Customer Satisfaction Surveys

Arson and Explosives Programs Division

Public Safety Branch

May 2004

The Centre at Purchase

One Manhattanville Road

Purchase, NY 10577-2128

(914) 696-4700 Fax: (914) 696-3401

Dear ATF Customer:

The Director of ATF, recently wrote to you about a customer survey we are conducting for ATF .The purpose of the survey is to give ATF information about how well they are serving their customers. They want to know the areas that need change and improvement as well as their strengths in bringing you the services you need. They intend to use the survey results to make those changes necessary to improve their services. We hope you will complete the survey.

The survey can be completed on the enclosed questionnaire, or electronically. You may choose to identify yourself and /or your organization, or to be anonymous. We will not report names of individuals or organizations in any reports we write. The access code number at the top of the questionnaire is to ensure that each responder answers the questionnaire in only one of the two formats provided.

ATF has also instructed us to notify them if a customer has a need for their immediate attention and identifies himself/herself.

If you choose to complete the enclosed questionnaire, please return it to us in the self-addressed, stamped envelope. When we receive your questionnaire, we will immediately record your response in our secure computerized database.

If you choose to respond to the survey electronically, please follow these instructions:

1. Enter the link to our website (WWW. ATF/Sirota/Survey).

2. Enter your access code, as instructed. The access code is at the top of this letter and on the top of the printed questionnaire.

3. Follow the instructions on how to respond to each question.

4. Submit the questionnaire.

If you have any questions, please call me at 1-800-777-8196, ext. 213, or e-mail me at Wreichman@sirota.com. Your participation in this survey is appreciated.

S
incerely,

Jeffrey Saltzman Walter Reichman

CEO/Chairman Vice President

Sirota Consulting LLC Sirota Consulting LLC

Name (optional):
Organization or Department (optional):
City:				State:

	Has there been an occasion in the last year when an ATF inspector VISITED your place of business? Indicate ONE answer:
		1.	Yes
		2.	No (please skip to Q. 7)

If yes, to what extent do you agree with each of the following? Indicate ONE answer for each line across:

		Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree Nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	The inspector was knowledgeable	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector was courteous	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector helped you resolve a problem	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector supplied you with information that was important to your work	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Overall, you had a positive experience with the inspector	1	2	3	4	5	6

	When you need INFORMATION on explosives and/or regulations, which office are you most likely to call? Indicate ONE answer
			1.	Local ATF field office
			2.	Public Safety Branch in Washington, DC
			3.	ATF local field office and Public Safety Branch in Washington, DC equally often

To what extent do you agree with each of the following statements about your experience when you CALL your LOCAL ATF field office. Indicate ONE answer for each line across.

		Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree Nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	You are able to reach an inspector quickly	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector understands your question or problem	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector is courteous and respectful	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector has the answer for you within a reasonable amount of time	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector is knowledgeable	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The inspector has to contact ATF Headquarters in Washington in situations where you would have expected the inspector to know the answer	1	2	3	4	5	6
	If you dispute the answer the inspector gives you, you believe you have no recourse but to accept the answer given	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You call the ATF Public Safety Branch in Washington to check out the answer you receive from the inspector	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You call another inspector to verify the answer given you by your local field office inspector	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You are generally satisfied with your relationship with the local field office inspector	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The local inspectors are knowledgeable about explosives	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The local inspectors understand the commercial needs of people like you	1	2	3	4	5	6

To what extent do you agree with each of the following statements about your experience when you CALL the ATF office in Washington, DC directly. Indicate ONE answer for each line across.

		Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree Nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	You reach a knowledgeable person very quickly	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You receive a response within a reasonable time	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You believe the response given is accurate	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You are treated courteously and respectfully	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You check the response received with an inspector in the local field office	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You call only certain people at Headquarters	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Specialists in Headquarters are knowledgeable about explosives	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Specialists in Headquarters understand the commercial needs of people like you	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You know the right person to contact at Headquarters to obtain information	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You prefer to work with someone from Headquarters rather than from the local ATF field office	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You hesitate to talk to a specialist from Headquarters because they may refer you to the field office for investigation	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You are given reasons for rulings, decisions, and interpretations	1	2	3	4	5	6
	There is too much turnover in Headquarters to establish a relationship with anyone	1	2	3	4	5	6
	You believe the specialists in Headquarters deal effectively with your questions and concerns	1	2	3	4	5	6

Thinking of the ATF OVERALL (including both local offices and Headquarters), to what extent do you agree with each of the following? Indicate ONE answer for each line across:

		Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree Nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	You have a positive relationship with ATF	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The relationship between your company and ATF has been improving over the past few years	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The meetings between individuals from industry and the Federal regulatory agencies have improved communications between the industry and ATF	1	2	3	4	5	6
	When you have a conflict with an inspector you can turn to someone in Washington to resolve the conflict	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The Homeland Security Bill had a positive impact on regulations and oversight	1	2	3	4	5	6
	ATF personnel have credibility within your organization	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Inspectors are sufficiently experienced and trained on the commercial use of explosives	1	2	3	4	5	6
	ATF has sufficient resources to do a good job of regulating and informing the industry	1	2	3	4	5	6

	When contacting the National Licensing Center in Atlanta about the status of your explosives license or permit …	Always	Almost Always	Half the Time	Seldom	Never	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	I am easily able to reach the examiner handling my license/permit	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The examiner returns calls promptly and courteously	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The examiner is able to answer my questions in a reasonable period of time	1	2	3	4	5	6
	In order to resolve your concerns, it is necessary to make more than one telephone call	1	2	3	4	5	6

		Strongly Agree	Agree	Neither Agree Nor Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree	Don’t Know/Not Applicable
	The instructions on the license/permit application are straightforward and provide satisfactory guidance	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The information requested on the license/permit application is clear and concise	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The instructions on the license/permit renewal application are straightforward and provide satisfactory guidance	1	2	3	4	5	6
	The information on the renewal application is clear and concise	1	2	3	4	5	6

	What would you consider a reasonable amount of time to receive a response to a telephone inquiry? Please write in the space provided below:

	What is the average time it now takes to receive a response to a telephone inquiry? Please write in the space provided below:

	In what way could Headquarters serve you better than it currently does? Please write in the space provided below:

	Do you have concerns about future regulation of the explosives industry? Please write in the space provided below:

	In what ways can ATF prepare to serve the industry better as conditions change for the industry? Please write in the space provided below:

Thank You

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