Date
Monday, September 9, 2024
Time
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
Location Name
KICC M105/106 (Level 1)
Name
18-Months Later: Results from Metro Water Services’ Second Large-Scale Customer Satisfaction Survey
Track
External Communications
Description

During the fall of 2023, Nashville Metro Water Services (MWS) conducted a second large-scale customer satisfaction survey to solicit feedback on customer service processes and to better understand customer awareness of the utility’s policies, operations, and messaging to the public. This survey was a follow-up, to see how customers perceived the many changes that MWS had instituted over the last year and a half. Both surveys allowed MWS to better understand where customers felt like processes were appropriate and helpful, and where the organization had opportunities for improvement, and the 2023 update showed that, in nearly every category, customers appreciated the changes that MWS had made. Both surveys were administered using a web-based survey tool, Zoho Survey, and was available in both English and Spanish. The second survey was open from October 3rd to October 31st, and the link to the survey was distributed to customers via email and though MWS social media accounts. Questions in the survey were generally asked in three formats: demographic indicators, ratings scale, and open-ended. Ratings scale questions asked customers to rank their level of satisfaction with a specific statement on a scale ranging from Very Satisfied to Very Dissatisfied. Respondents also had the option of selecting “Neutral” or “Don’t Know.” The satisfaction statements were organized into the following categories: • Billing and account management • Customer service • Field customer services • Customer communications • Sustainability practices, as well as prioritization of initiatives • MWS overall Other questions were open-ended and invited respondents to provide their written opinions on each of these topics. Open-ended responses were analyzed and organized into categories based on topic areas or themes. Demographic questions allowed for deeper analysis of responses and for MWS to see trends geospatially and across different types of respondents. From the survey, MWS saw improvement and higher levels of satisfaction in every area. It confirmed that, of the services MWS asked about, respondents were most satisfied with their water service. Across specific aspects of MWS customer service (Billing, Account Management, Customer Service, Field Services, the Website, and the Portal) MWS customers are most pleased with their billing experience, with 76% of respondents reporting that they are satisfied or very satisfied. The survey also asked questions designed to elicit responses on the level of trust that customers have in MWS, and found that almost two-thirds of respondents believe that they receive good value for the services MWS provides. This presentation will discuss key takeaways from each of the question categories and will highlight the changes MWS made using the 2022 data to improve its operations, customer service, and outreach to the public.