Civil service scores well in 2018 business customer survey – Donohoe

7th March, 2019

Survey supports Govt commitment to monitor customer experience with view to identifying areas that need improvement

 

The Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe TD, has welcomed the results of a survey of Civil Service Business Customers that was published today. The purpose of the survey was to ascertain satisfaction with services received from the Civil Service, as well as more general perceptions of, and attitudes to it. Previous surveys were undertaken in 2009 and 2016.

The main findings are as follows:

  • The results of the survey show that the majority of business customers were satisfied with both the service received (78%) and with the outcome of their most recent contact with the Civil Service (82%).
  • The survey also highlights the way in which businesses interact with the Civil Service with, at 68%, online contact being the most common method of communication.

Speaking today, Minister Donohoe said ‘The results of the survey are very positive overall – reflecting both the commitment of civil servants to the provision of quality services and providing assurance as to a consistently high standard of service delivery’.

 

Minister Donohoe further stated that “The results of the survey will also inform the continuous development of specific areas of customer engagement, so overall the survey shows us how Civil Service interaction with the business community will continue to evolve going forward. The increasing trend toward online delivery of services is of particular interest in this respect, as it shows the strong demand from the business community to continue to interact with the Civil Service through online methods.”

 

The most recent Civil Service General Public Customer survey was completed in 2017 with results published in April 2017. The Civil Service Business Customer survey was undertaken in 2018 with results published in March 2019. The Civil Service Business Customers Survey was carried out to meet a commitment in the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 and the Civil Service Renewal Plan to “Run regular surveys of Civil Service customers to more fully understand user experiences, expectations and requirements.”  In addition, Action 2 of “Our Public Service 2020” (www.ops2020.gov.ie) aims to support the delivery of a quality service to the public and ensure effective feedback tools are in place to survey customer experience, identify areas needing improvement and follow-up to check if those improvements have been delivered.

 

The survey was undertaken by Perceptive Insight on behalf of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

 

ENDS

 

Notes for Editors:

 

The survey was undertaken by Perceptive Insight on behalf of the Reform and Delivery Office in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, following an open tendering process.

 

The fieldwork was carried out in September and October 2018 through telephone interviews with some 510 businesses nationwide:

  • 302 businesses with 0 to 9 employees
  • 106 businesses with 10 to 49 employees and
  • 102 businesses with more than 50 employees

The full results of the survey, and an accompanying infographic, can be seen here.

 

The role of the Reform and Delivery Office (RDO) in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is to drive and oversee the implementation of the government’s public service reform plan, ‘Our Public Service 2020’. As part of this role, the RDO is responsible for the development, promotion and implementation of the Quality Customer Service Initiative in the Civil Service, including the promotion of best practice in customer service and the use of more efficient channels for service delivery. Details of the QCS Initiative can be seen at: http://www.per.gov.ie/quality-customer-service/.

 

Other information related to Public Service Reform can be seen at: http://www.per.gov.ie/public-service-reform/

 

Perceptive Insight Market Research Ltd is a market research firm based in Belfast.  It was established in 2006 to meet the market and social research needs of both public and private sector clients across the island of Ireland. They have extensive experience working with Government Departments and Agencies.