2 Channels of communication

New Zealanders use all channels to interact with public services. Maintaining all channels well can improve satisfaction.

New Zealanders mostly carried out transactions in person followed by over the telephone. They mostly looked for information by telephone and the internet.

- In general, people were already using the channels they preferred to look for information or to carry out transactions.

- More mail/fax users preferred to use other channels, but to receive routine personal information from an agency, mail was the preferred channel.

Telephone handles high volume but has low satisfaction

- Many New Zealanders used the telephone to find information about and to carry out transactions with public services.

- Satisfaction with telephone was the lowest of all channels and the same as in 2007.

- Cell phone is an emerging contact method with public services.

Internet has high potential to improve New Zealanders' experience of public services but it is not the complete solution.

- The internet was the only channel with more people preferring it than using it. This suggests a demand for more online public services.

- Satisfaction was highest for the internet channel in 2009, overtaking contact in person. Therefore, the internet offers great potential to improve satisfaction with public services.

- Not all New Zealanders were able or willing to access public services over the internet. The most common reasons for not using public services online were preference for another channel and/or not having a computer.

- Making public services over the internet simple and user-friendly and ensuring privacy is protected are the keys to encouraging uptake.