HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8867INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
No. 8867
Background
The Customer Service Advocacy Group (CSAG) was created by the City Manager in 2004, to
foster and promote quality customer service throughout all City of Fort Worth departments and to
ensure the continuation and enhancement of the City's Customer Service strategic goal. The
Advocacy Group, comprised of members from all City departments appointed by their department
head, is a task - oriented group that works to complete customer service initiatives. Three of the
goals of the CSAG are to: review the annual Citizens' Survey in areas of customer service and
advocate for continued improvement; review the City Council Strategic Goals and Outcomes,
specifically the Customer Service Goal, on an annual basis and adjust work plan accordingly; and
promote customer service development opportunities for City employees.
2007 Customer Service Scores
The CSAG reviewed the customer service results of the 2007 Citizen Survey, conducted by the
ETC Institute, and found that the City of Fort Worth received low marks in customer service in
comparison to the high marks received in the other areas measured.
2007 City of Fort Worth Citizen Survey
Rpsnnndents that Strongly Agreed or Agreed that.
Question
CFW
Other Cities
Resolved Issue to My Satisfaction
47%
69%
Did What They Said They Would
51%
74%
Gave Prompt and Accurate Answers
56%
1 76%
Were Courteous and Polite
70%
1 87%
Plan to Improve Customer Service
The CSAG proposed to the City Manager's Office a pilot program to administer a post contact
survey administered through a contract with the ETC Institute. The purpose of the pilot is to
gather input from customers who have contacted one of seven selected departments to
objectively evaluate call center and targeted field operations.
Data from the 2007 Citizen Survey was analyzed and, based on the individual scores of various
departments, selected divisions of six departments to participate in a pilot program to improve
customer service ratings. The selected divisions are: Dispatch in 7T�;
the Call Center in they tthe Call Center in Environmental Management,
two districts of Code Complia68 ,'� fall C
� enter and all officers for Animal Care and
Control, a division in the Public Health Department and the main call takers for Parks and
Community Services. Additionally, the work order processing and vehicle acquisition staff of the
Equipment Services Department was included as a unit that provides internal customer service.
In the 2007 Citizen Survey, the City of Fort Worth had a high number of contacts from the public.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
NO. 8867
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
August 21, 2007
d'""� Page 2 of 2
SUBJECT: PROPOSED CUSTOMER SERVICE INITIATIVE
10%
Over 42% of those surveyed said that they contacted the City last year with a question, problem
or complaint. Of those 42 %, or 682 respondents, 534 contacted one of the 6 departments
designated to participate in the customer service pilot.
All employees who will be participating in the pilot will attend a four -hour customer service training
class. This training is being developed in house through a collaboration between the Human
Resources Department, CSAG members and other City employees with expertise in customer
service. The focus of the training will be on listening and effective communication with customers,
accurate assignment of the service request, follow up and evaluation. The evaluation piece will be
completed through the post contact survey randomly administered to customers who have had
contact with the selected employees.
ETC Institute has agreed to a price of $98,047.00. For this price, ETC Institute will work with
each participating department to ensure they have a tracking mechanism or system to capture
customer information and the employee who provides the service. Secondly, ETC Institute will
develop a survey and sampling methodology for each of the seven participating departments. A
set of core customer service questions will be included for all the departments as well a
department speck questions as needed.
Thirdly, ETC will conduct a total of 5600 telephone survey interviews and data entry for twelve
months in the 2007 -08 fiscal year for the approximately 120 City employees in the seven
departments. ETC will then analyze the survey data and prepare and provide quarterly findings
with charts and graphs to the seven departments. The post contact survey will provide these
seven departments with an objective tool for evaluating individual employee performance for the
length of the pilot program. Finally, ETC will provide an annual summary report for each
department. ETC guarantees 5,600 completed survey questionnaires, which should produce a
low margin of error of only +/- 1 % at a 95% confidence level.
The success of this customer service pilot program will be evaluated by the improved scores of
the customer service questions on the 2008 and 2009 Citizen Surveys. The Customer Service
Advocacy Group will closely follow the progress of this pilot and based on the results, make a
recommendation to the City Council about continuing a post contact survey evaluation tool and
expanding it to all departments.
�
Charles R. Boswell
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS