Customer expectations of services

Different customers have different expectations of government services. 

There is a clear pattern in the proportion of customers who consider that the standard of service they received from NSW departments fell short of, met, or exceeded their expectations. 

Figure 1 shows that in the two surveys of all customers carried out in 2008:

• One-fifth of customers said services fell short of expectations.
• One-fifth of customers said services exceeded expectations.
• Three-fifths of customers said services met expectations.
• Complex services (such as bus and train services, hospital services, and sports programs) are more likely to exceed or fall short of their customers’ expectations than simpler transaction services (such as payment of accounts, online-based transactions, and seeking information over the telephone).

Figure 1: Customer expectations of NSW services

Source: Customer Satisfaction Survey of NSW Government Services, IPSOS-Eureka, December 2008

Customers have clear expectations about the service delivery channels they would prefer to use to receive public services. 

Figure 2 shows the most common ways customers currently contact Government services; and Figure 3 shows how customers would like to contact services. 

Customers want:

• Many more services provided online – from the current 9% of service contacts to 30% of all contacts.
• Far fewer services provided by telephone and fax – from 65% of current contacts to 20% of all service contacts.
• A similar level of face-to-face services – around 22% of all service contacts.

Figure 2: Most common contact methods for NSW services

Figure 3: Preferred method of contact for NSW Services

Source: Customer Satisfaction Survey of NSW Government Services, IPSOS-Eureka, December 2008