Measuring public service quality

Willem Pieterson

Measuring the quality of public service delivery has been an ongoing challenge since the 1980s. In this white paper we discuss our experience creating a new model to measure evaluation of service delivery in the Netherlands. We find that two types of key results exist: a) quality of the outcome and b) satisfaction with the process. We tested the model using machine learning with a sample of 3702 Dutch citizens and business. Results of the test of the gradient boosted decision trees shows that both outcomes are important, but predicted by different variables. Quality of the outcomes is determined most strongly by aspects of service delivery related to security and trust. Satisfaction with the process follows from aspects related to service design. Key lesson is that governments need to consider what they see as main outcomes from their service delivery processes and what levers to pull in order to influence these results.

Full Reference:
Pieterson, W. (2020) Measuring Public Service Quality. Developing and testing a new model using machine learning in the Netherlands. London: Pieterson, Ltd.