Eergency Services Telecommunications Authority – Staff ...€¦ · Web viewService Tasmania...

Anna Lethborg

Market Solutions08/08/2011

Service Tasmania – Customer Contact Survey 2011

Service Tasmania – Customer Contact Survey 2011i

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................................I

2 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................. 1

2.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES 12.2 METHODOLOGY 22.3 THE QUESTIONNAIRE / DISCUSSION GUIDELINES 32.4 SAMPLING AND DATA COLLECTION 42.5 DATA ANALYSIS 4

2.5.1 Subgroup Selection 42.5.2 Interpretation of Agreement Index (AI) 42.5.3 Interpretation of Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) 5

2.6 PARTICIPANT PROFILE 6

3 USE OF SERVICE TASMANIA........................................................................................................... 8

3.1 METHOD OF COMMUNICATION 83.2 RECENT CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA 103.3 REASON FOR RECENT CONTACT 113.4 PREFERRED COMMUNICATION CHANNELS 133.5 SHOP SERVICES 153.6 TELEPHONE SERVICES 173.7 ONLINE SERVICES 203.8 TELEPHONE OPERATING HOURS 24

4 SATISFACTION WITH RECENT CONTACT........................................................................................27

4.1 AGREEMENT WITH POSITIVE SERVICE ATTRIBUTES 274.2 TIMELINESS OF SERVICE 294.3 WHETHER EXPECTATIONS WERE MET 304.4 OVERALL SATISFACTION 314.5 Improving Satisfaction 32

AppendicesAppendix 1 – The QuestionnaireAppendix 2 – Detailed Tables


TABLE OF FIGURES

FIGURE 1: PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTS..............................................................................................................................6FIGURE 2: OTHER LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN THE HOUSEHOLD...............................................................................................7FIGURE 3: METHOD OF CONTACTING SERVICE TASMANIA..................................................................................................8FIGURE 4: WHETHER RECENT CONTACT METHOD IS USUALLY USED FOR CONTACTING SERVICE TASMANIA................................9FIGURE 5: HOW RECENT WAS CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – OVERALL....................................................................10FIGURE 6: HOW RECENT WAS CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – BY CONTACT METHOD..................................................10FIGURE 7: REASON FOR CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – OVERALL............................................................................11FIGURE 8: REASON FOR CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – BY CONTACT METHOD..........................................................12FIGURE 9: PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACTING SERVICE TASMANIA FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES – OVERALL...............................13FIGURE 10: PREFERRED METHOD OF CONTACTING SERVICE TASMANIA FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES – BY CONTACT METHOD...........14FIGURE 11: WHETHER SHOPS ARE PREFERRED OVER OTHER METHODS – BY CONTACT METHOD...........................................15FIGURE 12: REASON FOR PREFERRING SHOPS OVER OTHER METHODS – OVERALL..............................................................16FIGURE 13: PREFERENCES FOR THE TELEPHONE SERVICE.................................................................................................17FIGURE 14: WHETHER OTHER SERVICES ARE SOUGHT VIA TELEPHONE...............................................................................17FIGURE 15: WHAT OTHER SERVICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE VIA TELEPHONE – OVERALL.......................................................18FIGURE 16: WHAT OTHER SERVICES SHOULD BE AVAILABLE VIA TELEPHONE – BY CONTACT METHOD.....................................19FIGURE 17: INTERNET ACCESS – OVERALL....................................................................................................................20FIGURE 18: INTERNET ACCESS – OVERALL....................................................................................................................21FIGURE 19: WHETHER ANYTHING PREVENTS INTERNET USE............................................................................................22FIGURE 20: WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO INTERNET USE – OVERALL.................................................................................23FIGURE 21: WHETHER CURRENT TELEPHONE OPERATING HOURS MEET NEEDS – OVERALL...................................................24FIGURE 22: WHETHER CURRENT TELEPHONE OPERATING HOURS MEET NEEDS – BY CONTACT METHOD.................................24FIGURE 23: HOW DO THE TELEPHONE OPERATING HOURS NEED TO CHANGE TO MEET NEEDS..............................................25FIGURE 24: AGREEMENT WITH POSITIVE STATEMENTS REGARDING RECENT CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – OVERALL.......27FIGURE 25: AGREEMENT WITH POSITIVE STATEMENTS REGARDING RECENT CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – BY CONTACT

METHOD........................................................................................................................................................28FIGURE 26: HOW LONG CUSTOMERS HAD TO WAIT TO BE SERVED – BY CONTACT METHOD.................................................29FIGURE 27: WHETHER CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPECTATIONS WERE MET – BY CONTACT METHOD............................................30FIGURE 28: SATISFACTION WITH RECENT CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – OVERALL.....................................................31FIGURE 29: SATISFACTION WITH RECENT CONTACT WITH SERVICE TASMANIA – BY CONTACT METHOD...................................31FIGURE 30: PROPORTION OF THOSE LESS THAN VERY SATISFIED THAT MADE IMPROVEMENT SUGGESTIONS..............................32FIGURE 31: SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING SATISFACTION WITH CONTACT – OVERALL.........................................................33Figure 32: Suggestions for Improving Satisfaction with Contact – by Contact Method.......................................34

Service Tasmania – Customer Contact Survey 2011i

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Service Tasmania regularly undertakes customer surveys to determine the perceptions and satisfaction of users of their services. On this occasion, an online methodology was adopted to obtain feedback from customers who had visited Service Tasmania shops, used the telephone service or used Service Tasmania Online. Customers were made aware of the survey through information provided by staff, postcards and posters displayed at shops and a link to the survey on the Service Tasmania Online home page. One month was allowed for the survey period with the survey conducted between Monday 23 May 2011 and Monday 20 June 2011.

In total, 1,093 customers participated in the survey; 972 who had recently used a shop, 97 who had used the telephone service and 39 who had accessed Service Tasmania Online. Thus, the majority of respondents were shop users who indicated this was their usual means of dealing with Service Tasmania. Participants generally completed the survey within a week of their most recent transaction meaning recall of the interaction was high.

The most common reasons for recent contact with Service Tasmania amongst respondents were making bill payments (37%) and processing licence renewals (23%). Other common reasons for contact were obtaining information, forms or applications, applying for a license or permit, vehicle registrations and transfers and change of address. When considering satisfaction with the recent experience, it is worth noting that the majority of respondents were commenting on fairly common (less complex) types of transactions.

Amongst respondents, there was a high level of comfort with using the internet. In total, 85% indicated that they have internet access at home, 53% had internet access at work and 32% had access on their mobile phone. Just 6% had no internet access. Even so, when asked which method of contact they would prefer for common types of transactions around two thirds said they would generally prefer to use Service Tasmania shops. Some propensity to use online was displayed, with around one third saying they would consider using Service Tasmania Online for straightforward transactions such as making bill payments or a change of address.

Despite this, many (87%) said they would still use the shops for some transactions even if all services were available by phone or online. The main reason given for this preference was that customers enjoy the personal contact they receive through visiting the shops. Further, some respondents identified barriers to the use of online. The main barriers to using online were a perception that it’s quicker to use the shop, that they can’t do everything they want to do online or that they need personal contact so they can ask questions. These are the perceptions that would need to change for customers to be more likely to take up online services.

In relation to the telephone service, customers indicated that they would prefer just one number to call for all enquiries and would like to go direct to the operator, even if there is a longer wait, rather than having to use an automated voice response system. These preferences were particularly pronounced amongst users of the telephone service, thus providing a stronger case for avoiding multiple contact numbers and automated voice response systems.

After being advised of the current operating hours, the majority of respondents (including those who currently use the phone service) said that the operating hours of the phone service met their needs (81%). Amongst those who sought longer operating hours, the preference was usually for additional hours later in the day or limited operating hours on a Saturday.

Service Tasmania – Customer Contact Survey 2011ii

Overall, around three quarters (76%) of users of all services indicated that the suite of services offered via the telephone is appropriate. Amongst those who sought further services, few were able to articulate what services they would like or mentioned services that are outside of the scope of Service Tasmania’s normal product offerings. This, coupled with the fact that many felt there were some transactions that could only be completed face to face, provide an argument for communicating what services are available via the telephone.

Results to a series of questions seeking satisfaction with Service Tasmania revealed very positive responses. Satisfaction was highest for users of shops who recorded a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) of 90.8 compared to 82.0 for users of the telephone service and 75.6 for those who had used Service Tasmania Online. High levels of satisfaction were also recorded for the accessibility of the service (CSI 88.7) and the time it took to get the service (CSI 87.8). As a general rule, a CSI of 80.0 to 90.0 reflects quite satisfied customers with anything over 90.0 representing highly satisfied customers.

Overall, 98% of customers said their expectations were met during their last contact with Service Tasmania with 58% saying the service was better than they had expected. Again, the most positive results were recorded by users of the Service Tasmania shops.

Other indicators of satisfaction, agreement with positive statements related to the recent contact, revealed particularly high levels of agreement with customer service attributes. In particular, the statement “I was treated fairly” achieved an Agreement Index (AI) of 91.3. “I was informed of everything I needed to do” recorded 89.6 and “Staff were knowledgeable and competent” recorded 89.9. The attributes that showed room for improvement were the timeliness of the service and aspects specifically related to the online service (AIs of 65.5 to 75.6).

Half of those who indicated they were less than “very satisfied” with their recent contact with Service Tasmania stated that there was nothing Service Tasmania could have done to make them more satisfied on that occasion. The main suggestions for improvement were to reduce waiting times (particularly amongst those who had experienced a wait of three minutes or longer) or increase the efficiency of service including putting more staff on during peak periods (such as lunch hours). Some suggested that staff could improve their manner by being more friendly and smiling more, increasing their professionalism, attentiveness or knowledge. However, these suggestions were made by relatively few respondents, reinforcing the largely positive results recorded.

Overall, results revealed that Service Tasmania shops are highly valued by customers. The results indicated potential resistance to the take up of phone or online services although some displayed potential to use these services if informed of what they offer. The telephone service was also performing relatively well although a few indicated their transaction could have been completed more quickly. Service Tasmania Online showed some potential for improvement particularly in relation to the visual appeal of the website and ensuring the website contain all the information customers needed. This may again be linked to expectations of the service and the need to make customers more aware of which services are covered by Service Tasmania. Overall, results were positive suggesting a need to continue to build on strengths in order to increase satisfaction with the service.


2 INTRODUCTION

Service Tasmania provides Tasmanians with one stop access to government transactions, services and information. Customers have easier access, greater choice and flexibility to conduct their business with State Government agencies, as well as a number of Local and Commonwealth Government agencies through three main mediums:

Over the counter – Service Tasmania Shops Over the telephone – Service Tasmania by Phone Over the Internet – Service Tasmania Online

Service Tasmania required research to determine customer perceptions of, and satisfaction with, each of the main communication channels and to provide an indication of how services could be improved in the future.

In the past, Service Tasmania has conducted a survey of 600 randomly selected households by telephone (along with small online and face to face components) that has aimed to obtain measures of awareness, usage and satisfaction with each of the three service delivery channels. Given that the telephone and online approaches include random sampling, there is a lot of wastage as only a proportion of those interviewed have used Service Tasmania services and may have limited recall of their experiences.

Service Tasmania required some new thinking to assist in the development of a survey program that captures more relevant data in a more timely fashion from those who have actually used their services. It is intended that the survey program will be managed internally once the system has been established.

Market Solutions was commissioned in May 2011 to work with Service Tasmania to develop a research program that collects results in an efficient and effective manner to allow results to be tracked over time and that ultimately can be managed by Service Tasmania.

This project, an online survey open to customers and promoted in shops, over the telephone and online, was the first major step in this process.

2.1 Research Objectives

The objectives of the research were to:

Ensure the research collected customer information to aide in customer profiling, Provide indications of the current use of Service Tasmania services, Determine customer preferences in terms of contact modes for different purposes,

and to Obtain measures of customer satisfaction that can be used for comparative purposes.

Another key objective was to use the research to determine the most effective methodology for future surveys.


2.2 Methodology

The methodology for the project was developed following discussion with Service Tasmania. The methodology considered previous approaches to the survey and the best means of approaching customers given the proportion of the population that has contact with Service Tasmania.

An online approach was the chosen methodology as this ensured the sample was directed at Service Tasmania customers rather than the general population. Following are the ways in which customers were advised of the survey:

The most prominent method of engaging shop customers was by referral from Service Tasmania staff. Prior to the commencement of the survey, staff were advised to inform every customer that the survey was being conducted and that it can be accessed through the Service Tasmania website. They were also asked to distribute postcards to customers who were not able to complete the survey in the shop at that time. All shops were also asked to display a poster advising that the survey was being undertaken and postcards with the same message were made available at the counters.

The engagement of phone customers was reliant on the referral of customer service staff. Prior to the survey, telephone staff were asked to advise each customer that the survey was being undertaken and inform them that they can access the survey through the Service Tasmania homepage. At this time, they were asked to offer to take customers email addresses so that an email invitation could be provided with a link to the Service Tasmania homepage.

Online customers were able to access the survey through a link on the Service Tasmania homepage. Due to the large proportion of online transactions that involve customers making payments, Service Tasmania explored the possibility of providing a link to the survey on completion of such transactions. This method was not adopted on this occasion due to the cost of setting up the link through Service Tasmania’s banking provider and due to an explicit message on the bill payment site excluding any further use of any contact details provided.

As the survey progressed, staff advised of some customers who were unable to complete the survey online but were very interested in being involved in the survey. In some cases, phone

ACCESS ONLINE SURVEY THROUGH SERVICE TASMANIA HOMEPAGE


numbers were recorded and these customers were later called by a staff member who conducted the survey over the phone. However, these approaches were limited due to resource constraints.


