication materials

Reliability: Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately

Responsiveness: Willingness to help customers and provide prompt service

2. “CCC”: Competence, Courtesy, Credibility

Competence: Possession of required skill and knowledge to perform service

Courtesy: Politeness, respect, consideration and friendliness of contact personnel.

Credibility: trustworthiness, believability, honesty of the service provider.

3. Reassurance, Accessibility, Communication, Empathy

Reassurance: freedom from risk or doubt. Access: Approachability and ease of

contact. Communication: Listens to its customers

and acknowledges their comments. Keeps customers informed - in a language which they can understand.

Understanding the customer: Making the effort to know customers and their needs.

1. Drivers of quality in a Court: Tangibles

Functionality of the Court building Cleanliness of the Courtroom Accessibility of the Courtrooms Commodities and utilities Employees’ appearance Availability of informations Business hours are comfortable Employees are recognizable Level of informatisation

2. Drivers of quality in a Court: Reliability

Employees’ Helpfulness Transparency / Correctness Front office:

Competent Prepared Precise Reliable

3. Drivers of quality in a Court: Responsiveness

Employees’ Courtesy (in person /by phone)

Timeliness of delivery Employees give ready response to

questions? Flexible or bureucratic approach?

4. Drivers of quality in a Court: Accessibility

By phone, e-mail, web Is it easy to find what you need? Is it accessible to handicapped,

minorities? Understandability of forms Understandability of

signals/instructions

5. Drivers of quality in a Court: Communication /Empathy

Capacity of listening Capacity of assisting the customer

articulate his needs Prevention /reduction of mistakes Openness to Customer Complaint

/feedback /claim

How to assess and what to assess

Disseminate questionnaires Make phone calls Give your clients a way to air

complaints, to give feedback, to present compliments

In questionnaires, focus on the whole range of services or one or two sectors

What to assess: the 5P

Policy, Processes, People, Premises, Product/Services

(The International Customer Service Institute)

Who is doing it?

Interviews can be done by professionals or by yourself

To people who have experienced or are likely to experience Court services

E.g: target on lawyers, citizens etc…

How to assess satisfaction: the Likert scale

“Item”: a (positive or negative) statement to be evaluated

Five answers possible:1. I Strongly disagree 2. I Disagree 3. I Neither agree nor disagree 4. I Agree 5. I Strongly agree

Answers are then summed

Questionnaires :

Must avoid obscure terminology Must present questions in a neutral

way Be sure that interviewed know what

you are talking about must not require memory efforts One aspect per item Remeber you are assessing

sensations (psychometry)

Example:

“Court employees are courteous and professional”

1. I Strongly disagree 2. I Disagree 3. I Neither agree nor disagree 4. I Agree 5. I Strongly agree

What next?

Report transparently (e.g: in the Service Charter)

Learn lessons: discuss with staff Act to improve what can be

improved

Key words

Transparency Listening Understanding Openness Citizen-orientedness Quality