Customer Service Standards
The U.S. Bureau of
the Census believes strongly in the importance of excellent customer service.
That is why we have decided to publish a set of standards that communicates
to the general public, particularly the data-user community, what kind
of treatment they should expect when they make a request of us.
The Census Bureau has grouped its customers
into four general categories, which we define as follows:
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I. General Information Customers: These
are customers who request assistance in obtaining a small number (usually
one to 10) of statistics that can be read over the phone or included in
a short e-mail message; a few photocopied pages of statistical tables or
text that can be FAXed or mailed; or any of our free publications that
can be mailed in limited numbers and without undue cost to the Bureau.
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II. Purchasers of the Off-The-Shelf
Products: These are customers who are interested in purchasing
predefined "published" reports, tables, studies, map information, databases,
etc., available in one of the following media: computer tape, CD-ROM, floppy
diskette, online (Internet, dial-up services, etc.), printed report (whether
bound or unbound), paper listing, map, and audiotext.
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III. Special Request Customers:
These
are customers who ask the Census Bureau to extract, tabulate, or summarize
data found in published or non-published public-use files; these are products
that are developed at the user's request and are not "sitting on the shelf,"
so to speak. Since special-request data generally come from Federal government-funded
censuses or surveys, the end product is sold to the requester on a non-restrictive
and non-exclusive basis.
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IV. Survey Sponsors: These are
customers who contract with the Census Bureau to conduct surveys (or special
censuses). They generally hold extensive talks with our statistical programs
staff about sampling, questionnaire design, and other methodological matters,
as well as timelines with dates and deliverables. As sponsors, they may,
in some cases, decide how and when the results will be disseminated.
The standards that follow represent the consensus
of representatives of the Bureau's 40 divisions and multiple customer-contact
points at its Suitland, MD headquarters and in 12 regional offices (Boston,
MA; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Charlotte, NC; Atlanta, GA; Chicago,
IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Seattle, WA;
and Los Angeles, CA).
To demonstrate how seriously we take these
standards, the Census Bureau, in accord with the Government Performance
and Results Act of 1993, will publish an annual report on how it is measuring
up to its own standards. A White House memorandum dated March 22, 1995
says agencies may add to or modify their standards to reflect their findings
about what matters most to their customers. We will determine the need
for such changes by surveying our customers annually. In addition, we invite
visitors to this page to send their comments to: comments@ccMail.census.gov
Excellence |
We will guarantee
a quality product or service that meets or exceeds your expectations.
We will measure our performance against
the "best in the business." |
Timeliness |
We will provide
you with realistic delivery times based on the nature of the request.
(General information) We will
answer your request for information promptly, usually within 24 hours of
receipt by the responding office.
(Off-the-shelf) We will ship
any available product within three days of receiving your request. (Priority
orders will be shipped within 24 hours.)
(Special requests) We will
ship special requests by the agreed-on delivery date.
(Surveys) We will meet all
dates and deliverables as documented in the timelines we negotiate with
you. |
Responsiveness |
We will
respond promptly to all requests in accord with our resources and capabilities.
We will acknowledge receipt of an
e-mail, FAX, or telephone call within 24 hours.
We will cover the telephones at all
customer-contact points during normal business hours, from 8:30 a.m. to
4:30 p.m. (EST), Mondays through Fridays.
We will investigate and act to resolve
your complaints within two working days of their receipt. |
Accessibility |
We will
provide you with choices for products, services, and the means of delivery.
We will periodically survey you to assess
your needs.
We will use the results of these
customer surveys for product development. |
Commitment |
We will be
courteous, respectful, responsible, and professional at all times.
We will take responsibility for providing
answers to your requests to the best of our knowledge and skills.
We will make sure if we need to refer your
request that the person we are referring you to can provide an answer. |
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Customer Liaison and Marketing Services Office
Created: December 06 1999
Last revised: August 21 2008