Importance of the human factor in user satisfaction with local government office counter services: on-site survey of Higashihiroshima city hall users

Abstract

This study empirically investigates the major factors determining user satisfaction with counter services at local government offices in Japan. Data were collected via on-site surveys on user satisfaction with the local government office counter services using an original three-category questionnaire scale tailored to fit local administration characteristics in Japan. A total of 1000 questionnaires were distributed at the city hall during August 23–26, 2021; a total of 537 valid responses were received (response rate: 53.7%). Regression analysis indicated that the independent variables of category C (service delivery) were the most influential, followed by the B (human-related factors) and A (office hardware) categories (adjusted R2 value: 0.58). Results showed that the human factor is a key factor in counter service in terms of user satisfaction. The human factor was found to be a statistically significant explanatory variable in two on-site surveys at Higashihiroshima City and Internet surveys of ward office users in Osaka City and the Tokyo Metropolitan Area. These findings align with the conclusions of implementation research, which first emerged in the 1970s. For instance, street-level bureaucracy research has highlighted the importance of frontline administrative officials. For service delivery (C), identified as the most important factor, promptness of service delivery and a short waiting time do not necessarily affect user satisfaction positively. Moreover, this study identified two important factors for the counter-staff responses and human-related factors category: (1) speed with which the attending counter clerk speaks and (2) atmosphere and kindness of the attending counter clerk.