Performance Measures
Related Information
Customer Satisfaction
About this measure: Customer service is a cornerstone of good performance. DNRP uses customer feedback mechanisms to:
- Understand changes in customer preferences, priorities and price sensitivities
- Assess program strengths and weaknesses and perceptions of service levels
- Guide program adjustments based on finding
Many of our larger programs have had customer feedback mechanisms in place for several years. The customer survey findings are used to steer program adjustments and ensure that changes produce the intended results.
For the most part, DNRP divisions have selected specific groups of customers or neighboring business and residents to survey about services and programs. Some of our customer service questionnaires are self-administered and others involve the use of consumer research firms.
Solid Waste Division (SWD)
Transfer station customers
2007 Results: There was no transfer station customer satisfaction survey conducted in 2007.
2006 Results: 4.69.
Influencing Factors: Transfer station customer satisfaction was high due to continued good service at the transfer stations.
Strategy Going Forward: The same high level of service continued in 2007.
Technical Notes: Surveys are ranked on a five point scale.
2007 Target: NA, no survey conducted in 2007.
2008 Target: 4.5.
Wastemobile customers
About this Performance Measure: In 2007, the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (LHWMP) in King County conducted a survey of the users of its household hazardous waste (HHW) collection facilities. Visitors provided information about their satisfaction levels with the current hazardous waste disposal services. Information was gathered at the Program's three fixed facilities (located in North Seattle, South Seattle, and at the Factoria transfer station) and at Wastemobile collection events held in the cities of Issaquah and Kent.
2007 Results: 67% of those surveyed rated their household hazardous waste collection experience as excellent.
2007 Target: 60% of those surveyed rate their household hazardous waste collection experience as excellent.
2008 Target: 4.6 on a 1 — 5 scale
Influencing Factors: High satisfaction levels may be attributed to the county providing a consistent presence and services that residents are familiar with.
Strategy Going Forward: The LHWMP is currently conducting a service level study to enable the county to enhance or maintain the high level of hazardous waste disposal service provided to King County residents.
Solid waste education program
About this Performance Measure: In 2007, SWD reached 21,500 elementary students through an assembly program and over 20,000 elementary and secondary students through classroom workshops. Teachers find the program and workshops to be highly effective in educating students about how reducing waste and recycling benefit the environment. The question teachers respond to in the survey is whether they think the assembly/workshops "enhance student understanding of resource conservation."
2007 Results: 4.48.
Influencing Factors: The overall rating fell slightly from 4.6 in 2006 to 4.48 in 2007. This drop could be attributed to an increase in variability of response due to a large increase in the number of surveys returned. Survey collection methods were enhanced in 2007, including the implementation of an on-line survey which teachers find easy to use.
Strategy Going Forward: SWD will continue to offer its assembly and workshops to schools, updating content for relevancy to department and division goals as well as to appropriateness to grade level and Washington State grade level expectations.
Technical Notes: Surveys are ranked on a five point scale.
2007 Target: 4.6.
2008 Target: 4.6.
Water and Land Resources Division (WLRD)
DNRP services and programs
About this measure: Over the past decade, the Stormwater Services Section has been collecting customer feedback to track, modify and improve how engineers and technicians treat and respond to customer needs. Customer service survey cards are sent out to residents who have registered drainage complaints with WLRD. The number of responses received correlates with rain events, when more complaints are received.
2007 results: 93 percent of customer service questions asked were responded to favorably
2007 target: 90 percent of customer service questions asked will be responded to favorably
2008 target: 90 percent of customer service questions asked will be responded to favorably
Influencing factors: Training and education are offered to staff when performance measures fall below goals. When a survey card records dissatisfaction with a staff member, the issue is discussed with him or her.
Strategy going forward: Mid-2007, the division launched an on line customer services survey on its Web site and plans to send customer services surveys to people that have sent email inquiries. Information from this survey will supplement results from the drainage services survey reported here.
Wastewater Treatment Division (WTD)
Wastewater Treatment Plant Neighbors
About this measure: This measure addresses the percent of business and residential neighbors who consider wastewater treatment plants in their area to be a good neighbor.
2007 results: 70.25%
2007 target: ≥ 75%
2008 target: > 75%
Influencing factors: Overall, both wastewater treatment plants, West Point and South Plant, have good relationships with their neighbors. The most common reasons residents and businesses say that King County has been a good neighbor continues to be the lack of noticeable impacts of the treatment plants, considering factors such as visibility of the facilities, odor, truck trips, landscaping, environmental impact and responsiveness to community concerns.
"Bad smell" is the most common negative impact residents experience. Trucking impacts are the second highest concern.
Strategies going forward: The top two priorities continue to be exploring new methods of odor control and responding to complaints within 24 hours.
Technical Notes
For definitions and more detail.