Service Tasmania made considerable effort internally to gain the cooperation of shop and phone staff to ensure staff advise as many customers as possible of the survey. Attempts were made to communicate the importance of the survey to staff at all levels and to identify survey “champions” within the organisation. Where it was recognised that a staff member was making considerable effort to support the survey, their efforts were acknowledged.

One of the research objectives was to provide suggestions for the future methodology of the survey hosted internally by Service Tasmania. Online remains the preferred methodology for future surveys as this is the least labour intensive for Service Tasmania and is a cost effective means of managing long term projects. It also ensures a large sample of customers are surveyed without a great deal of sample wastage.

Some of the main areas for consideration in future surveys include:

1. Increasing the number of phone service user respondents2. Increasing the number of Service Tasmania Online user respondents3. Reviewing communications with staff regarding the delivery of the survey4. Reducing the reliance on staff to communicate the availability of the survey to customers5. Reviewing and refining the questionnaire in line with customer comments

2.3 The Questionnaire / Discussion Guidelines

Market Solutions developed the questionnaire in conjunction with Service Tasmania. The questionnaire was designed considering common measurement tools with the intention of allowing comparability of results both internally and externally. Internal comparisons allow Service Tasmania to monitor results over time while external comparisons provide an opportunity to compare results with those of other organisations. Some questions were designed with the intention that they will be core questions to be used in future surveys while others are ad hoc questions which can be changed dependent on the data requirements of Service Tasmania at the time of the survey.

Most questions were closed category questions although a number of verbatim questions were included to explore current responses. These allow for the development of code frames for future online surveys as well as providing some qualitative responses to explain quantitative results. Code frames are developed by grouping similar responses into themes. The question can then be converted to a closed question using the code frame as the basis for response categories. Where possible, it is preferable to include closed questions in an online survey as this limits the number of responses that do not appropriately answer the question. Still, some open ended (verbatim) questions are useful for the reasons stated previously.

The questionnaire is attached as Appendix 1.


2.4 Sampling and Data Collection

As mentioned previously, the sample for the survey was largely drawn through referral from Service Tasmania staff. The survey was self completion meaning that customers accessed the survey via Service Tasmania Online and completed the survey in their own time, without guidance.

The survey commenced on Monday 23 May 2011 and closed on Monday 20 June 2011.

A reporting tool was provided giving Service Tasmania the ability to log in to the tool at any time and view current results to key questions.

On completion of data collection, incomplete surveys were removed to ensure all responses were valid and complete. Completed test surveys were also identified and removed.

In total, 1,093 responses were received with the breakdown across the service types being:

972 recent users of Service Tasmania shops 97 recent users of the telephone service 39 recent users of Service Tasmania Online

2.5 Data Analysis

2.5.1 Subgroup Selection

Throughout this report, sub analysis was conducted for broad areas. Only subgroups which showed variations between categories were reported on (tabulated) as it was from these groups which the most meaningful and relevant conclusions could be drawn. As a result the subgroups included in reporting varied for each broad area.

2.5.2 Interpretation of Agreement Index (AI)

Throughout this survey respondents were asked to rate their agreement to a series of attitude statements. To gain insight into attitudes an Agreement Index (AI) was calculated.

Strongly agree = 100Agree = 75Neither agree nor disagree = 50Disagree = 25Strongly disagree = 0

Every response to an agreement question received a score as shown above. So, if a person provided a rating of “Strongly agree” their response received the highest score of 100, and if a person provided a rating of “Strongly disagree” their response received a score of 0.

The AI represents an average of these scores. The index takes into account all responses to the question (i.e. all levels of agreement and disagreement).


2.5.3 Interpretation of Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI)

Throughout this survey respondents were asked to rate their overall satisfaction. To gain insight into satisfaction levels, a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) was calculated.

Very satisfied = 100Satisfied = 75Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied = 50Dissatisfied = 25Very dissatisfied = 0

Every response to a satisfaction question received a score as shown above. So, if a person provided a rating of “Totally satisfied” their response received the highest score of 100, and if a person provided a rating of “Totally dissatisfied” their response received a score of 0.

The CSI represents an average of these scores. The index takes into account all responses to the question (i.e. all levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction).

The main benefit of using a Customer Satisfaction Index rather than calculating the total percentage satisfied is that the index considers the full range of responses. That is, the calculation allows the proportion of customers who were dissatisfied to also be incorporated into the measure rather than just providing a sum of the percentage satisfied. This provides a more accurate reflection of overall satisfaction.


2.6 Participant ProfileThe participant profile shown in Figure 1 gives both an indication of the profile of Service Tasmania customers as well as being a reflection of those who chose to participate in the survey. The profile is weighted towards females with more females participating than males. Further, there was greater representation of middle aged residents and those nearing retirement with just less than two thirds of respondents being aged 35 to 64 years. Over two thirds of respondents are in the workforce and few speak a language other than English in their household.Figure 1: Profile of Participants

Base: All Respondents Total (n=1,093)

Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %GENDER

Male 41 42 38 44Female 58 58 62 56

Prefer not to answer <1 <1 0 0

AGE Under 18 years 2 2 1 0

18 to 24 years 9 9 14 525 to 34 years 15 14 18 2335 to 44 years 20 20 23 3345 to 54 years 25 25 25 1055 to 64 years 20 21 13 21

65 years or older 8 8 6 8Prefer not to answer 1 1 0 0

HOUSEHOLD SITUATION Young single 11 10 14 18

Young couple - no children 9 9 17 10Young family - youngest child under 6 years 11 12 10 5

Middle family - youngest child 6-15 years 14 14 17 15Mature family - youngest child 15 years + 15 15 10 21

Older couple - no children at home 24 25 17 15Mature single 12 12 17 10

Prefer not to answer 4 4 0 5SPEAK LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH

Yes 4 4 4 10No 94 94 96 85

Prefer not to answer 2 2 0 5

EMPLOYMENT SITUATION Work - full time 45 44 53 41

Work - part time/ casual 23 23 18 28Student 5 4 6 3

Unemployed 2 2 1 0Home duties 6 6 1 8

Pensioner - not retirement age 3 3 5 0Retired - on pension 9 9 8 5

Retired - not on pension 5 5 5 8

Prefer not to answer 4 4 3 8

POST CODE South Tasmania 56 57 56 33

North-West Tasmania 25 26 19 28


North Tasmania 17 16 19 28

Invalid post code/ no response 2 2 6 10

Amongst the small proportion of respondents (4%) who speak a language other than English in their household, the main languages spoken were Italian, Greek and French as shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2: Other Languages Spoken in the HouseholdQ.25. What other language do you speak in the household?

* Note: Percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.


