Despite the difficulties arising from the current pandemic, frontline government  agencies and offices can aim for better frontline service delivery using actual feedback  from citizens nationwide.  

Using the results of the national survey conducted by the Development Academy  of the Philippines (DAP), under the initiative of the Government Quality Management  Program, government agencies and offices can focus on improving frontline service  delivery using the key drivers of citizen satisfaction captured in the e-survey conducted in  December 2020. Aiming for quality service delivery that follows these key drivers or  service attributes that have the biggest impact on citizen satisfaction will contribute to  better transaction experience during the so-called “new normal.” 

According to the DAP national Citizen Satisfaction e-Survey or e-CitSat, the key  drivers of citizen satisfaction in all methods of contact, that is, for face-to-face, phone call,  or online transactions are:  

Meanwhile, for face-to-face transactions, there are additional service attributes that can  contribute to a pleasant experience for citizens when they go to frontline government  service facilities, especially with movement restrictions and health and safety protocols in  place.

According to the survey, citizens appreciate frontliners wearing of IDs and uniform.  This gives assurance that they are dealing with authorized personnel and not with fixers.  Moreover, citizens would like to have fewer number of interactions with frontliners until  their transaction is completed, especially during this time of the pandemic.

Likewise, for phone call method of inquiring or getting frontline government service,  citizens would also appreciate having fewer number of interactions with frontliners when  they make a phone call at a frontline government service office. Too many phone calls or  being passed on to multiple staffs would contribute to dissatisfaction. 

In the “new normal” where it is safer both for citizens and frontliners to interact  using online method, frontline government agencies and offices will do well continuing or  improving on another attribute of service. Citizens will be satisfied with the online frontline  service delivery if they can easily navigate the government website.

When these key drivers of citizen satisfaction are considered in improving frontline  government service delivery, citizens’ service experience may fare better resulting in  smooth engagement on the part of both the frontline staffs and transacting citizens. 

Professor D. Brian Marson, co-founder and senior fellow of the Institute for Citizen Centred Service in Canada pointed out in his lecture in DAP on “The Role of Service  Quality Standards in Achieving High Levels of Client Satisfaction with Public Sector  Services” that it is important to know the key drivers of citizen satisfaction to improve  service. He called this the “outside-in” approach to improving service delivery. 

Likewise, DAP Vice President Arnel D. Abanto underscored the value of evidence based information. He explained that if you want to improve quality, you have to measure  it. If you do not measure it, you cannot trace or monitor its improvement. The key drivers  of citizen satisfaction is just one set of attributes that can be measured and monitored in  aid of service quality improvement.

Knowing what citizens like most in frontline service especially in critical times such  as the ongoing pandemic, government agencies and offices have valuable information  that can help them in their efforts to improve their services. With improved services, citizen  satisfaction may be enhanced and, more importantly, contribute to the national goal of  ensuring responsive, people-centered, technology-enabled, and clean governance.  

The DAP seeks to empower leaders, strengthen institutions, and build the nation  through pioneering, value adding, synergistic ideas, concepts, principles, techniques, and  technologies addressing development problems of local, national, and international  significance. DAP–PDC offers capability building, technical assistance, and research  related to productivity and quality improvement. For more information, visit  www.dap.edu.ph, email pdc.pdro@dap.edu.ph or call 0977-826?3077.