Publications

2005 National Client Satisfaction Survey

Introduction
Survey Methodology
Period of Survey
Three Indicators of Overall Client Satisfaction
Declared Client Values
Satisfaction with Areas of Service
Key Improvements in Satisfaction in 2005
How We Compare
- How We Compare With Federal Public Sector
- How We Compare With Private Sector
Top Priorities for Improvement
Our Response to your Feedback
Contact Us

Introduction

Fourth national survey of Passport Canada Client Satisfaction Measurement Program
Conducted by Circum Network Inc., on behalf of Passport Canada, from April 30 to May 24, 2005
94% of respondents were either "satisfied" or "very satisfied"

Survey Methodology

Telephone interviews with 1410 clients, including 1003 with clients using the regular processes, 204 with Canada Post clients and 203 with clients who used the services of Service Canada
Participants received a passport during 3-month period prior to Survey
Response rate: 49%
Estimated sampling error: +/- 3.1% for a proportion of 50%, at a confidence level of 95%
Core questions from the Treasury Board Common Measurements Tool

Period of Survey

Participants who were issued a passport during January, February and March were surveyed in April and May 2005

Three Indicators of Overall Client Satisfaction

First Indicator of Overall Client Statisfaction

Average rating on a 10-point scale from 0 "very dissatisfied" to 10 "very satisfied"
- 2001 average score: 8.1
- 2003 average score: 8.1
- 2004 average score: 7.9
- 2005 average score: 8.2

Second Indicator of Overall Client Satisfaction

Percentage of participants who selected "satisfied" or "very satisfied"
- Indicator can be misleading: there is a substantial difference between "satisfied" (a mitigated commitment) and "very satisfied" (a strong commitment)
- 2001 average score: 96%
- 2003 average score: 92%
- 2004 average score: 93%
- 2005 average score: 94%

Third Indicator of Overall Client Satisfaction

Percentage of participants who selected "very satisfied," the top category
- 2001 average score: 31%
- 2003 average score: 37%
- 2004 average score: 27%
- 2005 average score: 35%

Increase of Very Satisfied Clients

The third indicator gives a more powerful reading of satisfaction. It is:
- A solid measure of the health of our performance excellence
- A more precise indicator of our success (or not) at improving the way we do things at Passport Canada
In 2005, 35% selected "very satisfied." This is up 8% from 2004
Passport Office cannot expect 100% of its clients to be "very satisfied" with the service process, but:
- It can aim at increasing the proportion of top-box clients from the present 35% to 50% or even 60%
- Excellence organizations have achieved such goals

Overall Client Satisfaction

(%)	100																					Results for 3 Satisfaction Indicators: 2001 = 8.1; 96% (S + VS); 31% (VS) 2003 = 8.1; 92% (S + VS); 37% (VS) 2004 = 7.9; 93% (S + VS); 27% (VS) 2005 = 8.2; 94% (S + VS); 35% (VS)
(%)	0	0	1	1	0	1	3	3	2	4	4	4	4	65	55	66	59	31	37	27	35
		Very Dissatisfied				Dissatisfied				Neutral				Satisfied				Very Satisfied

Declared Client Values

In 2005, the top three declared values were:
- Design of the passport to discourage forgery
- Security features of the passport
- Acceptance of the passport by other countries

Top Three Declared Values in
2003-2005 (same items same order)	2001
Design of passport to discourage forgery	Competence of staff
Security features of passport	Passport accepted by other countries
Passport accepted by other countries	Effectiveness of staff

The declared values demonstrate:
- A stabilization in the shift from service reliability in 2001 (competence and effectiveness of staff) to product security from 2003 to 2005
- Signs of diminishing concerns with security and increase concern with direct service (except for wait time at the office) suggest PPT must keep its finger on the client value pulse

In 2005, the three lowest declared values were:
- The base cost of the passport itself
- The timing of the payment
- The number of pages in the passport

Satisfaction With Areas of Service

Communications

Availability of info in access to Telephone Service	7.5		2005 2004 2003 2001



Ease of Access to Information	7.8
	7.8
	7.9
	7.8
Clarity of Written Information	7.9
	7.7
	7.7
	7.9
Answers provided to your questions	8.1
	7.8
	8.1
	8
Communications in your Official Language	8.2
	8.2
	8.4
	8.1
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

The satisfaction for communications of other items is positive and stable over time.
This year we have expanded our survey to include additional questions on our Call Centre services.