3 Use of Service Tasmania

This section outlines the way in which customers have made contact with Service Tasmania and gives information regarding their preferred communication channels.

3.1 Method of Communication

All respondents were asked what method of contact they had used for their most recent contact with Service Tasmania. By far, the majority of participants had contacted Service Tasmania by accessing a Service Tasmania shop. These proportions reflect the large volume of transactions at shops when compared to use of telephone and online as well as the chosen survey methodology which was particularly effective at obtaining responses from shop visitors.

Those who had made contact via phone had most often used One Number for Government, 1300 13 55 13. However, when discussing telephone enquiries throughout the report, this proportion of customers also includes those who had made contact by phone using another number.

Figure 3: Method of Contacting Service Tasmania Q.1. How did you make your most recent contact with Service Tasmania?


Respondents who indicated that they had made contact using some other method had either contacted via email (and were therefore included in the online sample for reporting purposes) or had not specified the other contact method they had used.

There were no significant differences in which method was used dependent on the gender of the respondent. However, there was a greater propensity to use the shop amongst those aged 45 years and over compared to those in the younger age groups (91% compared to 86%). Further, those aged 18 to 34 years had more often made contact using One Number for Government (8%) when compared to those aged 55 years and over (4%). Those who had used the website were represented across the age groups.


Young singles and couples were less likely to have used a Service Tasmania shop and more likely to have used phone and the website when compared to more mature or elderly respondents.

All of those who have no internet access had made contact in person at a shop.

Figure 4 shows that customers tend to have one contact method that they use for contacting Service Tasmania rather than using other methods. In particular, the majority (93%) of those who had used a Service Tasmania shop indicated that they usually use this method of contact. Those who use the phone or Service Tasmania Online showed a greater propensity to use other forms of contact with around one third indicating that they use other methods.

Figure 4: Whether Recent Contact Method is Usually Used for Contacting Service Tasmania Q.4. Do you usually use this method of contact for Service Tasmania services?

Sub analysis revealed that, of those customers who do not have internet access, all but one (99%) stated that they always use the shop to access Service Tasmania.


3.2 Recent Contact with Service Tasmania

Service Tasmania customers who participated in the survey generally did so within a week of their most recent contact (86%). Almost half completed the survey on the day of their contact with Service Tasmania.

Figure 5: How Recent was Contact with Service Tasmania – Overall Q.2. When was this most recent contact?


Figure 6 shows that completing the survey on the day of contact was most common amongst those who contact Service Tasmania by phone. However, those whose most recent contact was via Service Tasmania Online were more likely to return to the site to complete the survey up to a month after their initial transaction.

Figure 6: How Recent was Contact with Service Tasmania – by Contact MethodQ.2. When was this most recent contact?

Base: All Respondents Total(n=1,093)

Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %Today 49 48 63 36

In the last 2-3 days 24 26 15 8In the last week 14 14 15 13

In the last fortnight 5 5 1 13In that last month 5 4 1 28

More than a month ago 4 5 4 3


3.3 Reason for Recent Contact

Those who participated in the survey had contacted Service Tasmania for a range of reasons. The most common reason for contacting Service Tasmania was to pay a government bill with over one third (37%) having made contact for this reason. Other common reason for contact included licence renewals and to obtain information, forms or applications. Other licence or permit enquiries were also common. Some respondents had contacted Service Tasmania for multiple reasons.

Figure 7: Reason for Contact with Service Tasmania – Overall Q.3. What was the reason for your most recent contact with Service Tasmania?

The proportion of respondents who had contacted Service Tasmania to obtain forms of applications was higher amongst those who do not have internet access (21%) compared to those who do (12%). This, coupled with the fact that more had obtained forms or applications online than at the shop or over the phone (shown in Figure 8 over page) reinforces the value of using the internet to obtain forms and applications for those who have internet access.


There were a few notable variations in reasons for contact by age. Those aged under 35 were less likely to have made contact to pay a government bill when compared to older customers while the proportion who had made contact for a licence renewal decreased as the age of the customer increased.

Figure 8 shows that there were differences in the reason for contact dependent on the means of contacting Service Tasmania: via shop, telephone or online. It is not surprising that some contact methods are preferred for particular types of enquiries given that some needs are more suited to different contact types. For example, more pay bills online or at a Service Tasmania shop rather than over the phone. The phone was more often used for obtaining information while few use the phone to obtain forms or applications. Customers are less likely to use the shop to obtain information compared to other contact methods.

Figure 8: Reason for Contact with Service Tasmania – by Contact Method Q.3. What was the reason for your most recent contact with Service Tasmania?

Base: All Respondents Total(n=1,093)

Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %Paid a government bill 37 39 10 44Obtained information 18 16 41 28

Applied for a licence or permit 11 12 3 0Changed an address 8 8 11 3

Gave feedback or a comment about Government 0 0 0 3Obtained forms or applications 12 13 5 23

Purchased a government publication or product 2 2 1 0Used the public internet (access) terminals 2 2 1 0

Made enquiries about Government services 4 3 14 13Licence renewal 23 23 19 13

Vehicle registration/transfer 11 12 3 5Or something else 5 5 6 0

Examples of other reasons for contacting Service Tasmania included:

“Applied for a birth certificate.”

“Booking an interpreter.”

“Proof of age card.”

“Disposal notice for caravan.”

“To obtain marriage certificate.”

“To book my driving test.”

“To fax a document to Centrelink.”

“Needed the services of a JP.”

“Surrendering number plates.”

“To get P plates for my motorbike.”


3.4 Preferred Communication Channels

All respondents were asked what would be their preferred mode of contact for the following Service Tasmania services:

Applying for a licence or permit Obtaining forms or applications Obtaining information Changing an address Paying a government bill

Results revealed that the main preference of respondents was to carry out each of the enquiries tested at a Service Tasmania shop. However, it is important to consider that 89% of the sample had made their most recent contact via the shop. This indicates that there was a proportion of those who made contact by going to a shop who would prefer to use other methods for the types of enquiries tested.

Amongst those who would prefer to use other methods of contact, the preference was to access services online rather than via the telephone although some indicated that they would prefer to call Service Tasmania directly to obtain information.

There was some variation in which services were preferred via shop and face to face. While just one in five would prefer to apply for a licence or permit online, almost twice as many indicated that they would be willing to use online services for making bill payments or a change of address.

Figure 9: Preferred Method of Contacting Service Tasmania for Specific Purposes – Overall Q.14. Which method of contact would you prefer to use to access each of the following services…?


For each of the services listed the likelihood of preferring an online contact method was highest amongst those who were aged under 35 years. As would be expected, those who do not have internet access were highly unlikely to select online as their preferred contact method.


Figure 10 below shows the contact methods used on the most recent occasion (column) and the preferred contact methods for using each of the services (row). What this tells us is that there was a relationship between the contact method used on the most recent occasion and the preferred contact method for each of the services tested. That is, if people’s most recent contact was via the shop, they were more likely to indicate they would prefer to use the shop than other contact methods to access each of the services.

