Using the American Customer Satisfaction Index ACSI to

Using the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to Measure and Improve Customer Satisfaction Department of Veterans Affairs Organizational Transformation Symposium Washington, DC September 12, 2001 Federal Consulting Group

FEDERAL CONSULTING GROUP Centers of Excellence 4 Collaborative and Customized Consulting and Facilitation Services 4 Executive Coaching Through A National Network of Qualified Coaches 4 Customer Satisfaction Strategies and Measurement 2 Federal Consulting Group

What is the Federal Consulting Group’s Role? 4 ACSI Executive Agent 4 Assist agencies to improve performance 4 Expand participation 4 Report out results on www. customerservice. gov 3 Federal Consulting Group

Why Measure Customer Satisfaction? 4 Improve program operating performance 4 Raise citizen trust in government 4 Benchmark against other services 4 Comply with GPRA reporting requirements 4 Balanced measures for Senior Executives 4 Federal Consulting Group

Why the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)? 4 An interactive INDEX that uses survey methodology 4 Highly valid and internationally recognized 4 Cross-industry measure 4 Effective for external or internal customers 4 Utilized by private and public sectors 5 Federal Consulting Group

What Federal Services are Measured by the ACSI? 4 More than 100 Federal services delivered to: § § § Recreational visitors to public lands US residents returning from international travel Citizens receiving health and retirement benefits Information and data users Veterans Applicants for grants and loan guarantees 6 Federal Consulting Group

What USDA Services are Measured by the ACSI? 4 Seven Agencies and Ten Services/Programs • Food and Nutrition Service • Forest Service • Food Safety and Inspection Service • Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service • Farm Service Agency • National Agricultural Statistics Service • Natural Resources Conservation Service 7 Federal Consulting Group

Convenience 8. 6 Customer Satisfaction Results for NRCS CONSERVATION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Usefulness 8. 8 86 8. 9 Overall 1. 6 Accessible 8. 9 Clarity 8. 6 INFORMATION ON CONSERVATION 1. 2 PERCEIVED QUALITY 4. 4 -3. 0 88 86 2. 6 9. 6 CUSTOMER SERVICE Professional 9. 2 94 0. 4 2. 8 81 TRUST Satisfaction 80 8. 6 Confirm/ Disconfirm Expectations 8. 0 8. 1 Advocacy 9. 0 CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS Overall 11. 3% -0. 2 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (ACSI) 0. 3 Courtesy Complaint Behavior CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS 8 C. I. =-/+ 2. 2 Comparison to Ideal 8. 0 90 Loyalty 9. 3 Federal Consulting Group

How Can an Agency Utilize ACSI Data to Drive Improvement? 4 Test results against current assumptions 4 Reexamine improvement plans and strategy 4 Report results to Congress, customers, employees 4 Design and conduct more detailed drill-down surveys 4 Identify strategic benchmarking partners 9 Federal Consulting Group

What Do the Results of the ACSI Have to Say about the Public’s Satisfaction with the Federal Government’s Delivery of Services? 10 Federal Consulting Group

“This Is Something You Don’t Hear Often – Federal Employees Are Doing a Good Job” Peter Jennings National News December 13, 1999 Peter j 11 Federal Consulting Group

How the Federal Government Compares government delivers 12 Federal Consulting Group

Where Does Government Excel? government delivers 13 Federal Consulting Group

Where Can Government Improve? government delivers 14 Federal Consulting Group

How Have Agencies Benefited? 4 APHIS 4 Food & Nutrition Service CUSTOMER SATISFACTION 4 U. S. Mint ACHIEVEMENTS 4 U. S. Postal Service 4 Federal Aviation Admin. 4 Internal Revenue Service 15 Federal Consulting Group

Thank You Anne Kelly Director Federal Consulting Group 202 -906 -6287 Peter j 16 Federal Consulting Group