Regulated Customer Survey results

The survey results are used at every level of the organization to inform strategic decisions and identify where improvements can be made.

In 2022, Ecology's environmental programs identified three or more areas of critical feedback from their regulated customers - called "focus areas." Using a continuous improvement framework, programs identified root causes behind their focus areas, and are implementing targeted solutions to improve their associated processes.

After each new set of survey results, programs:

• Review and analyze their results
• Discuss updates, challenges, and successes
• Adjust their processes or strategies, if necessary
• Report on their latest efforts and progress in improving their focus areas to agency leadership

Since 2021, Ecology has conducted the Regulated Customer Survey every six months. Previous iterations of the survey were conducted every two years, but we changed to a six-month cycle in order to improve the quality and use of the survey results by:

• Reaching out when the details of the regulated customer's interaction with Ecology are still fresh.
• Reducing missed opportunities for feedback when the interaction's main point of contact had either quit or retired.
• Increasing our ability to adjust and improve processes without waiting long periods of time for feedback.

Yes, Ecology contracts with WSU's Social and Economic Services Research Center (SESRC) to administer the survey to ensure the surveying process is unbiased and the results are statistically valid. WSU's SESRC provides us with the survey results and removes any identifying information to maintain the confidentiality of responses from our regulated customers.