The exception was those who had made contact via telephone who demonstrated a preference for using Service Tasmania Online to access all the services except obtaining information which they would still prefer to do via telephone.

Figure 10: Preferred Method of Contacting Service Tasmania for Specific Purposes – by Contact Method Q.14. Which method of contact would you prefer to use to access each of the following services…?


Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

Preference % % % %a. Paying a government bill…?

Shop 57 62 17 21Online 36 32 66 77Phone 7 6 18 3

b. Obtaining information…? Shop 62 67 11 26

Online 26 23 34 64Phone 13 9 54 10

c. Applying for a licence or permit…? Shop 77 82 37 36

Online 20 16 47 62Phone 3 1 17 3

d. Changing an address…? Shop 58 63 19 21

Online 35 31 58 72Phone 7 6 23 8

e. Obtaining forms or applications…? Shop 66 71 20 23

Online 31 27 58 74

Phone 3 1 22 3


3.5 Shop Services

Respondents were asked whether they would still use a Service Tasmania shop if all services were available by other methods. The result clearly favoured the use of shops with 87% indicating that they would still use the shops for some purposes.

Interestingly, over two thirds of those who had used the phone and online contact methods most recently indicated that they would still choose to use a Service Tasmania Shop for some purposes if all services were available through other methods. This suggests that the shop is an important means of dealing with Service Tasmania even for those who don’t always use this method.

Figure 11: Whether Shops are Preferred Over Other Methods – by Contact Method Q.20. If all of Service Tasmania’s services were available via the telephone or online, would you still choose to use a Service Tasmania Shop for any purposes?


Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %Yes – would still choose to use shops 87 90 68 67

No – would choose to use other methods 13 10 32 33

Sub analysis revealed that those who do not have internet access were significantly more likely to continue to use shops than were those who have internet access. Those who work full time were more likely to consider other methods of contact than those who work part time or as casuals and those who were retired or on a pension.


The main reason given by customers for preferring to contact Service Tasmania through the shops rather than telephone or online was simply a preference for personal contact. That is, they sought face to face contact with a “real person”. Others said the nature of their enquiry meant that face to face was necessary. Examples included those who had to have photos taken and therefore needed to be present, or those who said they had a complex enquiry that they felt could not be dealt with over the phone or online.

Less common reasons for preferring to use the shops appeared to stem from satisfaction with this mode of contact. Respondents indicated they feel the service provided face to face is better than by phone or that it is easier, faster or more convenient than other methods of contact. Some reasons were more practical such as not having access to online, feeling less secure using online services for making payments or wanting to see the transaction is completed.

Figure 12: Reason for Preferring Shops Over Other Methods – Overall Q.20. Please specify reason for preferring to use a Service Tasmania Shop for any purposes?

Other reasons for preferring to use the shop over other methods of contact were varied. Examples include:

“I am within walking distance to the shop so I get exercise plus achieve my purpose.”

“I like using local services.”

“I show my gold card.”


3.6 Telephone Services

All respondents were asked to provide their preferences regarding features of Service Tasmania’s telephone service. Results indicated a preference for having a single number that can be used for all enquiries rather than direct numbers for specific enquiries and for going directly to an operator even if there is a longer wait rather that going through an automated voice response system. These results were even more pronounced amongst those who had used the telephone for their most recent contact with Service Tasmania.

Figure 13: Preferences for the Telephone Service Q.18. Would you prefer to have this one number to call (for all Service Tasmania enquiries) or direct numbers to the specific areas that can handle your enquiry?Q.19. Would you prefer the automated voice response system if it reduces your wait time or to speak to an operator with a longer wait time?

Base: All respondents Total (n=1,093)

Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %One number for all enquiries 59 58 71 56

Direct number for specific enquiries 41 42 29 44

Direct to operator - longer wait 60 60 71 46Automated voice response system - shorter wait 40 40 29 54

An open ended question was asked of all respondents to determine whether they seek other services to be provided via telephone and, if so, what services do they feel should be provided. Overall, around three quarters (76%) indicated that they are not seeking any additional service via telephone on top of what is already provided. Some of these (5% of all respondents) stated that they do not use the telephone service and therefore do not require additional services while the majority (68% of all respondents) simply were not seeking additional services as they were satisfied with the current services provided.

Figure 14: Whether Other Services are Sought via Telephone Q.15. Are there any services that you would like to have available through Service Tasmania that are not currently provided over the telephone?


The responses of those who indicated that there were other services that could be provided via telephone were coded to reveal common themes. The results showed that, while respondents indicated that they would like other services to be available, they had difficulty providing suggestions as to which they would like or suggested services that are not relevant to those offered by Service Tasmania. Some sought services that would already be available via telephone. This suggests a need to increase awareness of which services are available by telephone and of the services offered by Service Tasmania more generally.

Figure 15 indicates that the most commonly suggested additional service was that Service Tasmania accept payment for Telstra bills or respond to Telstra enquiries. Others suggested that they would like to be able to make other government payments such as paying council rates or parking fines, while some wanted to have the ability to access Centrelink or Medicare services through Service Tasmania. Another more common suggestion was to be able to make licence enquiries and renewals over the phone.

Figure 15: What Other Services Should be Available via Telephone – Overall Q.15. Are there any services that you would like to have available through Service Tasmania that are not currently provided over the telephone?

Examples of other services sought over the phone included:


“Staff who are helpful.”

“Better product knowledge.”

“HACC payments.”

“Everything for one stop payments.”

“More bill paying. Accounts.”

“Correcting incorrectly charged invoices.”

“Federal/State/local government elections absentee vote.”

“Past history.”

Figure 16 shows the suggestions for additional telephone services broken down by contact method. This shows that those who had used the phone as their most recent contact method were less likely to recommend the need for Telstra services to be available by phone and more likely to suggest the availability of increased licence or permit services and greater availability of information. However, care must be taken when interpreting these results due to the small sample size.

Figure 16: What Other Services Should be Available via Telephone – by Contact Method Q.15. Are there any services that you would like to have available through Service Tasmania that are not currently provided over the telephone?

Base: Sought other services via telephone Total (n=263)

Shop (n=230)

Phone(n=22)*

Online(n=11)*

% % % %

Make Telstra enquiries/ payments 22 24 5 9Payments for local council services (e.g. rates, parking) 11 12 0 0

Apply for a licence or permit 7 6 14 9Passport applications 5 5 0 9

Drivers licence enquiries/ renewals 4 4 9 0Obtain information 4 3 14 9

Provide services for other government departments 3 3 5 0Vehicle registration/ transfer 2 1 5 0

Obtain forms or applications or physical information 1 0 5 9Change of address 1 1 0 0

Give feedback or make a comment about Service Tasmania 0 0 0 0Other service/ not relevant to telephone 6 5 5 18

Other response/ not relevant to question 6 5 5 18Other 7 7 9 9

Don’t know/ can't say 35 36 32 27*Caution: Small sample size.