Satisfaction with Access to Service

Availability of Parking close to the Office	6.6		2005 2004 2003 2001
	6.1
	5.9
	5.9
Convenience of the Office Location	7.1
	6.7
	6.8
	6.9
Signage to find the Office	7.4
	7.1
	7.2
	7.2
Hours of Operations	7.5
	7
	7.2
	7.3
Ease of Access to Services in Person	7.6



Flexibility of the Methods of Access	7.8
	7.6
	7.7
	7.7
Ease of Access to Services by Mail	7.9
	7


Ease of Access to Services by Telephone	8
	6.5
	6.8
	7.3
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

Satisfaction with all access items has increased
The ratings for the following items increased the most
- Hours of Operation
- Ease of access to services by mail
- Ease of access to services by telephone

Call Centres: Ease of Access

Did you encounter any problems using the telephone service?
- 82% said they did not encounter any problems with the telephone service
- 16% said they did encounter problems with the telephone service. They were:
  - 75% Excessive wait time
  - 46% Busy Telephone line
  - 40% Never able to talk to a human being
  - 17% Ending up at voice mail

Expectations with Regard to Telephone Wait Times

The average expected wait time was approximately 6 minutes
The average perceived actual wait was 9.8 minutes
The majority of clients expect to wait less than 5 minutes

Satisfaction with the Application Process

List of Qualified Guarantors	7.7		2005 2004 2003 2001
	7.6
	7.7
	7.8
Simplicity of Application Forms	7.7
	7.5
	7.7
	8.1
Overall Requirements	7.8
	7.6
	7.7
	7.9
Ease of Submitting the Application	8
	7.3
	7.4
	8.1
Fairness of the Process	8
	7.8
	8
	8
Ease of Picking up the Passport	8.1
	8
	8.2
	7.9
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

There is a slight increase in overall satisfaction with all application process items
The greatest increase is with the ease of submitting the application

Satisfaction with Responsiveness and Reliability

Waiting Time in an Office	7.7		2005 2004 2003 2001
	5.2
	5.9
	6.4
Total Time and Effort Required	7.7
	6.7
	7.1
	7.6
Waiting Time to Receive it by Mail	8
	7.2
	7.6
	7.5
Time it took to Produce a Passport	8
	7.7
	7.9
	8
Understanding of your Particular Needs	8.1
	7.7
	8.1
	8.1
Availability of Application Forms	8.3
	8.2
	8.4
	8.2
Effectiveness of the Staff	8.3
	8.1
	8.4
	8.4
Competence of the Staff	8.4
	8.2
	8.6
	8.4
Courtesy of the Staff	8.4
	8.2
	8.6
	8.4
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

Importance of the Service Relationship

The most satisfying aspects of service deal directly with the client-employee relationship, and they are:
- Service responsiveness and reliability in general
- The courtesy of the staff
- The competence of the staff
- The effectiveness of the staff
- Communications in the client?s official language
The five main sources of satisfaction indicate that client satisfaction at PPTC is the result of:
- A solid overall service relationship that is focussed on the ease of doing business rather than a successful passport document
- Passport security and effectiveness are seen as basic service components, they are necessary but insufficient to increase satisfaction, because they are a given and simply expected

Expectations with Regard to Wait Time at the Office

The importance of wait time at the office has decreased while the satisfaction with this item has increased substantially from 5.2 in 2004 to 7.7 in 2005
Expectations of unsatisfied clients reveal that client expectations were not excessive since there was a very close match between what satisfied customers received and what unsatisfied customers expected, as observed in previous years

Expectations with Regard to Delivery of the Passport

Ninety-eight percent of clients were satisfied and actually waited 2 weeks
The Citizens First report found that the majority of clients found 2 weeks to be an acceptable wait to receive a document needed by mail from the time the application was sent
Less than 2% of clients were unsatisfied with the wait time to receive the passport. They actually waited 6 weeks on average but expected to wait 1 week

Satisfaction with Travel Document

Duration of the Validity of the Passport	6.9		2005 2004 2003 2001
	6.5
	6.7
	6.8
Number of Pages in the Passport	7.7
	7.5
	7.7
	7.6
Design of Passports to Avoid Forgery	7.8
	7.3
	7.5
	7.2
Security Features on the Passport	7.8
	7.6
	7.8
	7.6
Acceptance by Other Countries	8
	7.9
	8.1
	8
The Passport as a Travel Document	8.3
	8.2
	8.4
	8.1
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

