1999 Customer Service Plan

Who We Are and What We Do

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides science for a changing world by delivering reliable and impartial information that describes the Earth, its natural processes, and its natural species. This information is used to minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; enhance and protect our quality of life; and contribute to wise societal economic and physical development. The USGS is at work in every State of the Nation and in dozens of foreign countries, cooperating with more than 2,000 organizations to provide information for resource managers in the public and private sectors. Our strengths include a multi-disciplinary workforce capable of working anywhere in the world; the ability to develop, design, and maintain long-term national and international databases; and the capability to conduct long-term, broad-scale, multi- disciplinary, and interpretive studies. Our strengths depend on a reputation for objectivity and scientific excellence, as well as a strong heritage of collegial relationships and partnerships with the customers we serve. Based on these strengths, we will build our future and forge closer ties with our customers.

USGS science programs include the following:

biological resources (information critical to biological species management, animal health, ecosystems, and invasive species)
geologic (information relating to energy and mineral resources, natural hazards such as landslides, volcanoes, and earthquakes, and geologic processes that affect our Nation's land and coasts)
national mapping (geospatial data, topographic maps, and satellite imagery)
water resources (real-time flood data and water quality and quantity information of surface and ground-water resources)

Who We Serve

Because the USGS mission encompasses a broad range of natural science studies, issues, and interests, we serve many different customers. We define our customers as anyone who uses our information, services, and products or as anyone who works with us to produce and deliver these. Our customers include the engineer who uses our data to revise building codes, and the government manager who uses our information to make critical resource and land management decisions at the state and local level, and the hiker who uses our topographic maps.

Our customers include:

State and local agencies
Federal Government agencies
the U.S. Department of the Interior
the science community
elected officials at the State and local level
other State, local, and tribal authorities
non-government organizations
non-profit natural resource organizations
the news media
the private sector
the Congress
U.S. citizens
universities and schools
other countries
other USGS employees (internal customers)

The Products, Services, and Information We Provide

Our products, information, and services include the following:

analytical studies
technical assistance
emergency assistance
predictive modeling and analysis
environmental assessments and reports
water resource assessments
biological assessments
biological status and trends reports
digital data
maps (including geologic, biologic, hydrologic, and topographic)
satellite imagery
aerial photography
tangible technology
new processes and procedures
technical publications, both in electronic and hard copy forms
fact sheets
educational materials
general interest publications

What Customers Can Expect From the USGS

When interacting with USGS, our customers can expect:

relevant, impartial scientific information about the natural sciences and support systems for these sciences;
courteous and respectful treatment;
prompt and accurate answers to questions;
timely responses to information requests through single-point contact whenever possible;
their input to be considered in our plans, programs, and services; and
prompt attention to correcting mistakes and problems.

Our Customer Service Goals

Customers are very important to us--so important that in Fiscal Year 1998, the USGS implemented a customer service policy. This policy, a formal directive within the USGS policy and procedures manual, reaffirms USGS pledge to serve its customers with excellence, and outlines USGS' responsibility to work with customers to improve the practical value of the information, services, and products that it provides, as well as improving the delivery mechanisms used to distribute these. The policy reminds USGS employees of the importance of interacting proactively with customers, identifying their needs, and integrating these needs into USGS program planning and implementation. The policy also establishes a framework for complying with authorities, such as Executive Order 12862, "Setting Customer Service Standards," and the April 1998 Presidential Memorandum, "Conducting Conversations with America." A copy of this policy can be found at appendix A of this report.

To further attest to our commitment to customers and customer service excellence, the USGS has made customers a cornerstone of our new Strategic Plan. The new USGS Strategic Plan offers the following strategic direction for the USGS:

"Combine and enhance USGS' diverse programs, capabilities, and talents, and increase customer involvement to strengthen our scientific leadership and contribution to the resolution of complex issues."

Using a method similar to the Balanced Scorecard¹, an approach used by the private sector to link business goals and organizational performance, the USGS has established strategic goals for four of what it considers to be key business areas: Customer (those we serve), Program (our science and science products), People (our scientists and administrators), and Operations (the support infrastructure for our science).

Our Customer Strategic Goal seeks to "Optimize service to our customers and broaden our customer base with timely, innovative products and effective interaction as outlined in our mission." Long-term goals have been established along with annual goals to help USGS move toward achieving this strategic vision. These long-term goals are:

USGS customers are satisfied with our products and services.
USGS products are delivered to our customers in a timely and accurate manner.
Customer needs are integrated into USGS program planning and product development.
USGS products, services, and information are used by our customers to help make this a better world.

This plan focuses on activities planned for Fiscal Year 1999 to help us attain these long-term and strategic goals.

¹(See book, The Balanced Scorecard by Robert S. Kaplan and David P. Norton, 1996, the President and Fellows of Harvard College.)