3.7 Online Services

Respondents were asked whether they have access to the internet and, if so, where. In total, 94% of all respondents indicated that they have access to the internet through at least one means. However, it is important to remember that these results do not reflect internet take up amongst the Tasmanian population as the survey was conducted using an online methodology. Those who did not have internet access usually completed the survey at a Service Tasmania shop or over the phone with a Service Tasmania representative (in a few cases).

Amongst respondents who have internet access, the majority access the internet from home. Over half also have internet access at work and just less than one third have internet access on their mobile.

Figure 17: Internet Access – OverallQ.27 Do you have internet access…?

Those aged 55 years and over were significantly less likely to have internet than those in younger age groups with 11% saying they do not have internet access. While they were only moderately less likely to have internet access at home, they were significantly less likely to have internet access at work (only 31% of those aged 55 years and over had internet access at work) presumably as fewer are still in the workforce. The likelihood of having internet access on a mobile phone decreased significantly with age.

Following is the breakdown of mobile internet access by age group:

Aged 18 to 34 years – 56% Aged 35 to 44 years – 41% Aged 45 to 54 years – 23% Aged 55 years and over – 12%


Examples of other sources of internet access include:

“From a friends place or from other locations when I'm away, e.g. hotel room, cafe.”

“George Town Online Access Centre.”

“Laptop with pre paid internet hub.”

“Family, friends place.”

“Family houses.”

“On iPad.”

“Anywhere, with wireless.”

“Service Tas shop.”

“Though the local Library/online access centre.”

“Playstation, X-Box and iPod.”

“Mobile internet access via my laptop.”

“On our boat.”

“School computers.”

“Mobile tablet.”

“University Of Tasmania.”

“Wireless via the local pub carpark.”

“Via public wireless on iTouch mp3 player.”

A review of internet access by mode of contact revealed that those who had most recently made contact with Service Tasmania by visiting a shop were less likely to have internet access at home and more likely not to have internet access at all when compared to those who had contacted Service Tasmania by phone or online.

Figure 18: Internet Access – OverallQ.27 Do you have internet access…?


Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %At home 85 85 92 90At work 53 52 63 56

On mobile phone 32 30 49 46Other 4 3 8 5

No internet access 6 7 0 0


Despite the fact that they had used the shops or telephone for their most interaction with Service Tasmania, two thirds of those who had not used online said there is nothing in particular that would prevent them from using Service Tasmania Online in future.

Figure 19: Whether Anything Prevents Internet UseQ.5. Is there anything in particular that stops you from using Service Tasmania Online for these needs?

Sub analysis revealed that the proportion indicating there is something preventing them from using online was significantly higher amongst:

Those who do not have internet access (66% identified a barrier to using online) Those who are retired or on a pension (42%) Those aged 55 years or older (39%)

While it is positive that two thirds of non-users indicated a willingness to use online services, this leaves one third who stated that there is something preventing them from using Service Tasmania Online.

The main barriers to using online were a belief that customers could complete the transaction more quickly using other methods of contact and a perception that customers can’t do everything they need to online (as shown in Figure 20 over page). They felt they needed the face to face interaction so they can ask questions and explain themselves to staff, or that the nature of their enquiry meant that they needed to deal with Service Tasmania in person.

Other barriers were a lack of internet access, security concerns, difficulty navigating the site or limited computer skills. However, when considering how many gave no internet access as a barrier it is important to note that the majority of respondents had internet access so results are not necessarily representative of the general population.

Although only a small proportion indicated that they would not use Service Tasmania Online due to their limited awareness of what is available on the site, this is an important barrier as it is one that can be addressed immediately through promotion of the service.


Figure 20 shows the barriers for use of the internet provided by respondents who indicated that there is something preventing them from using Service Tasmania Online. The most common “other reason” for not using the internet was not being able to make payments online due to not having a credit card.

Figure 20: What are the Barriers to Internet Use – Overall Q.6. What is stopping you from using online services?


3.8 Telephone Operating Hours

All respondents were advised of the current telephone operating hours and asked whether these meet their needs. The results was resoundingly positive with four out of every five respondents (81%) indicating that the current hours meet their needs.

Figure 21: Whether Current Telephone Operating Hours Meet Needs – OverallQ.16. The current opening hours for the telephone service are 8:00am to 5:30pm weekdays. Does this meet your needs?

Sub analysis revealed that the current operating hours were less likely to meet the needs of younger customers aged 18 to 34 years (76%) than those aged 55 years and over (87%) who tended to be happy with the current hours. Those who work full time were also less likely to indicate that the current operating hours meet their needs (74%) compared to those who are unemployed, students or those engaged in home duties (91%) or people who are retired and on a pension (90%).

Figure 22 shows that those who had used Service Tasmania Online for their most recent contact with Service Tasmania were more likely to indicate the current operating hours do not meet their needs when compared to those who had used the shop or telephone. Users of the telephone service were more likely to indicate that the current operating hours meet their needs.

Figure 22: Whether Current Telephone Operating Hours Meet Needs – by Contact MethodQ.16. The current opening hours for the telephone service are 8:00am to 5:30pm weekdays. Does this meet your needs?


Shop(n=972)

Phone(n=79)

Online(n=39)

% % % %Yes - Current hours meet needs 81 81 82 74

No - Current hours don't meet needs 19 19 18 26


For around two thirds of those who indicated a desire for the telephone operating hours to be extended, changing the hours so the telephone service operates later on weekdays and for some hours on a Saturday would meet their needs. These results indicate that, if Service Tasmania is considering extending operating hours, operating later on weekdays or offering some hours on a Saturday would provide the greatest benefit to customers.

Figure 23: How do the Telephone Operating Hours Need to Change to Meet NeedsQ.17. How do the operating hours for the telephone service need to change to meet your needs?

Following is an indication of how much later the phone service would need to operate to satisfy those who sought later operating hours on a weekday (n=36):

Closing at 6.30pm would meet the needs of 28% Closing at 7pm would meet the needs of 56% Closing at 8pm would meet the needs of 83% Closing at 9pm would meet the needs of 95%

Following is an indication of how much earlier the phone service would need to operate to satisfy those who sought earlier operating hours on a weekday (n=125):

Opening at 8am would meet the needs of 31% Opening at 7.30am would meet the needs of 50% Opening at 7am would meet the needs of 94%

Following is an indication of which hours the phone service would need to operate on a Saturday to satisfy those who sought Saturday operating hours (n=127):

Opening at 10am would meet the needs of 23% Opening at 9am would meet the needs of 60% Opening at 8am would meet the needs of 93% Closing at 1pm would meet the needs of 30% Closing at 4pm would meet the needs of 57% Closing at 5pm would meet the needs of 82%


Following is an indication of which hours the phone service would need to operate on a Sunday to satisfy those who sought Sunday operating hours (n=44):

Opening at 10am would meet the needs of 36% Opening at 9am would meet the needs of 59% Opening at 8am would meet the needs of 80% Closing at 3pm would meet the needs of 20% Closing at 5pm would meet the needs of 64% Closing at 7pm would meet the needs of 70%


4 Satisfaction with Recent Contact

This section present the results of a series of questions aimed at determining the extent of customer satisfaction with Service Tasmania at the present time.

