DARS Customer and Consumer Satisfaction Survey Project

DARS has chartered the Customer and Consumer Satisfaction Survey Project to determine how well it complies with legislation and rules that assess customer service operations and to develop a consistent, comprehensive survey process that improves the service experience for consumers through action taken on survey results.

Scope

The scope of the project includes formalizing the appointment of a DARS customer relations representative with the approval of the DARS commissioner, examining the governing statutes, rules, and policies of surveys of customers or consumers, methodologies used in conducting the surveys, the qualifications and expertise of the resources used to develop and conduct the surveys, and to analyze and interpret findings and report results.

The scope also includes the development of focus groups to gather information regarding the quality of DARS' services; establish resources for analyzing and interpreting findings. Information gathered will be used to explore opportunities to consolidate or optimize existing program consumer surveys, transition to a single survey contractor for DARS, and to ensure that surveys provide information that can be used to improve DARS services.

All recommendations are to occur within the limitations of existing contracts with providers and the requirements placed upon DARS by HHSC that could direct how DARS responds to the customer satisfaction survey required by one regulation--Texas Government Code Chapter 2114.

Consumer Satisfaction Measurement Mandates

The regulations that implement the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended cite the responsibilities of the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) regarding consumer satisfaction with the Vocational Rehabilitation Program for both the Division for Rehabilitation Services (DRS) and the Division for Blind Services (DBS). The SRC in Texas is the Texas Rehabilitation Council (RCT). The RCT, in partnership with DARS, evaluates consumer satisfaction. The RCT responsibilities relating to consumer satisfaction are listed below.

(4) To the extent feasible, conduct a review and analysis of the effectiveness of, and consumer satisfaction with ––

  1. The functions performed by the designated State agency;
  2. The vocational rehabilitation services provided by State agencies and other public and private entities responsible for providing vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with disabilities under the Act; and
  3. The employment outcomes achieved by eligible individuals receiving services under this part, including the availability of health and other employment benefits in connection with those employment outcomes;

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 2004 requires States to submit a State Performance Plan at least once every six years. The State Performance Plan must include measurable and rigorous targets for prescribed indicators and include activities to improve performance. State Performance Plans must be developed with broad stakeholder input – minimally, with input from the Interagency Coordinating Council. In Texas, the ICC is the ECI Advisory Committee. States must report annually on their actual performance against the targets, and on the performance of each early intervention program. Of the fourteen required performance indicators, one indicator addresses family outcomes (20 USC 1416(a)(3)(A) and 1442).

Texas Government Code Chapter 2114 requires all state agencies to determine consumer satisfaction with:

  • facilities, including the customer's ability to access that agency, the office location, signs, and cleanliness;
  • staff, including employee courtesy, friendliness, and knowledgeability, and whether staff members adequately identify themselves to customers by name, including the use of name plates or tags for accountability;
  • communications, including toll-free telephone access, the average time a customer spends on hold, call transfers, access to a live person, letters, and electronic mail;
  • Internet site, including the ease of use of the site, information on the location of the site and the agency, and information accessible through the site such as a listing of services and programs and whom to contact for further information or to complain;
  • complaint handling process, including whether it is easy to file a complaint and whether responses are timely;
  • ability to timely serve its customers, including the amount of time a customer waits for service in person, by phone, by letter, or at a website; and
  • brochures or other printed information, including the accuracy of that information.

Not later than June 1 of each even-numbered year, an agency shall report on the consumer satisfaction information gathered to the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning.

Early Results

Completion of the first milestones of this project has shown that the legacy surveys met the requirements of governing legislation and rules. Populations surveyed by telephone and in person included:

  • Vocational Rehabilitation (General and Blind)
  • Independent Living (General and Blind)
  • Blind Children's Vocational Discovery and Development
  • Early Childhood Intervention

Enterprise Survey

HHSC has determined that an enterprise approach will be used to satisfy the requirements of Texas Government Code Chapter 2114 for the Health and Human Services agency and departments. The Enterprise will use a generic survey to address a core set of satisfaction indicators recommended by the LBB, such as staff courtesy and timely service. Using a common generic survey across the Enterprise will ensure collection of statistically sound and consistent customer satisfaction information that can be used as input into the strategic planning process and program improvement effort. HHSC is developing an interagency contract with University of North Texas to survey a subset of HHS direct service client populations that are the focus of major agency activity.

Additionally, HHSC has formed a cross-departmental workgroup to ensure that each department is represented in the survey. Each HHS department was given the option to survey two distinct client populations to be represented individually in the Report on Customer Service. DARS has requested that the Vocational Rehabilitation consumer population, both general and blind, be included in the Enterprise Customer Satisfaction Survey. The general VR population will receive a copy of the survey in the mail, and the blind VR population will be surveyed by telephone. HHSC expects the survey to begin in the latter part of January 2006.

Stakeholder Participation

In order to meet the remaining project objectives, team members have invited stakeholders to attend a briefing on the project to be held on Friday, January 20, 2006. Some stakeholders will be asked to participate in a workgroup to review and comment on a model developed for consumer satisfaction input for the Division for Blind Services (DBS) and the Division for Rehabilitation Services (DRS.) Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) currently has a stakeholder workgroup and will ask for review and comment from that workgroup on the ECI model. Input from these workgroups will be used to further refine the models, which will be used as a basis for recommendations to DARS management.