Citizen dissatisfaction was one of the primary catalysts for the creation of SNB. Monitoring and responding to customer feedback, and more broadly, stakeholder feedback, as a consequence is a foundational element of its design and success. Stakeholder feedback is gathered and is used in many ways at SNB. It is captured through meetings, focus groups, surveys, and study tours. Citizens, businesses, government leadership, agency managers, and others are contacted and listened to regularly. In general, the results of these consultations are used to set priorities and drive decision making. In addition, they are used to make statements about the value SNB provides to citizens and businesses specifically, and to the government of New Brunswick, more broadly. SNB has mastered the art of conducting needs assessments and responding to the needs identified.

The first investment in stakeholder needs and expectations analysis was required by the Cabinet as part of the pilot. Following those consultations, SNB institutionalized the process of connecting to and listening to stakeholders. Through the aptly named Service Quality Support (SQS) unit SNB stays in touch with its stakeholders. The primary responsibility of SQS is managing the SNB Service Quality Model (see Figure 1); looking at and evaluating customer requirements and needs and feeding that information back to the operations division for use in setting and managing priorities. Consultations are conducted every 18 to 24 months by the SQS unit to understand business requirement changes from stakeholders, for online services, telephone services and over-the-counter services.

The service quality model helps SNB make tradeoffs between different investment strategies as well as to make users part of the decision-making process. According to Thériault, “Regardless of the situation, the story is the same. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking with the general public that goes to get a driver’s license or a hunting license. We sit with them and ask them those same questions. If we’re talking to commercial truckers we’ll use focus groups; we’ll use their professional associations. We’ll use different means to go and sit with them and understand their business stressors, especially as they relate to the government of New Brunswick. And they’ll tell us what would be useful and helpful to them. The result, in this case, can be seen on our website; we have a section completely for truckers where they can get information on weather, on bridges, on ferries, on all kinds of transportation issues relevant to them specifically.” The results of the consultations are used to allow SNB to benchmark against itself with similar surveys and with other business providers. The results are also used to find both strengths and areas for improvement.  SNB administers surveys in-house as well as participates in national surveys.

Figure 1. SNB Service Quality Model

Figure 2. Citizen Satisfaction with Government Services in Canada, 2001

Figure 2 is derived from results of a national survey conducted in November 2001 by R.A. Malatest and Associates Ltd. for the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC). In November 2003, SNB commissioned this same survey, using the CMT (Common Measurement Tool) and the 92% was re-confirmed. ⁴ The CMT allows an organization to measure satisfaction against 10 different drivers across the three service channels (See Table 1).

Table 1. Ten Drivers of Customer Satisfaction Measured by the CMT
Over the Counter	On the Web	Teleservices
Timeliness Competence Extra mile/extra smile Fairness Outcome Security/privacy	Visual appeal Complete info Easy to find	Communication