Independent customer satisfaction survey gives TCDC the thumbs up

We've been given an extremely positive report card from an independent customer satisfaction survey on how we deliver services to our residents and ratepayers.

Results from the National Research Bureau (NRB) Customer Satisfaction Survey shows our Council either maintained or improved our customer satisfaction rating from the last survey, which was conducted in 2012.

“This is good confirmation for us and reinforces that we need to stay in our core business and to make sure it continues to run this way,” says Thames-Coromandel District Council Mayor Glenn Leach.

Survey results which saw improvements or maintained status quo in customer satisfaction levels were:

• Stormwater – 86% (higher than previous survey result 76%
• Water supply 91% (higher than previous survey result 86%)
• Parks and Reserves – 96% (higher than previous result 94%)
• Sewerage – 95% (higher than previous result 91%)
• Public libraries – 99% (higher than previous result 94%)
• Public halls – 94% (higher than previous result 90%
• Harbour facilities – 87% (higher than previous result 83%)
• Footpaths – 94% (same as previous survey result)
• Image of closest town centre 94% (higher than previous result 90%)

Three services, roading, rubbish collection and cemeteries, had a very slight dip in customer satisfaction than previous surveys, but were still close or better than the national average.

NRB conducts surveys for a number of councils around the country and a national survey to provide comparisons. It also provides an average “peer group” result, which in our Council’s case contains approximately 30 councils whose districts are considered similar in size to ours.

The levels of satisfaction with Council's decision making and actions have also improved (53%) and is the highest result achieved for us since we began the survey back in 2009. There is no peer average or national average data available for this question.

Accessibility to elected members (Councillors and Community Board members) is also consistent with previous survey results.

"We're extremely pleased with customers’ feedback" says Mayor Leach. "The results reflect the hard work this Council has put in over the past three to five years bringing in community empowerment, which gives local decision-making back to communities, as well as keeping rates to an affordable level, while making sure we do what we say we will with our core business.”

"Of course there is always room for improvement and we are always reviewing what we can do better," says the Mayor. "An example of how we're doing this, is in the past 12 months we've started putting more rigour around project management, project reporting and business improvements to ensure we have better oversight of projects - both internally and externally."

Survey background

The telephone survey canvased a sample group of approximately 400 people aged 18 or over, with a mix of permanent and absentee ratepayers. This year’s survey contained 218 male and 186 female respondents.

You can read the full survey results here. April 6 Council Meeting Item 2.5 on the Council Agenda.

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