4.1 Agreement with Positive Service Attributes

Respondents were asked to rate their agreement with a series of positive statements related to their last experience using Service Tasmania on a five point scale. Results were then converted to an Agreement Index (AI) which shows the level of agreement with the service attribute overall. Results are given in Figure 24 below and are discussed over page.

Figure 24: Agreement with Positive Statements Regarding Recent Contact with Service Tasmania – OverallQ.7. Thinking about your most recent contact with Service Tasmania, do you agree or disagree with the following…?

AI

91.3

89.6

89.9

85.4

78.8

75.6

71.6

71.6

66.9

65.5

*^ Shop, telephone and online** Shop and telephone only* Shop only

^^ Telephone only^ Online only


Figure 24 (previous page) shows that agreement with the customer service attributes of the recent interaction with Service Tasmania was especially high. That is, the majority of customers agreed or strongly agreed that they were treated fairly (AI 91.3), that staff were knowledgeable (AI 89.9), that they were informed of what they needed to do (AI 89.6) and that staff went the extra mile (AI 85.4).

However, the more functional aspects, time taken to complete the transaction, showed room for improvement. Although still positive results overall, some disagreed that they were able to get through to a telephone agent without difficulty (AI 78.8) and that they waited a reasonable amount of time at the shop (AI 75.6).

Following is agreement with the statement “I waited a reasonable amount of time at the shop” by how long the customer had to wait to be served on the most recent occasion.

Those who had no wait – AI 81.8 Those who had a short wait of 1 or 2 minutes – AI 76.8 Those who had a moderate wait of 3 to 10 minutes – AI 68.9 Those who waited longer than 10 minutes – AI 40.3

Agreement that the wait time was reasonable dropped significantly if customers waited longer than 10 minutes at a shop but was still relatively high amongst those who waited less than 10 minutes to speak to a staff member. Thus, achieving wait time of less than 10 minutes is desirable.

Aspects related to the Service Tasmania Online service received the least positive agreement ratings overall. In particular customers indicated lower levels of agreement that the website is visually appealing (AI 66.9) and that it contained the information they needed (AI 65.5). However, care must be taken when comparing Service Tasmania Online results to those who used the shop or telephone due to the different methods used to obtain each sample and the small sample size for online customers.

Figure 25 gives a comparison of Agreement Index ratings by each of the methods of contact. It shows that those who had used the shop for their most recent interaction with Service Tasmania recorded higher levels of agreement with positive service attributes than did those who used the telephone and even more so than those who used Service Tasmania Online.

Figure 25: Agreement with Positive Statements Regarding Recent Contact with Service Tasmania – by Contact MethodQ.7. Thinking about your most recent contact with Service Tasmania, do you agree or disagree with the following…?

Base: All Answering Total Shop Phone Online

AI* AI* AI* AI*I was treated fairly (n=1,093) 91.3 92.5 85.8 72.4

Staff were knowledgeable and competent (n=1,051) 89.9 89.7 79.4 -Was informed of everything I had to do to get a service/product (n=1,093) 89.6 91.0 81.7 70.5

Staff went the extra mile to make sure I got what I needed (n=1,051) 85.4 86.3 75.3 -I was able to get through to an agent without difficulty (n=79) 78.8 - 78.8 -

I waited a reasonable amount of time at the shop (n=972) 75.6 75.6 - -It was easy to find what I was looking for (n=39) 71.6 - - 71.6

I feel confident that my privacy is fully protected on this site (n=39) 71.6 - - 71.6The website is visually appealing (n=39) 66.9 - - 66.9

The website had the information I needed (n=39) 65.5 - - 65.5*AI calculation excludes “don’t know” responses.


4.2 Timeliness of Service

Those who made contact via the shop or telephone were asked how long they had to wait to speak to a staff member. Results indicated that those who made contact via telephone experienced minimal waiting times while those who went to the shops had to wait a little longer.

Over half of those who made contact via the telephone experienced no wait when they called Service Tasmania. Overall, nine in ten callers experienced no wait or a short wait of one or two minutes.

This compares to one third of shop users who indicated that they experienced no wait and two thirds in total who experienced no wait or a short wait. Those who had visited the shops were more likely to have experienced a moderate wait of 3 to 10 minutes than those who had used the telephone.

However, longer waits for those who visit the shops may not equate to lower levels of satisfaction with wait time. That is, a wait of one or two minutes may feel longer for a customer who is contacting Service Tasmania via telephone than a customer who is waiting at a shop.

Figure 26: How Long Customers Had to Wait to be Served – by Contact MethodQ.8. How long did you have to wait to speak to a Service Tasmania staff member?


As mentioned previously, agreement that wait times were reasonable decreased the longer customers had to wait to speak to a staff member.


4.3 Whether Expectations were Met

Respondents were asked whether the service they received during their recent interaction with Service Tasmania met their expectations and to what extent. Results showed that those who had used a Service Tasmania shop for their recent contact were more likely to say their expectations had been exceeded (service was a little or a lot better than expected) when compared to those who had used the telephone and particularly compared to those who had used Service Tasmania Online.

However, overall results are positive with the majority who said their expectations were not surpassed indicating that their expectations were met. Few said the service experience was a little or a lot worse than they had expected.

Figure 27: Whether Customer Service Expectations were Met – by Contact MethodQ.9. Overall, would you say that the service you received from Service Tasmania was…?


Sub analysis revealed that the small proportion of respondents who were dissatisfied with aspects of the recent service were more likely to indicate that the service they received was “a lot worse then expected”. These results may help to explain why customers felt that the interaction did not meet their expectations. Following is the percentage of those who were dissatisfied with particular attributes of Service Tasmania’s service who also said the service was a lot worse than expected:

Dissatisfied with timeliness of the service – 31% Dissatisfied with accessibility of the service – 35% Dissatisfied with service overall – 46%


4.4 Overall Satisfaction

Amongst respondents, overall satisfaction with their recent experience in dealing with Service Tasmania was high with overall satisfaction achieving a Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) of 89.6. Satisfaction with attributes of the service, the accessibility of the service (CSI 88.7) and the amount of time it took to get the service (CSI 87.8), were also high.

Figure 28: Satisfaction with Recent Contact with Service Tasmania – OverallQ.10. How satisfied were you with the amount of time it took to get the service from Service Tasmania?Q.11. How satisfied were you with the accessibility of the service from Service Tasmania on your most recent contact?Q.12. Overall how satisfied were you with your most recent contact with Service Tasmania?

