US - American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Government Satisfaction Index

Satisfaction with Government Websites Continues To Rise - E-Government Study Finds Improving Search Capabilities Is Top Priority to Increase Satisfaction, Says ACSI and ForeSee Results

Ann Arbor, Michigan. (October 28, 2008) – Citizen satisfaction with federal government websites improves for a second consecutive quarter on the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) E-Government Satisfaction Index, released today from the University of Michigan and e-gov sponsor ForeSee Results. According to the third quarter report, citizen satisfaction with federal websites improves 1.4% to 73.9 on ACSI's 100-point scale, making it one of the highest scoring quarters since the Index was launched in 2003.

More websites are improving over time than declining, and 25% of sites measured score 80 or higher on the ACSI's 100-point scale, which is considered the threshold for superior satisfaction. Furthermore, the study finds that highly satisfied citizens are considerably more likely to recommend or return to the website or use it as the primary channel for interaction with the government, which saves time and taxpayer dollars. "E-government is smart government," said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results and author of the report. "It's a win-win proposition because consumers prefer the convenience of a mouse click, and government will benefit from improved efficiency, cost-savings, accountability, and transparency."

The study investigates which elements of the website have the most impact for improving satisfaction and finds that search is the top priority for an incredible 96% of egovernment sites with a search function. Functionality is a top priority for 57% of sites, and navigation for 37% of sites. The study also measures satisfaction by functional category: e-commerce /transactional sites (+1.6% to 78.2), career/recruitment sites (+0.9% to 77.3); department/main sites (- 0.5% to 73.3); and news/information sites (+1.1% to 73.3). As with previous quarters, ecommerce/ transactional sites continue to top all functional categories, and many government sites in this category rival the satisfaction levels of private sector ecommerce sites.

"E-commerce and transactional sites may have higher satisfaction than other functional categories because it is easier to define success: were you able to execute your task? But for information sites or department sites, the question more often is: could you find what you were looking for?" said Errol Hau, senior director of government markets at Foresee Results. "Improving search could certainly help those sites close the gap."

"Amidst all this economic and financial uncertainty, where the federal government has promised a massive capital injection to bailout some of the nation's financial institutions and banks, an investment in e-government makes good sense," said Claes Fornell, head of ACSI at the University of Michigan. "The research shows that improving citizen satisfaction will improve adoption and recommendation, and anything that can improve the efficiency of government will help offset expenditure."

The American Customer Satisfaction Index has released a pdf version of the press release. (This document requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader). You can also convert PDF documents into alternative formats.

Report:

American Customer Satisfaction index: E-Government Satisfaction Index - Q3 2008, by Larry Freed, President and CEO, ForeSee Results, October 28, 2008. This report measures 98 US egovernment web sites by how well they are satisfying citizens. Satisfaction with US government websites rates at 73.9%. [Requires registration to download the report]

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