The City's June 2002 resident satisfaction survey was conducted by The Gelfond Group, an independent market research firm, headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. This company was selected through a competitive bidding process, and has been working with City staff for the last several years to design and conduct the City's employee, internal customer, and external customer satisfaction surveys.

More than 800 City residents completed the June 2002 survey. This response rate resulted in a 95% confidence level with a 4%+/- margin of error for the survey's results. Both the level of confidence and margin of error need to be considered when using survey results. A 95% confidence level means that if the same survey were conducted 100 times, it would generate the same results 95 times out of 100. The margin of error is used in identifying emerging trends. A difference of more than four percentage points when comparing survey results from one survey to another is considered statistically significant. In addition, City staff examine results from three surveys conducted over time to identify significantly significant emerging trends.

The Gelfond Group developed a random sample of 7,500 Sunnyvale households and written copies of the survey were mailed to these households. The resident completed the survey either in writing, verbally through a toll-free telephone number, or on-line through the company's web site. Different mailing lists have been used in developing the random samples for the 2000, 2001 and 2002 resident surveys. This approach excludes the same household from being asked to participate in more than one survey. Completed written surveys were forwarded to The Gelfond Group. Company representatives tabulated the responses for each survey question, and provided an overall summary report to City staff. City staff used this report in preparing an executive summary for the June 2002; City staff will also prepare a more comprehensive summary report.

There are three purposes for this agenda item:

• report high level, significant results and findings from the 2002 resident satisfaction survey,
• present emerging trends that City staff identified when comparing results from the last three resident satisfaction surveys, and
• discuss the planned use of focus group meetings to better understand survey results and findings.

An executive summary for the June 2002 survey is included with this report. This document presents key survey results and key findings. A total of 17 key findings are reported and discussed. A comprehensive survey summary report will be available later this year. It will report the results for all survey questions, and compare City-wide results with results for six specific demographic categories: resident location, length of residence in City, ethnic group, income range, age range, and gender.

City staff has prepared a short PowerPoint presentation, highlighting emerging trends of results from the last three resident satisfaction surveys for selected questions. A written copy of the PowerPoint presentation is also included with this report.

With the emerging availability of trendable survey results, City staff believes that conducting one or more focus group meetings will assist in analyzing survey results in more detail. Mr. Ed Pinelli from The Gelfond Group will describe in more detail how focus groups can be developed and used as part of a resident satisfaction survey process. City staff intends to contract with an independent market research firm to design and conduct the focus group meetings. A focus group would be made up of 15-20 City residents. It would be preferable to include some residents who participated in the June 2002 survey in each focus group meeting. Two types of focus group meetings could be conducted. One meeting would involve residents from various locations within the City. A second meeting would target a specific demographic segment, such as residents from one of the six neighborhood services area districts or residents from a specific ethnic group.

City staff would use the overall focus group meeting to answer questions such as:

• what factors do you think contribute to the 92% overall satisfaction rating for City services?
• What factors do you think contribute to the improving level of satisfaction for response time to medical emergencies, garbage collection and recycling, safe road conditions, quality of drinking water, and water/sewer utility service?
• What factors do you think contribute to a decreasing level of satisfaction with maintenance of streets/roads/sidewalks/street trees and the safety of library facilities?
• When thinking about your specific neighborhood, what factors do you think contribute to a declining level of concern regarding overcrowding and code enforcement?
• What types of behavior contribute to high levels of customer satisfaction when dealing with a City employee?
• What factors do you think contribute a decreasing level of satisfaction when seeking information, lodging a complaint, or resolving an issue with a City employee?
• Why do you think an increasing number of residents believe that City taxes are high, but the City is providing more services at high levels of quality than expected?

City staff plans to use a demographic specific focus group meeting to examine differences between the demographic groups' results as compared to the overall survey results for selected questions.

Reviewed by:
Amy Chan
Assistant City Manager