Measuring Satisfaction with Government Using the ACSI

1. Measuring Satisfaction with Government Using the ACSI Mexico City, September 2009

2. Snapshot of ACSI • Established in 1994, ACSI is the only standardized measure of customer satisfaction in the U.S. economy, covering approximately 200 companies in 45 industries and 10 sectors; companies measured account for roughly one-third of the U.S. GDP • A quarterly measure of the national economy’s health; complementary to measures such as inflation and unemployment • 50+ departments and agencies of the U.S. Federal Government measured on an annual basis • Results from all surveys are published quarterly in various media and on the ACSI website, www.theacsi.org

3. T M M E Türkiye Müşteri Memnuniyeti Endeksi Swedish CSI Turkish CSI Korean CSI Mexican CSI UK CSI Colombian CSI Singapore CSI ACSI Methodology Adopted Internationally

4. ACSI and Government Satisfaction • ACSI measured portions of Federal Government as early as 1994 • Internal Revenue Service measured as part of the ACSI since 1994 • In 1999, ACSI chosen as the “gold standard” measure of customer satisfaction by the Federal government • Currently more than 200 different government services measured using the ACSI methodology

5. Why Measure Satisfaction with Government? Raise trust in agencies and the government overall Enable Senior Executives to meet performance criteria Identify areas for improving quality of service provided to customers Provide critical information for annual performance plans to Congress (as required under GPRA) Link customer satisfaction with expectations and desired outcomes ACSI Set “baseline” for customer satisfaction and measure progress Benchmark against “best” in business and government

6. ACSI METHODOLOGY

7. ACSI Methodology • Customer satisfaction (ACSI) is embedded in a system of cause and effect relationships • Measures are general enough to be comparable across agencies, and private sector companies • ACSI is measured using multiple indicators • Objective: Explain desired outcomes

8. ACSI Methodology ● A component score is a weighted average of the set of attributes, or survey questions, comprising a component or activity. Responses to survey questions are given on a 1-10 scale, which is converted to a 0-100 scale for score reporting. ● An impact, on the other hand, predicts the increase in satisfaction that would result from a 5-point increase in a component or input score. ● Areas for improvement are those components or activities with a relatively low score and a relatively high impact on satisfaction. EXAMPLE Activity 1 76 In the simplified example shown here, Activity 2 would be a key action area due to its relatively low score and high impact. .8 ACSI 65 1.5 Activity 2 65 Impact Score

9. Federal Government ACSI Model Process • Ease • Timeliness Information • Clarity • Accessibility Perceived Quality Customer Complaints Customer Service • Courtesy • Professional Customer Satisfaction (ACSI) • Ease • Usefulness Website Customer Expectations Agency Trust • Confidence • Recommend

10. ACSI RESULTS FOR THE U.S. FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

11. Aggregate Customer Satisfaction with Federal Government, 1999-2008* *A methodology change in 2007 limits comparability to prior years. Year-to-year trending is recommended.

12. 2008 Federal Government ACSI Model 73 Process 73 • Ease • Timeliness 74 1.8 75 Information 74 0.6 • Clarity • Accessibility 9% 76 75 Perceived Quality Customer Complaints 1.6 80 4.0 Customer Service 79 • Courtesy • Professional 69 -1.9 Customer Satisfaction (ACSI) 80 2.3 0.0 1.1 74 • Ease • Usefulness Website 70 4.5 69 70 79 0.2 Customer Expectations Agency Trust 69 • Confidence • Recommend 72

13. How Agencies Utilize ACSI Data • Test results against current assumptions • Reexamine improvement plans and strategy • Report results to Congress, employees, and customers • Design and conduct more detailed drill-down surveys on low-performing areas • Identify strategic benchmarking partners; identify/adopt “best practices”

14. IRS Finding: e-Filers Vastly More Satisfied 23 points 30 points • fewer errors, quicker problem resolution • earlier refunds, easy status tracking

15. IRS: More e-Filers Number of e-filers nearly triples in 8 years “We realize we have more work to do, but the survey is just one more indication that the IRS reorganization and its emphasis on customer service are paying off. The satisfaction with IRS e-file won´t surprise any taxpayer who has used it. When they try it, they like it. It is fast, accurate and dependable.” - Charles O. Rossotti, IRS commissioner, December 17, 2001

16. IRS: Improved Individual Tax Filing Experience • IRS hears the voice of the customer… • Commitment to customer service • Increased awareness and usage of e-filing All Individual Tax Filers Customer Satisfaction Up 17 Points

17. Citizen Satisfaction by Department

18. Government “Expectations Gap”

19. Customer Service Leads the Way

20. Few Citizens Complain, but…

21. Complaints are Handled Poorly, and… Complaint Handling Score (0-100)

22. Complaint Handling Impacts Satisfaction

23. Customer Satisfaction and Trust in Government

24. Agency-Specific Trust vs. Overall Trust ● ACSI measures both agency trust (trust with the specific agency experienced), and overalltrust (trust in the Federal government as a whole). • ● Overall trust measured by asking: “Generally speaking, how much of the time do you think you can trust the government?”

25. Agency and Overall Trust

26. Agency and Overall Trust 70 Agency Trust 1.7 37 Overall Trust in Federal Government 4.5 69 Customer Satisfaction (ACSI) 0.0 • ● Customer Satisfaction has a very strong direct impact on trust in a specific agency ● Customer Satisfaction has no direct impact on overall trust in government, but has a small indirect impact via agency trust

27. ACSI • For more information, visit the ACSI website at: www.theacsi.org