1999 Plans to Achieve Our Goals

To achieve our goals, the USGS has planned the following for 1999:

1. Continue activities of the USGS Customer Service and Research Team. The USGS Customer Service and Research Team will continue to serve as a resource to the USGS and to our customers. Team members serve as champions of USGS customer service excellence. Most of the activities described within this report will be conducted by members of the Customer Service and Research Team. The team has established web-based feedback mechanisms through which customers can provide feedback, compliments, or complaints. These feedback mechanisms include an e-mail address: customer@usgs.gov and a web-page "button." The team has also designed USGS Customer Service internet pages that present the USGS customer service policy, our annual report to customers, our annual customer service plan, and links to sources of customer service information at other government organizations. The internet pages also describe tools for conducting customer research, defining primary and secondary research and statistical processes such as sampling.

2. Obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct a three-year program of voluntary information collection efforts regarding customer satisfaction. Under the three year information collection program, voluntary customer surveys will be conducted to ascertain customer satisfaction with the products, information and services of the USGS. Measures such as timeliness, accessibility, accuracy, availability, product and service quality, service responsiveness, and courtesy of service will serve as the focus of these surveys. Information obtained through the voluntary customer surveys will be used to improve products and services provided to our customers.

3. Develop a measurement framework. The USGS Customer Service and Research Team will design a framework that characterizes our customers, their needs, and how they interact with us. The framework will be designed to provide USGS program managers and customer service representatives with the tools that they need to effectively identify their customers and their customer needs and requirements; to design products/services/information to meet those needs and requirements; and to assess customer satisfaction. The USGS Customer Service and Research Team plans to have a basic framework process developed by the end of Fiscal Year 1999.

4. Measure progress toward meeting customer service goals. The USGS Customer Service and Research Team will continue to work closely with selected USGS program managers on a "pilot" basis to continue to collect qualitative and quantitative data to ascertain whether or not we are making progress in meeting our 1999 Customer Service Goals. These data will be presented in a report to customers, anticipated for March 2000.

5. Increase number of customer service pilots. In FY 1999, customer satisfaction and customer service emphasis will be placed on specific scientific activities. In FY 1998, the USGS initiated two customer service pilots within science activities. These two pilots will be continued, and four new pilots will be initiated.

6. Implement a Customer Service Recognition Award. In FY 1999, the USGS will implement a Customer Service Recognition Award internally to recognize USGS employees who are providing superior customer service. Through our customer service Web page, we will encourage our customers to nominate potential recipients of this award.

A Word in Conclusion

In closing this report, the USGS reaffirms its commitment to customer service. We encourage our customers to let us know how we are doing and to tell us where we can improve. The USGS understands that its primary purpose is to serve. We must look to our customers to guide us regarding how best to perform our service.

How to Contact USGS

The USGS encourages and welcomes your comments about our services, information, and products. Please contact:

Customer Service and Research Team
U.S. Geological Survey
National Center, MS 105-CSRT
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
Reston, VA 20192
Tel: 703/648-4439
E-mail: customer@usgs.gov

Also, visit the USGS' home page at www.usgs.gov and our customer service page on the World Wide Web at /customer/conversation/. Information about USGS products and services is available from 1-800-USA-MAPS or from one of our Earth Science Information Centers (ESICs) listed below.

U.S. Geological Survey
4230 University Drive, Rm. 101
Anchorage, AK 99508-4664
Telephone: (907) 786-7011
FAX: (907) 786-7050
E-mail: gfdurocher@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
Box 25286, Building 810
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
Telephone: (303) 202-4200
FAX: (303) 202-4188
E-mail: infoservices@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
345 Middlefield Road
Menlo Park, Ca 94025-3591
Telephone: (650) 329-4309
FAX: (650) 329-5130
TDD: (650) 329-5092
E-mail: esic_west@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
507 National Center
Reston, VA 20192
Telephone: (703) 648-6045
FAX: (703) 648-5548
TDD: (703) 648-4119
E-mail: ask@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
1400 Independence Road, MS 231
Rolla, MO 65401-2602
Telephone: (573) 308-3500
FAX: (573) 308-3615
E-mail: mcmcesic@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
2222 W 2300 S, 2nd Floor
Salt Lake City, UT 84119
Telephone: (801) 975-3742
FAX: (801) 975-3740
TDD: (801) 975-3744
E-mail: slcesic@usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
EROS Data Center
Sioux Falls, SD 57198-0001
Telephone: (605) 594-6151
FAX: (605) 594-6589
TDD: (605) 594-6933
E-mail: custserv@edcmail.cr.usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Post Office Building, Rm. 135
904 West Riverside Avenue
Spokane, WA 99201
Telephone: (509) 368-3130
FAX: (509) 368-3194
TDD: (509) 368-3133
E-mail: esnfic@mailmcan1.wr.usgs.gov

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior
1849 C Street, NW, Rm. 2650
Washington, D.C. 20240
Telephone: (202) 208-4047
E-mail: ask@usgs.gov

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