The satisfaction of those aged 55 years and over was particularly high with CSIs of 90.1 for the amount of time it took to get the service and 97.1 for overall satisfaction with recent contact.

Figure 29 gives the Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) results for each of the satisfaction questions broken down by the method of contact used to contact Service Tasmania. Results indicate that overall satisfaction was highest amongst those who had used a shop (CSI 90.8) compared to lower levels of satisfaction amongst those who had used the telephone service (CSI 82.0) and Service Tasmania Online (75.6).

Figure 29: Satisfaction with Recent Contact with Service Tasmania – by Contact MethodQ.10. How satisfied were you with the amount of time it took to get the service from Service Tasmania?Q.11. How satisfied were you with the accessibility of the service from Service Tasmania on your most recent contact?Q.12. Overall how satisfied were you with your most recent contact with Service Tasmania?

Base: All Respondents Total Shop Phone Online

CSI* CSI* CSI* CSI*

Your most recent contact with Service Tasmania overall 89.6 90.8 82.0 75.6

Accessibility of the service from Service Tasmania 88.7 89.7 81.7 78.2

Amount of time it took to get the service from Service Tasmania 87.8 89.0 82.0 71.8

*CSI calculation excludes “don’t know” responses.

89.6

CSI

87.8

88.7


4.5 Improving Satisfaction

All of those respondents who indicated they were less than “very satisfied” with their recent contact with Service Tasmania overall were asked what would have made them more satisfied on this occasion. Half were able to make improvement suggestions while just over one third indicated that they were already satisfied and did not see any need for further improvement. A further 14% provided “don’t know” responses or made other comments not directly relevant to the question (see Appendix 2, Detailed Tables for a full list of verbatim responses).

Figure 30: Proportion of Those Less than Very Satisfied that made Improvement SuggestionsQ.13. What would need to have happened to make you feel more satisfied with Service Tasmania on this occasion?


Amongst the 16% of respondents who were able to offer an improvement suggestion, the most common suggestion for improving their experience in dealing with Service Tasmania was to reduce waiting times. This included taking steps to increase the efficiency of service and employing more staff, particularly during peak times. Others suggested staff members could be friendlier or that shop staff could smile more. Many of the suggestions made related to the general manner of staff. This included not only their friendliness but their professionalism, attentiveness, attention to detail (less mistakes) and the knowledge of staff.

A few suggested that they would like to see the consistency of information improved. This included ensuring information received through different mediums, face to face, telephone and online, are consistent as well as making sure individual staff members share the same knowledge and provide consistent information.

Figure 31: Suggestions for Improving Satisfaction with Contact – OverallQ.13. What would need to have happened to make you feel more satisfied with Service Tasmania on this occasion?


Examples of other responses include:

“Answering my enquiry would have been a good service!”

“Have a parks and wildlife officer available instead of using the phone.”

“Stop people hanging around the doorways and making it feel unsafe.”

“Better licence photo – the photo was very poor quality – i.e. washed out.”

“If someone was there from Centrelink who could help with advice and answer questions.”

“Giving me a chance to improve my licence photo before printing it!”

“Should be some way for medically fit over 75’s not to be required to undergo annual medical check-ups!”

Figure 32 gives a breakdown of improvement suggestions by recent contact method. Care must be taken when analysing results due to the small sample size for phone and online service users.

Results indicate that the need to increase the number of staff during peak hours was an issue that was specific to shops while the need for information to be clearer or for increased information to be available was more often required online than through other contact methods. Those who had used the telephone service more often mentioned the need for the thoroughness and attentiveness of staff to be improved than those who had used the shops.

Figure 32: Suggestions for Improving Satisfaction with Contact – by Contact MethodQ.13. What would need to have happened to make you feel more satisfied with Service Tasmania on this occasion?

Base: Able to make improvement suggestion Total (n=179)

Shop (n=144)

Phone (n=19*)

Online (n=15*)

% % % %Reduce waiting time/ increase efficiency of service 28 28 26 27

Improve friendliness/ courtesy of staff 16 18 11 0More staff at counters (especially during peak hour) 15 18 0 0

Provide more/ clearer information 8 6 5 33Improve thoroughness and attentiveness of staff 7 5 21 7

Improve professionalism of staff 7 6 16 0Reduce the number of mistakes made 6 5 11 13

Have more services available online 5 4 5 13Extend opening hours 5 5 5 7

Ensure consistency of information across the organisation 4 2 16 7More parking facilities 4 5 0 0

Improve in shop facilities (e.g. seats, refreshments) 4 4 5 0Services could be cheaper 3 2 5 0

Increase knowledge of staff 3 3 5 0More shopfronts/ more convenient locations 2 3 0 0

Reduce time it takes to issue information/ process requests 2 3 0 0Other 9 7 11 27

*Caution: Small sample size.


Further analysis revealed that there appeared to be greater emphasis on the need for wait times to be reduced amongst those who waited longer for service on the most recent occasion (3 minutes or longer). These findings reinforce the need to ensure customers do not wait longer than ten minutes for service and to aim for wait times of less than three minutes.

Customer Suggestions for Reducing Wait Times by Length of Wait on Recent VisitSHORT WAIT – 1-2 MINUTES

Better access to Service Tasmania building, less time waiting in queue.

Work a little faster.

No wait at all - not achievable.

MODERATE WAIT – 3-10 MINUTES

Not having to wait in line for so long.

Just the waiting on counter service.

Just been a little quicker.

Slightly less waiting time.

Shorter waiting time.

Quicker process after I went in.

Less time waiting.

Less delay.

A little less waiting time.

Shorter wait.

Shorter wait but otherwise very satisfied.

No wait - but realise that traffic and wait time is dependent on time of day. Enough staff were present for the queue to be manageable.

I would like the transactions to take less time.

I inadvertently joined the wrong queue and had to change to the other queue to receive the service I required. As I work nearby I was able to check how busy the office was before I joined the queue.

Faster process.

Shorter queue.

Smaller queue.

Reduced waiting time. Better understanding what each counter offers. Often seeing people being sent from one counter across to another.

Shorter wait time.

The waiting time is the main issue we have.

LONG WAIT – MORE THAN 10 MINUTES

No more long line ups, better knowledge of what they are doing.

Quicker service times.

Less wait for service during lunch periods.

Service time appalling. 15 min in a line that was out the door as usual.

Not having to wait as long to be served.

Every time I need to go to Service Tas there is always a long line up and it takes most of my lunch break just to pay a bill. It’s not good enough.

Spend less time in a queue.

Less wait.

Shorter waiting time to be served.

Shorten the time that you have to line up. I live in Launceston and at times I drive to Longford rather that try and get a park near Henty House then queue up. I only have half hour lunch hour and it usually takes the all that time to walk to Henty house queue up and get served.



Appendix 1

The Questionnaire


Appendix 2

Detailed Tables

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