The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board earned a score of 82 in a recent American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) survey, 13 points higher than the current overall Federal government score, and 11 points higher than the comparable private sector average.

The ACSI survey focused on the RRB's core constituency of railroad workers who have recently retired and are currently receiving monthly benefits from the agency. The survey found the RRB scoring highest (91) in the area of customer service, with respondents particularly praising the courtesy and professionalism of agency employees.
 
The retirement benefit application process received a score of 84, with customers pleased with the promptness in receiving their first benefit payment, but concerned with the amount of supporting documentation (proofs of age, marriage, military service, etc.) required when filing for benefits. Those surveyed also gave high marks (85) for printed information provided to applicants by the agency, although some felt the material should be easier to understand. 

The RRB earned an overall quality score of 86, which exceeded customer expectations. The ACSI survey recognizes overall quality as a key factor in determining customer satisfaction. The RRB also earned a confidence index score of 87, indicating that its customers are very satisfied with the service provided by the agency and are confident they will continue to be well served in the future. According to the overall survey scores, the RRB is allocating its resources efficiently.

Produced through a partnership of the University of Michigan Business School, the American Society for Quality and Claes Fornell International, the ACSI annually measures national customer satisfaction with corporate and government goods and services. Working with the Department of the Treasury's Federal Consulting Group, Government agencies participating in the survey use the ACSI to gauge their level of service and benchmark their performance for comparison with similar organizations in the private sector. The ACSI also helps agencies focus on those processes, based on customer feedback, that will have the biggest impact on an agency's ability to deliver the highest quality products and services. 

This marks the first year the RRB has participated in the survey. The agency plans future ACSI measures of other segments of its customer base.  

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