The Customer Satisfaction Process Oriented Model (CS-Pro Mod): A new Theoretical Approach to Measure Customer Satisfaction

"The present paper deals with the validation of the Customer Satisfaction – Process Oriented Model (CS-ProMod), involving both offline and online services supplied by public administrations. Such an activity represents the final stage of an experimental phase carried out over an eighteen months period and aimed at allowing model release. The experimental activity involved a pilot-group of Italian public administrations. Customer satisfaction surveys were conducted on previously selected. 9. services (on-line and off-line). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was adopted to confirm causal relationship among model variables (i.e. satisfaction indicators and overall satisfaction). Furthermore, additional tests (other than the semantic content of indicators themselves) concerning reliability and predictive validity were set. Finally, an analysis of the problems arising from questionnaire administration phase was carried out, in order to reduce the risk of surveys’ systematic errors. As a result of the above mentioned experimental activity, few major improvements were possible. In particular: Optimisation of satisfaction indicators according to the results of the confirmatory analysis; Optimisation of the data collection process (i.e. extended length of the survey or positioning of the questionnaire on the organisation web site when investigating on-line services). The paper examines the validation process of the CS-ProMod model which, in its concept, can be defined as an innovative, flexible and rigorous tool to manage customer satisfaction within the public administration sector. It is foreseen that the model be adopted by the Italian Government as a standard approach to assess the quality of public services. The outcomes reported envisage useful insight to optimize model structure and management."