Patent and Trademark Office
Customer Satisfaction Report
The following customer satisfaction report is provided as a result of
customer survey data obtained from December 1994 to February 1995. If
you have any questions or concerns regarding this report, please contact
Fred DiFiore or Tresea Woody at (703) 305-4217.
Aug. 18, 1995 THERESA A. BRELSFORD
Deputy Associate Commissioner
for Administration and Quality Services
Customer Satisfaction Data Collected To Date
In order to measure customer satisfaction of Patent and Trademark
customers, a survey was conducted with the assistance of the U.S. Census
Bureau. The survey included a series of questions on the importance to
the customer and their level of satisfaction with the decision-making
process, timeliness, staff responsiveness, application process, price,
outcome of the process and competence of the staff.
The survey results showed on a scale of 1-5, with five being very
satisfied -- the overall mean score rating for customer satisfaction for
Patent customers was 3.3 and 3.5 for Trademark customers. The overall
percentage of satisfied Patent customers was 50.9% and 63.5% for
Trademark customers. The following is a summary of each question on
customer satisfaction and importance:
Item (Question) Mean Score Mean Score
(Satisfaction) (Importance)
Patents Trademarks Patents Trademarks
Decision-Making
Process (Overall) 3.1 3.3 4.1 3.9
- Clarity of guidelines
or criteria 3.1 3.3
- Quality of status
information provided 3.2 3.3
- Quality of feedback
provided 3.0 3.3
Timeliness (Overall) 3.2 2.8 3.8 4.0
- Timeliness of decision 3.1 2.8
- Issuance of product in
a timely manner 3.2 2.9
Staff Responsiveness 3.3 3.5 4.0 4.0
- Assistance at a
convenient time 3.4 3.6
- Prompt and helpful
service 3.3 3.5
- Flexibility in trying
to address needs 3.1 3.4
Application Process 3.4 3.5 4.0 3.8
Price 2.6 3.1 3.4 3.2
Outcome of the Process 3.4 3.6 4.3 4.3
Competence of Staff 3.3 3.6 4.3 4.1
In the area of "red tape," Patent customers rated a mean of 2.6 for
the amount of bureaucracy they encountered and a 2.3 for Trademark
customers. These scores were on a scale of 1-5 with higher scores
representing more red tape encountered.
A second part of the survey contained questions relating to the
importance and satisfaction of each of the customer service standards
that were set by the PTO in 1994. The standards were based on data
obtained at customer focus sessions. These sessions were conducted to
ensure that the PTO truly understood the needs and expectations of their
customers regarding products and services. A total of 11 Patent and 7
Trademark focus sessions were conducted in 1994. From the data captured
at the sessions, the PTO established customer service standards. The
following chart contains survey results on customer satisfaction
regarding established service standards:
Standards Mean Score Mean Score
(Satisfaction) (Importance)
Patents Trademarks Patents Trademarks
Set clearly in written
communications,
examiner's/attorneys
technical, procedural
and legal position 2.63 2.99 4.58 4.51
Direct promptly to
proper office/person 2.55 2.85 4.28 4.37
Disseminate info. on
changes before their
effective date 2.72 2.82 4.22 4.21
Return telephone calls
in one business day 2.62 2.80 4.06 4.15
Provide legible
correspondence 3.04 3.39 3.99 3.89
Status letters within
30 days 2.57 2.61 3.89 4.04
Treat customer with
courtesy 2.96 3.18 3.63 3.74
Match properly addressed
fax of formal amendment
after final rejection with
the file and deliver to
examiner within three
business days 2.62 N/A 3.99 N/A
Deliver fax within one
business day 2.63 N/A 3.81 N/A
Conduct thorough and
reasonable search 2.67 N/A 4.6 N/A
30 days response time
after allowance 2.7 N/A 3.99 N/A
Mail filing notices
within 19 days 2.54 N/A 3.52 N/A
Registrability of
Trademark in 13 months N/A 2.54 N/A 4.25
Filing notices within
30 days N/A 2.45 N/A 4.00
First communication within
3 months N/A 2.39 N/A 3.91
Notice of publication
within 30 days N/A 2.56 N/A 3.90
Notice of Abandonment in
45 days N/A 2.55 N/A 3.71
Certificate of Registration
in 7 days N/A 2.41 N/A 3.65
Filing notices in 14 days
by 9/30/95 N/A 2.55 N/A 3.59
Improvement Efforts
The PTO is making efforts to improve customer satisfaction, including
the following:
-- Initiated Business Process Reengineering effort to evaluate the
entire patent process, including performance measures and award system.
The effort comprises of 5 main areas: process, customers, culture,
quality, and tools. As-Is analysis completed in mid-July, in process of
developing the To-Be models. Held customer focus sessions in various
cities to obtain input on the design of the future patent process.
-- Initiated Business Process Reengineering effort to evaluate the
entire trademark process. Customer focus sessions will be held during
the month of August in various cities to obtain input on the design of
the future trademark process.
-- Installed more fax machines so customers could send documents quicker
and more directly to examiners.
-- Developed PTO-wide policies and programs to improve lines of
communications with the customer (e.g., policy to include the name and
telephone number of the PTO employee responsible for an action on all
outgoing correspondence and a policy on a standard message to greet
customers). Aggressively installed voice messaging throughout the PTO
(with a tentative completion date of September 1995).
-- Restructured Trademark Law Offices to enhance the examination process.
-- Providing legal orientation and customer service training to
employees.
-- Performing benchmarking with other organizations to develop product
and process improvements.
-- Held public hearings which resulted in the publication of new rules,
MPEP revisions, and establishment of examiner guidelines (e.g.,
biotechnology, software).
Continuing Efforts
The PTO will continue to survey customers on an annual basis to
obtain satisfaction levels on general items contained in this report and
on customer service standards. Customer service standards will be added
and revised as needed.