Specifically,  the order stated that all executive departments and agencies that provide  significant services directly to the public shall provide customer service  equal to the best in business and shall take the following actions:  identify the customers who are, or should be, served by the agency    survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they  want and their level of satisfaction with existing services    post service standards and measure results against them    benchmark customer service performance against the best in business    survey frontline employees on barriers to, and ideas for, matching the    provide customers with choices in both the sources of service and the    make information, services, and complaint systems easily accessible    provide means to address customer complaints  On March 23, 1995, President Clinton issued a presidential memorandum  on improving customer service, which stated that the standards agencies  had begun issuing in response to Executive Order 12862 had told the  federal government’s customers for the first time what they had a right to  expect when they asked for services. The services’ standards varied in their form. Other standards were structured  quantitatively and based on daily, monthly, or annual averages. Nearly All Surveyed Services Have Measures of Customer Service and Customer Satisfaction

All 13 of the surveyed services reported having measures of customer  service, and 11 of the services reported having measures of satisfaction. The  National Park Service (NPS), for instance, reported using a visitor survey  card program to survey visitors at over 320 of its points of service. All five had customer  service standards. We found that the standards were  often either not made available to the public at all or were made available  in a way that would not be easy for customers to find and access. These services made their standards available in  long, detailed documents mostly focused on other topics, such as Annual  Performance Plans, Performance and Accountability Reports, and budget  justifications. However, most services did not post service results in  government offices. As required by the presidential memorandum, all services report results to  customers at least annually. CBP officials said land border, and airport wait time patterns have been  studied, which led to facility enhancements and staff assignment changes. The officials told us that changes at one port of entry, the Detroit  Ambassador Bridge reduced wait times and recurring traffic delays by  more than half. Finally, 11  surveyed services reported that performance appraisals for all employees  in contact with customers were based in part on customer service  performance measures. Three services reported comparing  the results to customer service standards, and two reported comparing  results to the private sector. Some of these are already being used by  some federal agencies, but OMB’s initiative to gather and share customer  service ideas through the President’s Management Advisory Board,  established in April 2010, and meetings with GSA’s Office of Citizen  Services, agencies, and other groups offers an opportunity to evaluate the  benefits of applying these tools and practices on a more widespread basis  and to share those that are found to be beneficial. Recommendations for Executive Action

We recommend that the Director of OMB take the following two actions,  building on the progress OMB has already made as part of its customer  service initiative:    Direct agencies to consider options to make their customer service  standards and results more readily available to customers using  documents or Web pages specifically intended for customers, or the  dashboard once it is more fully developed. Collaborate with the President’s Management Advisory Board and  agencies to evaluate the benefits and costs of applying the tools and  practices related to understanding customers’ needs, facilitating  improved customer decision making, and providing citizens with the  information necessary to hold government accountable for customer  service, and include those that are found beneficial to the federal  government in the initiative on gathering and sharing customer service  ideas. OMB had no comments on the recommendations. Key contributors to this report are listed in  appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of our study were to (1) assess the extent to which federal  agencies are setting customer service standards and measuring results  against these standards, (2) assess the extent to which federal agencies are  reporting standards and results to customers and using the results to  improve service, and (3) identify some customer service management  tools and practices used by local, state, federal, and non-U.S. national  governments. In addition, we examined steps the Office of Management  and Budget (OMB) is taking to facilitate federal agency use of tools and  practices to improve customer service. Based on the  literature review, we selected and interviewed six knowledgeable  individuals in the area of customer service.
Why GAO Did This Study

The federal government has set a goal of providing service to the public that matches or exceeds that of the private sector. Executive Order 12862 (September 11, 1993) and a related 1995 memorandum require agencies to post customer service standards and report results to customers. As requested, this report (1) assesses the extent to which federal agencies are setting customer service standards and measuring related results, (2) assesses the extent to which agencies are reporting standards and results to customers and using the results to improve service, and (3) identifies some customer service management tools and practices used by various governments. The report also examines the steps the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is taking to facilitate agency use of tools and practices. GAO surveyed 13 federal services among those with the most contact with the public, reviewed literature and interviewed agency officials as well as knowledgeable individuals in the area of customer service.

What GAO Found

All 13 government services GAO surveyed had established customer service standards, which varied in their form from quantitative standards based on hourly, daily, monthly or annual averages to general commitments to qualitative standards. All 13 services reported having measures of customer service, such as measures of wait times or accuracy of service and 11 services had measures of customer satisfaction. For example, the National Park Service surveys visitors at over 320 points of service through a survey card program. All services had methods to receive customer complaints, and all had methods of gathering ideas from front line employees to improve customer service. Although standards exist, GAO found that the surveyed services' standards were often made available in a way that would not be easy for customers to find and access or, in the case of two services, were not made available to the public at all. For example, five services made standards available in long, detailed documents mostly focused on other topics, such as annual performance plans, performance and accountability reports, and budget justifications. About half of the services reported customer service results in similar types of documents. All services reported comparing customer service results to the standards and using the results to improve internal processes. For example, Customs and Border Protection officials told GAO that after they studied wait times at land borders and airports, they made facility enhancements and staff assignment changes. At one port of entry, these changes reduced wait times by more than half. However, some services have not compared performance to the private sector, as required by the Executive Order. Most services reported considering customer service measures in employee performance appraisals. For example, according to IRS officials, the performance appraisals for all employees who provide taxpayer assistance are based in part on critical job elements related to customer satisfaction. GAO identified several customer service tools and practices government agencies have used to improve customer service, such as engaging customers through social media, providing self service options and offering redress for unmet standards. Additionally, OMB has begun an initiative to identify and share private sector best practices among federal agencies and to develop a dashboard where agencies can make customer service standards available. Building on the progress made under this initiative, OMB could evaluate the benefits and costs of applying these tools and practices on a more widespread basis and share those that are found to be beneficial.

What GAO Recommends

GAO recommends that OMB (1) direct agencies to consider options to make customer service standards and results more readily available and (2) collaborate with the President's Management Advisory Board and agencies to evaluate the benefits and costs of applying the tools and practices identified in this report, and include those found beneficial in its related initiative. OMB had no comments on the recommendations.