| National statistics > Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia
Monitoring user satisfaction
One of the key aspects about quality of statistics is orientation to user friendly services. With this awareness it is indispensable to regularly monitor users’ satisfaction and analyze their needs and demands. We are aware of the fact that even professional and according to the content completely adequate data, could lose a lot of their value if they are not presented in an appropriate and understandable way and made available to the users. The European Statistics Code of Practice in principle 11 emphasises this relevance: European Statistics must meet the needs of users.
Even though the formal ways of cooperation with our users are well developed (the Statistical Council, the Statistical Advisory Committees, working groups and direct bilateral meetings with some larger users), the recognition of users’ demands and satisfaction is becoming increasingly difficult. The needs, demands and even the manner of practice vary a lot among the user groups. In order to improve our user registers we constantly improve and supplement our segmentation of users.
The monitoring of the users of SORS is implemented on different stages:
• Analysis of written and telephone requests for statistical data in SORS’s Information center.
• Analysis of the website statistics.
• Conducting user satisfaction surveys.
Surveys on user satisfaction
Objectives for conducting the surveys are to recognize user groups, get to know better their needs, what kind of services they miss and consequently improve our work. Beside that, the results are also important to prepare more detailed estimation of the current position of the national statistics system and for further harmonization with the European Statistic Code of Practice.
For a successful dissemination policy an efficient system to monitor all levels of use should be developed. Development of sound and appropriate methodology in this field is for SORS an important professional challenge. Implementation of a good methodology, which would be applicable for several years, is demanding work, because of constant changes in users profile and progress in data dissemination.
The surveys were carried out after careful study of good practices within the European Statistical System. Important impact on the development has also the enforcement of the website as a main dissemination channel. Beside the improvement of content, we adopt the surveys also according to the new, modern ways of collecting data. Last surveys serve for SORS also as pilot web surveys with application Blaise IS (Internet System). With the introduction of web surveys monitoring of user satisfaction has become more systematic and the emphasis is on the ad-hoc modules.
SORS started to carry out user satisfaction surveys already in 1999, with the survey about the users of the website (A. Moge) and in 2001 continued with the comprehensive research on the role of data users in the total quality management of the services in the national statistics (I. Križman).
Surveys results
• User Satisfaction Survey of SORS in 2010
With the User Satisfaction Survey, which SORS conducted at
the end of 2010, a broad scope of users was provided with the possibility to
share their problems and suggestions about SORS.
The respondents were selected for the survey according to
the different databases of users at SORS, such as subscribers to the news
releases via email on the website and registered users in the SI-STAT data
portal, users who in 2009 or 2010 sent a request to SORS’s Information Centre
and external members of the statistical advisory committees.
• User Satisfaction Survey of SORS in 2007
With the User Satisfaction Survey of the Statistical Office of the Republic of Slovenia (SORS), conducted at the end of 2007, we obtained valuable data about the habits and needs of our users. The respondents were selected for the survey according to the different databases of users at SORS, such as subscribers to the news releases via email on the website and registered users in the SI-STAT data portal, users who in 2007 sent a request to SORS’s Information Center and subscribers to SORS’s printed publications.
• Public Image Survey of SORS in 2007
In 2007 SORS repeated the telephone survey about the public image of SORS. We used the same questionnaire as in 2006 and with it measured the recognition of SORS by the general public and trust in statistical data. The report presents the results from 2007 in comparison with the results from 2006.
• Survey on the quality of SORS's official statistics 2006
In order to prepare information for the Code of Practice Peer Review that will be conducted in the European Statistical System, SORS carried out a user satisfaction survey among its key national users. In the web survey the respondents were evaluating statistical areas of interest regarding different aspects of the quality of statistics, including how the statistics were delivered to them.
• Public Image Survey of SORS in 2006
In 2006 SORS for the first time carried out a comprehensive public image survey among households built upon experience of Statistics Finland. Main objectives were measuring the recognition of SORS among the general public and confidence into statistical data.
• Customer Survey on SORS’s Website 2005
In 2005 SORS monitored the user satisfaction with its website. The survey was conducted among the registered users of web services and occasional website visitors.
• Pilot Survey on User Satisfaction with SORS in 2003
In May 2004, the pilot survey was carried out with the aim to measure the satisfaction of users with statistical products and services. On the basis of survey results the action plan for 2005 was prepared.
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