tailieunhanh - CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT ISSUES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Since the issuance of Executive Order 12862 for "Setting Customer Service Standards," customer satisfaction measurement has become prominent in the Federal Government. As part of "creating a government that works better and costs less" the National Performance Review suggested "putting customers first." The thrust of this initiative is to have the Federal Government function more like private industry. The competitive markets of the private sector have created a climate which is customer focused and the Federal Government is attempting to follow suit. The adoption of customer orientation in the private sector is based on the assumption that satisfied customers will | CUSTOMER SATISFACTION MEASUREMENT ISSUES IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Tracy R. Wellens, Elizabeth A. Martin, . Bureau of the Census Tracy R. Wellens, SRD/CSMR, Room 3127, FOB 4, . Bureau of the Census, Washington, . 20233-9150 Key Words: Surveys, Benchmarking across the separate agencies and to minimize development costs by developing one product for use everywhere within Since the issuance of Executive Order 12862 for "Setting the department. However, this approach lead to two Customer Service Standards," customer satisfaction mea- separate sponsors with two separate goals. The first sponsor surement has become prominent in the Federal Government. who commissioned the developmental work was the As part of "creating a government that works better and Department of Commerce. The department wanted costs less" the National Performance Review suggested departmental-comparison information which could be used "putting customers first." The thrust of this initiative is to for decision making purposes, including budget allocations. have the Federal Government function more like private The second sponsor for this survey can be seen as the industry. The competitive markets of the private sector have participating agencies who paid for the survey. The partici- created a climate which is customer focused and the Federal pating agencies wanted detailed agency-specific informa- Government is attempting to follow suit. The adoption of a tion. Each agency wants information to evaluate and customer orientation in the private sector is based on the hopefully improve their own customer satisfaction. As part assumption that satisfied customers will remain loyal to the of the attempt to solicit agency participation in the survey, provider. In the Federal Government this customer focus is the agencies were promised this very specific information. more complex because the issue is politicized and not based The separate goals of these two types of sponsors are often solely on .