Rating the Government

Tuesday, December 14, 2004

The University of Michigan today released its annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) for the federal government. The survey, based on 10,000 respondents grading 39 services provided by 25 departments and agencies, measures how well federal agencies serve the public.

The overall score for the federal government was 72.1 on ACSI's 100-point scale, up from 70.9 in 2003.

The ACSI is produced by the University of Michigan Business School, the American Society for Quality and the CFI Group, a consulting firm.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' National Cemetery Administration was the top scorer, with a grade of 95, up two points since 2001, the last time it was reviewed.

The Internal Revenue Service continues to bring up the rear, with a score of 64 for services provided to all individual tax filers. The report notes that the IRS continues to improve though it "is obviously in a special category" because "the collection of taxes is not an activity that taxpayers look forward to."

The report said that for the studied agencies as a whole, courtesy and professionalism, the key components of customer service, "are at all time highs," with professionalism up by 4 percent, to 84, and courtesy up 1 percent, to 85. The report said there is room for much improvement in timeliness of service, accessibility to service, and confidence and trust in government.

Agency Customers Score
National Cemetery Administration Family or other people responsible for an interment 95
Health Resources and Services Administration State grantees 91
Health Resources and Services Administration Discretionary grantees 89
U.S. Mint Buyers of numismatic and commemorative coins 86
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Retirees 84
Veterans Health Administration Inpatients at VA medical centers 84
Veterans Health Administration Outpatients at VA clinics 83
General Services Administration Users of the Federal Citizen Information Center, Pueblo, Colo. 81
Social Security Administration Retirement benefits recipients 81
Civil Rights Center (Labor) State-level equal opportunity officers 79
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Pension plan participants 78
Federal Student Aid Borrowers with federal student loans in repayment status 78
National Weather Service Users of hydrologic services 77
Health Resources and Services Administration Users of the National Practitioner Data Bank 77
Natural Resources Conservation Service Users of the Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program 77
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Medicare recipients 76
Office of Personnel Management Federal retirees and annuitants 76
General Services Administration Users of the Federal Supply Service 76
Consular Affairs Recent passport applicants and renewals 76
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Users of the Earth Observing System Data and Information System 75
Natural Resources Conservation Service Users of the Environmental Quality Incentives Program 75
Army Corps of Engineers Recreational visitors 75
Bureau of the Census Data distributors in state and local agencies 73
Air Force Financial Services Air Force vendors 72
Export-Import Bank Commercial banks and exporters 72
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Grant recipients from the Division of Federal Assistance 70
Division of Longshore & Harbor Workers' Comp. Insurers and self-insured employers authorized to provide coverage 70
Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Pension practitioners 69
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Local and county officials receiving regulatory safety information 68
Small Business Administration Applicants for a Disaster Recovery Assistance low-interest loan 67
Air Force Financial Services Air Force National Guardsmen and reservists 66
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Users of the office's toll-free telephone service 65
Federal Aviation Administration Commercial pilots 65
Internal Revenue Service All individual tax filers 64

NOTE: Not all categories of customers are shown for the IRS.

The Washington Post


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