Defence Research Agency (Hansard, 16 December 1993)

§ Mr. Hanley

This is a matter delegated to the Defence Research Agency under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive to reply direct to the hon. Member.

Letter from J. Chisholm to Dr. David Clark, dated 16 December 1993: In today's written answer the Minister of State for Defence Procurement informed you that I would be replying to your question about the DRA's customer satisfaction survey. In answer to the first part of your question the management parameters of the survey are not classified and are shown in the annex. The results of the survey are however commercially confidential. You also asked for a statement about the survey. As part of the DRA's Framework Document we are required to agree annual performance targets with the Secretary of State and one of these concerns quality of service. One element of this is the customer satisfaction survey. The survey has three related uses. Firstly is demonstrates to my Secretary of State that the DRA is offering a quality service and that this is improving. The target for this year is a 2 per cent. increase in overall satisfaction since the previous survey. Secondly, it helps to develop the strategic relationship we are trying to forge with industry where we are both a competitor and partner. Thirdly, and very importantly, it helps the DRA's business sectors to become more effective by knowing their customers' perception of their strengths and weaknesses. The survey has been carried out for the last three years and last year was extended to 18 key industrial as well as about 50 MOD customers. This year's survey is now under way but the results will not be known until about the end of January when they will be incorporated into the DRA's Business Plan.

ANNEX

Management parameters for customer satisfaction survey Overall customer satisfaction An overall impression of the top-level performance of the technical work of a particular DRA business sector (BS).

Responsiveness The ability of the BS to provide the customer's needs in the required timescale.

Quality The progress towards formal quality accreditation and the impact on the customer's product.

Project management The BS's management of the research task as a discreet project: monitoring and reporting performance against milestones, deployment of staff and resources and use of management information systems.

903W

Understanding requirements The ability to analyse and interpret the customer's needs to their satisfaction.

Technology The level of technology development or innovation used to meet the customer's expectation.

Facilities The customer's view on the use, relevance and cost of using DRA facilities.

Staff reputation The customer's perception of the scientific and management qualifications and reputation of the BS staff undertaking their work.