Blue Badge Phase 2

Results and Analysis of Blue Badge Customer Survey

April 2013

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Contents

1. Original objectives2. The survey questions3. Quantitative survey outcomes4. Qualitative survey results - the application form 5. Qualitative survey outcomes - collecting the

badge from a library 6. Summary of original objectives & outcomes

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Original Objectives

1. To find out if customers are happy to collect their Blue Badge from a library

2. To identify whether these customers would like a choice in how they pay for their Blue Badge

In addition, a question was asked to elicit data on whether customers find the application form easy to complete.

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The survey questions

The surveys were given out at libraries to customers collecting their blue badge. A total of 164 completed surveys were returned out of 172 that were handed out. This resulted in a response rate of 94%.

Each survey consisted of 6 questions:1.Did you find the Blue Badge application form easy to complete? (Yes/No)2.If No, please comment3.How would you have preferred to pay for your Blue Badge? (Options: card, cheque, cash, other)4. Were you happy to collect your badge from the library? (Yes/ No)5. Please explain your answer6. Which library did you use?

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Quantitative Survey Outcomes

Note: Where customers gave 2 answers to 1 question, each answer given 0.5 mark.

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Qualitative Survey Results

Comments around length of application

‘Very long application…’ ‘Too much paperwork. Plus a journey – easier by post’ ‘Far too many questions…’ ‘Too much to do’ ‘Too many questions. Very long form…’ ‘unnecessary as already a badge holder’

‘Too many of same questions…’ ‘…[too] lengthy’ ‘Too much paperwork’ ‘Too many questions sometimes difficult to answer’ ‘too many questions and duplication’.

Note: customers were asked to give details only if they had not found the application form easy to complete

Comments around time to complete

‘…The form took me about two weeks to complete’ ‘It takes too long!’ ‘…very time consuming’ ‘Very involved’ ‘Help the Aged assisted with the form’ ‘Suffering from short-term memory loss and problems processing forms and information, took four days to fill in form and then I had to phone up and get help. Very stressful!’

The application form (I)

Other comments

‘The process was very fair and thorough…’ ‘Had help from library staff’ (2) ‘Some of the questions seem to overlap, but it didn’t seem to cause a problem’ ‘Very tiresome with all the necessary paperwork required – but understandable’ ‘Very ambiguous. Many questions could have various answers’ ‘After filling in tick boxes – then to be called to Horsham to go over it again then to do some exercises to a therapist, when a top orthopaedic surgeon says I need KNEE replacements (one already done) frustrating’ ‘Conflicting questions – that didn’t seem relevant to us’ ‘friendly advice when I required clarification over the telephone’ ‘Suffers from dyslexia’ ‘Unnecessary as already a badge holder’

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Qualitative Survey Results

Comments around ease of use

‘It was easy to miss things’ ‘Hard to understand questions. Needed help to fill in’‘…needed assistance filling out’ ‘Not customer friendly’ ‘Too complicated…’ ‘Difficult to explain circumstances if not in a particular category, difficult to fill in as suffering from arthritis, difficult if you have lack of photo ID/ID etc’ ‘Very complicated for me!’‘At times some of the questions had me stuck and had to phone your office for help’

‘Could be made easier for us to fill in’ ‘Because answers are not as straight as yes or no!’ ‘I found it hard to understand with all the documents that were required’ ‘‘Difficult’ ‘…Easier for younger person’ ‘Not without help would I have completed it…’

‘A friend had to help me’ ‘Needed quite a lot of help from daughter’ ‘Writing physically difficult. Form was very detailed a required a lot of answering from a person at my time of life, 97 yrs. Also photos difficult to get. Required help by daughter for most of details’ ‘Some of the questions were slightly misleading’ Quite complicated ‘Very complicated’ ‘Daughter had to assist too difficult’ ‘Difficult’ ‘Too complicated (especially for a renewal)’ ‘Easy provided you had access to your medical records’

too many questions and duplication’ Too many questions sometimes difficult to answer

Note: customers were asked to give details only if they had not found the application form easy to complete

The application form (II)

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Qualitative Survey Results

Collecting the badge from a library - Key to colours

Respondent answered that they were happy collect badge from library and comment reflects this

Comments do not reflect respondent’s answer to whether they were happy to collect badge from library

Respondent answered that they were not happy to collect badge from library and comment reflects this

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Qualitative Survey Results Collecting the badge from a library (I)

Comments around ease of access/convenience

‘…easy parking’ ‘Easy to get to’ ‘…parking easy too with short walk’ ‘I use the library’ ‘Very easy…’ ‘Easy to reach parking available’ ‘Easy access’ ‘Convenience’ ‘…easy to park’ ‘Very convenient’ ‘Easy to get to’ ‘Found it convenient’ ‘It was very easy’ ‘Came in today as meeting friends for coffee in town’ ‘…collection was easy and convenient’ ‘Yes easy to pick up from local library’ all worked very well, friendly advice when I required clarification over the telephone’ ‘Convenient’ ‘Convenient to park’ ‘Close to where I live.’ ‘Convenient ‘‘Very handy’ ‘Convenience’ ‘Very Quick & helpful’

