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PROVISIONAL URBAN COUNCIL
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The targets of such surveys are usually patrons of Council services. I remember when we discussed a paper on a public opinion survey on cultural services at a recent meeting of the Culture Select Committee, a number of Members expressed the wish that more extensive surveys be conducted by the Urban Services Department so as to get to know the opinions of non-patrons. In order to include more people into the net of our services, there is need to bring surveys to a wider section of our community.
Traditional surveys focus mostly on after service remarks and levels of satisfaction but neglect the environmental conditions and those objective factors which cater for the patrons' needs and affect their preferences. Many commercial and public bodies in Europe, U.S. and Australia have already changed the focus from surveys on customer satisfaction to evaluation of 'customer values'. In other words, attention is given to the special characteristics treasured by existing to prospective customers so as to adjust products and services to suit them. Under the circumstances, surveys should not just pin-point the service. We should study different aspects. For example, to the audience of cultural programmes, the production quality of the programmes is not the only thing. Ticketing service, accessibility and degree of comfort of venues are important too. For market shoppers, the quality and pricing of goods are not the only things either. The layout of the markets, the attitude of vendors, ease, convenience, choice of products etc. matter too. In addition to responding to citizens and consumers, we also have to cater for the needs of the suppliers (i.e. our clients), such as hirers of cultural venues and our licensed food premises operators. We must gauge the preferences of the public in a responsive and innovative spirit.
Mr. Chairman, I therefore urge the Council to formulate a policy for in-depth survey and gauging of public needs so as to grasp the public's expectations in improving municipal services. This is the first part of my motion.
The other part of my motion suggests some concrete directions for the Urban Services Department to carry out studies. I must point out that such suggestions are not meant to replace but rather complement traditional surveys. The new data collection methods I recommend should go hand in hand with existing methods. They are aimed at gauging the overall needs and expectations of the public.
First of all, the Urban Services Department as our executive arm should establish the corporate culture of studying customer values. From the top management level down to front line and back up personnel should identify with the missions of 'customer-centric thinking' and 'relationship management'. This should be complemented with flexible channel management' so as to shorten the distance from customers. 'Listening posts' should be set up at every level of the work flow to affirm that gauging of
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