10/18/07 Secretary South Announces DMS Quarter 1 High Customer Satisfaction Rate
~ 82 percent of DMS customers satisfied~
TALLAHASSEE - Department of Management Services Secretary Linda H. South today announced that 82 percent of the agency's customers are satisfied or extremely satisfied with the quality of the agency's products and services according to a survey conducted last month. This is a four percentage point improvement compared to the initial benchmark survey sent in June. The survey is part of an agency-wide effort to improve customer satisfaction and reward employees for performance.
"These survey results confirm what we believe about our public servants here at the Department of Management Services - they care about serving their customers well and work hard to do so," said Secretary South. "This is the beginning of continuous improvement in the way we do business."
Using the benchmark data from the survey conducted in June, employees were challenged to increase customer satisfaction in the highest category "extremely satisfied" by at least two percentage points. The challenge is part of a comprehensive, customer service training for all employees including a four-hour training class, homework assignments, division-specific employee performance boards and targeting areas for improvement. Employees exceeded the two percentage point target. Forty-six percent of Department of Management Services customers reported being "extremely satisfied" compared to 37 percent in June - a nine percentage point increase.
"Our customers expect and deserve the very best. Our internal goal of increasing 'extremely satisfied' by at least two percent per quarter matches this level of expectation," said Chief Performance Officer Rob Hebeler. "Focusing only on this top box sends a strong message to everyone that we are here to continually perform only our very best."
The customer satisfaction survey addressed how each division of the Department of Management Services handles service and product inquiries. Because employees improved the top box, "extremely satisfied" by at least two percentage points, they will receive a $25 gift card "thank you performance award." Florida laws permit state agencies to give up to $100 per fiscal year in performance awards to employees. The Department of Management Services spent $20,925 for 920 gift cards to recognize and reward employee performance. Division supervisors hand-delivered cards to employees thanking them individually for improving customer satisfaction. The agency will distribute the survey using quarter-to-quarter comparisons to reward outstanding performance and identify areas for improvement. In an effort to improve business practices for all state agencies and local governments in Florida, the Department of Management Services offers this survey as a model to measure customer satisfaction and set in motion a service culture based on continual improvement.
The survey was sent to a random sample of 40,000 customers. This random sample of the Department of Management Services 1.1 million customers includes current and retired state employees, cities and counties and vendors who do business with the state.
Click HERE (vnd.ms-powerpoint 2.12 MB) to view the complete survey results.
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