The research will determine the need for a uniform way of measuring how satisfied people really are with the services provided by Scotland's 32 local authorities.

The project will involve three stages:

Stage 1: Promotion and Engagement: All 32 councils will be invited to send representatives to one of four regional workshops for further information about the project, as an opportunity to share their thoughts and to highlight approaches to customer satisfaction measurement in other countries.

Stage 2: Research: A questionnaire will be distributed to all local authorities about how they currently measure customer satisfaction and their appetite for a standard approach. Interviews will be conducted with a range of stakeholders exploring what a standard approach would need to look like to satisfy their needs.

Stage 3: Reporting: The emerging conclusions will be tested through a further workshop and engagement with local authorities. The evidence will be examined and recommendations made.

The research will be conducted by Tetlow Associates, which has conducted previous research on behalf of the Local Government Association and National Consumer Council in England in which a common approach to segmentation and a data protocol for customer experience data was recommended and subsequently developed.

The project will begin in March to be completed in autumn 2008.

For further information please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , Research Manager on 01506 775558.