SATISFACTION SURVEY OF SERVICE REQUESTS IN THE CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS MOSQUITO CONTROL PROJECT SERVICE AREA – 2005

TIMOTHY D. DESCHAMPS, Executive Director

Central Mass. Mosquito Control Project

111 Otis Street Northborough, Massachusetts 01532

ABSTRACT

Residents of our service area request service from the menu of services offered to them by CMMCP. Requests for adulticiding (spraying) and larval control are the most common forms of service requests we receive. We accepts request for service through a variety of means, primarily by telephone, but increasing more by the online service request form from the CMMCP website. Additional methods include personal visits to our office, phone calls on behalf of residents from town and/or state officials, and direct requests to our field staff. The CMMCP Commission authorized a survey of resident who requested service in 2005 to determine if our staff was meeting acceptable levels of customer satisfaction. After compiling these results, we find that a majority of residents in our service area were satisfied with our control efforts and methods.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY

In 2005 we received 7,086 requests for service, ranging from adulticiding to larval control. 5,712 adulticiding calls were filtered and placed into a separate database. Service calls were sorted according to town, and each town was tabulated for total requests received in 2005. These towns were then graphed to show which towns had the most calls down to the towns with the fewest. Each town was assigned a percentage according to this data. This percentage would determine the number of postcards sent to each town from the overall total. The CMMCP Commission decided that 1,000 postcards would be a representative sample of the 5,712 service calls. The survey was designed to be as easy as possible for residents to access and complete. An online survey was created, and the postcards would include unique identifiers that the residents would use. The postcards contained a blind weblink to the survey so that unauthorized users would not be able to participate in the survey. Information such as how they contacted us, were the office and field staff helpful and informative, how long did they wait for service, was the service provided effective, and their overall satisfaction was measured.

SURVEY FINDINGS

From 1,000 postcards mailed, 244 responses were received (24.4%). The results are as follows:

1). In your most recent experience, how did you contact the Central Mass. Mosquito Control Project?

	Number	Percent
Telephone	191	81%
Website	38	16%
In person	3	1%
Other*	5	2%
Total	237	100%

*4 through town offices, 1 through a neighbor

2). If by telephone or in person at the CMMCP office, were your questions or concerns answered to your satisfaction?

	Number	Percent
Yes	192	99.5%
No	1	0.5%
Total	193	100%

3). If by telephone, did you experience difficulty reaching our staff?

	Number	Percent
Yes	19	9.9%
No	172	90.1%
Total	191	100%

4). If through the website or e-mail, did you find the information you needed in a satisfactory manner?

	Number	Percent
Yes	51	98.1%
No	1	1.9%
Total	52	100%

5). Please give the approximate time you waited for service from your initial request:

	Number	Percent
1-3 days	74	31.4%
3-5 days	60	25.4%
1 week	72	30.5%
2 weeks+	30	12.7%
Total	236	100%

NOTE: 87.3% within a week or less

6). Did you find our response from your initial request to when you received service within a reasonable amount of time?

	Number	Percent
Yes	223	95.5%
No	13	5.5%
Total	236	100%

7). Were your questions and concerns answered by the Technician to your satisfaction?

	Number	Percent
Yes	204	95.8%
No	9	4.2%
Total	213	100%

8). Did you receive any written information (pamphlets, etc.) from our representative?

	Number	Percent
Yes	138	40%
No	192	60%
Total	330	100%

9). Did you find this information useful?

	Number	Percent
Yes	80	95%
No	4	5%
Total	84	100%

10). Did you request service more than once in 2005?

	Number	Percent
Yes	91	38.2%
No	147	61.8%
Total	238	100%

11). If you requested additional service in 2005, was it because the original application was insufficient to meet your needs, or for a later re-treatment or follow up?

	Number	Percent
Re-treatment	87	79.8%
Insufficient	22	20.2%
Total	109	100%

12). Would you/did you recommend our service to others in the future?

	Number	Percent
Yes	230	98.3%
No	4	1.7%
Total	234	100%

13). In your opinion, did our application made your area better, worse, or had no effect?

	Number	Percent
Better	205	87.6%
Worse	0	0%
No Effect	29	12.4%
Total	234	100%

14). If you think your area improved, can you give an approximate length of time you experienced relief from mosquito annoyance?

	Number	Percent
1-2 days	30	15.3%
3-5 days	34	17.4%
1 week	40	20.4%
2 weeks+	92	46.9%
Total	196	100%

NOTE: 2/3 of residents polled reported relief of 1 week or greater, nearly 1/2 report more than 2 weeks of relief

15). On average, our services cost $2.00 – $4.00 per person each year (withheld from local aid rec’d from the State). In your opinion, is this amount too high, too low, or sufficient?

	Number	Percent
Sufficient	189	80.4%
Too Low	41	17.5%
Too High	5	2.1%
Total	235	100%

16). In which month or months do you recall receiving service?

	Number	Percent
1+	55	24.3%
August	24	10.6%
July	67	29.7%
June	80	35.4%
Total	226	100%

17). Overall, are you happy with the service provided this year by CMMCP?

	Number	Percent
Yes	211	90.9%
No	21	9.1%
Total	232	100%

18). Do you plan on using our service again in the future?

	Number	Percent
Yes	228	98.3%
No	4	1.7%
Total	232	100%

Please rate our performance for 2005 from 0 to 5, where 5 is the best rating, 0 is the worst rating:

QUESTION	POINTS	AVERAGE
The information you received over the phone was informative & helpful	851 points from 1,010	4.2 average from 5
The information on our website is easily available and helpful	604 points from 745	4.0 average from 5
The response time for service is reasonable	992 points out of 1,145	4.3 average from 5
Our field staff that responded is knowledgeable and competent	939 points out of 1,070	4.3 average from 5
The service provided was effective	888 points out of 1,135	3.9 average from 5
This service is reasonable compared to the cost	995 points out of 1,120	4.4 average from 5
Please rate your overall satisfaction with the service received in 2005	975 points out of 1,140	4.2 average from 5
Total satisfaction rating: 6,244 points out of 7,365 possible – 4.23 average

CONCLUSION

Overall satisfaction was 90.9% to 9.1%, and 98% would use our services again in the future. One weakness identified in this study is that only 40% of the residents polled recalled receiving our written information. The importance of public education and outreach will be stressed to all CMMCP personnel in 2006.