This graph deals with client satisfaction with the passport as a product and a travel document
Most satisfying (highest rating): Acceptance by other countries rates (8.0), this is also one of the top declared values
Least satisfying (lowest rating): the duration of the validity period of the passport as in 2001, 2003 and 2004 although the rating has increased to 6.9 from 6.4

Satisfaction with Cost

Convenience of the Payment Method	7.9		2005 2004 2003 2001
	8.1
	7.9
	8
The Timing of the Payment	7.7
	7.9
	7.6
	7.7
The Base Cost of the Passport Itself	6.1
	5.3
	5.4
	6.1
	0	10
	Average Score (Scale of 10)

The least satisfying item is the base cost of the passport itself; however, this item is the third lowest declared values
This item has increased to 6.1 from 5.3 in 2004

Receiving Agents

Receiving agents include two partners: Canada Post selected outlets and Service Canada selected offices
The service experience of clients using receiving agents was generally similar to that of clients using regular channels
The only differences were:
- Increased satisfaction with location-related features
- Decreased satisfaction with the following items:
  - Cost
  - Turnaround Time
  - Direct Service
  - Communications

Key Improvements in Satisfaction in 2005

Key improvements in satisfaction took place in the following areas:
- Waiting time at the office
  - Satisfaction increase (up to 7.0 from 5.2 on a 10 point scale)
- Ease of access to services by telephone
  - Satisfaction increase (up to 8.0 from 6.5 on a 10 point scale)
  - 95% said they were satisfied
- Total time and effort required
  - Satisfaction increase (up to 7.6 from 6.7)

How We Compare

How We Compare With Federal Public Sector

(%)	50																					2005 2004 2003 2001
(%)	0	1	1	1	1	3	4	4	3	47	47	46	47	30	28	32	31	21	22	18	18
		Much worse				A little worse				Same				A little better				Much better

Forty-nine percent of clients thought that we were a little better or much better compared to the federal public sector and 47% thought that we were the same

How We Compare With Private Sector

(%)	100																					2005 2004 2003 2001
(%)	0	3	4	4	3	12	12	18	12	64	51	50	57	17	22	20	18	8	12	10	11
		Much worse				A little worse				Same				A little better				Much better

Twenty-nine percent of clients thought that we were better compared to the private sector and 57% thought that we were the same

Stated Improvement Priorities (low leverage)

Don't know	36		2005 2004 2003 2001
	31
	42
	58
Cost	26
	23
	23
	16
Access	16
	22
	17
	11
Rules and process	1
	11
	8
	6
Responsibility and reliability	5
	7
	6
	5
Communications	6
	5
	5
	3
	0	75
	(%)

Clients were asked specifically to choose one item for improvement
While these items may be the pet peeves of Passport Canada clients they do not affect overall satisfaction ratings as much as other items because they have a low leverage effect

Top Priorities for Improvement

The 2005 Survey found four significant ?high satisfaction/high leverage? drivers of satisfaction at Passport Canada:
- Service responsiveness and reliability
- Overall communications
- Access to services
- The passport as a travel document
These items are our strengths and they are the items that have allowed us to achieve such high overall satisfaction ratings therefore Passport Canada must continue to perform as well as it does in these areas

Our Response to Your Feedback

We have implemented or are in the process of implementing several initiatives including:
Direct Service
- Increased access through "receiving agents" (Canada Post and Service Canada) and "storefront counters"
- An online estimated waiting times pilot for applicants applying in person (Richmond, both Calgary offices, Vancouver and Surrey)
- A Q-MATIC client-routing system to manage and reduce waiting times
- Simplified application process for passport renewals
- A Passport on-line electronic application form
Security
- Newly designed passport with enhanced security features making it even more difficult to forge
- The exploration of biometric technologies for use in the passport
- An electronic chip will soon become an enhanced security feature of the Canadian Passport
- Increased security through our participation in cross-departmental, national and international government security initiatives
We are confident that these initiatives will help us maintain or exceed the proportion of clients who are very satisfied

Contact Us:

This report was prepared by the Office of Continuous Improvement. Your comments are most welcome.
To reach us, just cut and paste one of the addresses below into a GroupWise e-mail, enter your comments and send your message.

Strategic and Business Planning Division (PPPS) -Continuous Improvement (OCI)
or
PPPS-OCI