Customer satisfaction with government services dropped
1.1 percentage points in 2005 to 71.3 on a 100-point
scale after three years of incremental increases,
according to latest American consumer satisfaction
index, compiled annually by the University of Michigan’s
Ross School of Business.
It said private sector ratings also declined by 3.2
percent, to 71.5, dragged down by scores for airlines,
66, wireless telephone, 63, and cable television 61.
Not surprisingly, federal agencies that dole out
benefits receive the higher scores — the Railroad
Retirement Board got a 90 – while regulatory agencies
such as the IRS have a harder time getting customers
to respond favorably about their performance and this
year scored an average of 12 points below benefits
agencies, according to the ACSI study.
It said customer satisfaction with paper filing tax
returns with the IRS dropped again for the fifth year
in a row to 50 points. However, overall filer
satisfaction rose, stabilizing the IRS’s overall
score at 64. IRS remains the lowest rated agency.
Ratings for health-related services declined sharply
this year, mostly for Veteran’s Health Administration
outpatient services which declined 4 percent to 80
points, possibly a reflection of thousands of more
veterans in need of medical services from the Iraq
war, noted said Claes Fornell, who heads the ACSI.
Fornell added that scores for private sector hospitals
dropped 7 points to 71 points, however.
Satisfaction with government websites rose 2.5 points
this year to 73.9 points, but Fornell observed, “While
e-government websites are performing well, and have
made significant advances each of the last two years,
they still have ground to close to catch private
sector websites.”