‘Parking difficult though’ ‘Very hard to walk to collect badge’ ‘It would be easier for a third party to help’ ‘Would have been difficult if had needed to drive and park without the disabled [badge]’ ‘As mum is 93 and uses a walker access to the library could be difficult in the future. Perhaps in the future a carer would be able to collect the badge’ ‘My local library would have been easier regards travel and walking. There is a library in Haywards Heath where I live and there is some unrestricted parking very close by, meaning a short walk to the library. Burgess Hill is a 6 mile return trip and a little bit further to walk to the library, plus car parking charges…’ ‘…It was a big effort to collect but fortunately weather was good and staff very helpful’ ‘Only because I needed transport’ ‘but letter notifying me the badge was ready was not received’ ‘would be better if collection point was on ground floor’

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Qualitative Survey Results Collecting the badge from a library (II)

Comments around ease of access/convenience

‘Difficult getting Mrs G to the library…’ ‘Some difficulty getting to library’ ‘Lives in Angmering unable to enter Angmering Library. Attend Laurels Day Centre could have been delivered there’ ‘Difficult to get my wife to the library because of failing to arrange for my son to be able to take her’ ‘Very hard to walk to collect badge’Some days I feel unwell to come out so I think my husband could collect the card for me’ ‘Difficult to get to the library. Prefer post’ ‘…but it is very difficult to find a day when [my mother] and I was available to collect [the badge] – took us nearly 6 months which seems counter intuitive’ ‘Having trouble with walking, preferred to have it posted to my address’ ‘Difficult to get to the library. Prefer post and pay by card over the telephone.’ ‘Pick up of badge difficult as it’s very hard for Mrs G to get out’ ‘It would have been much easier if my son could have collected it for me’ ‘Inconvenient had to get a neighbour to bring me down’ ‘Mrs H is very confused with dementia, I would have preferred to pick up the badge on her behalf’ ‘I think it should be downstairs as it is hard work finding who to see after a while’ ‘had to leave house in freezing wet weather( affects my illness), couldn't find a parking space anywhere near the library. So had to walk (with difficulty!)

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Qualitative Survey Results Comments on Service , Location and Other (I)

Comments around the library service

‘…staff very help [sic]’ ‘Came into library car park and staff came to car to do paperwork’ ‘…pleasant service’ ‘Easy and friendly staff. Thank you!’ ‘…good staff, very happy’ ‘Friendly service so happy to come and collect from the library’ ‘…the staff however, are exceptionally pleasant and helpful’

‘Library staff were incredibly helpful (came out in rain to see my mother…’ ‘Very Quick & helpful’

Comments around location

‘Nearby’ ‘It was local…’ ‘Nearest and easiest place to get to’ ‘Because shop near it…’‘I know where the library is’ ‘Accessible’ ‘The library is a central point’ ‘It’s nearby…’‘Close to home…’ ‘Close to my home’ ‘Close to home’ ‘Gives me an excuse to go to Chichester’ ‘It’s not a problem’Other comments

‘Would have preferred [different library]’ ‘Notification of arrival was a problem’ ‘Sending it by post helps us’ ‘If it helps prevent fraud that’s fine, if a but inconvenient, preferred it when it came through post’ ‘Only problem was that I was advised by post before Easter that my badge was available but it could not be found at library. Only advised on 2/04/13 that badge had been found’ ‘would be better if collection point was on ground floor’ ‘I think it should be downstairs as it is hard work finding who to see after a while’

‘Post is easier. What would someone do who was too disabled to pick up badge in person’ ‘Post it!’ Previous badges sent by post,

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Summary of Original Objectives & Outcomes

1. To find out if customers are happy to collect their Blue Badge from a libraryOutcome: The quantitative survey results show that 134 customers (84%) said they were happy to collect their badge from a library, while 19 customers (12%) said they were not happy to collect their badge from a library.

The qualitative comments customers gave were more ambiguous – 44 comments (56%) gave positive comments about collecting their badge from the library, whilst 34 (43%) gave negative comments. The majority of customers’ comments related to the ease of accessing/convenience of collecting their badge from a library; 21 customers (49%) gave positive comments that matched this theme, whilst 22 (51%) gave negative comments. The majority of the negative comments were around customers’ difficulty in getting to the library. Most customers did not go into detail as to what the difficulties were, although some customers said this was because of their physical ability: ‘Very hard to walk to collect badge’, ‘Some days I feel unwell to come out so I think my husband could collect the card for me’, ‘As mum is 93 and uses a walker access to the library could be difficult in the future. Perhaps in the future a carer would be able to collect the badge’.

Customers were very positive in their comments around the library service (86%) and the location of the library (100%).2. To identify whether these customers would like a choice in how they pay for their Blue BadgeOutcome: The survey results show that 125 customers (82%) said they preferred to pay for their badge by cash. 28 customers (18%) said they would prefer to pay by card. 3 customer said they would prefer to pay by cheque. 5 customers selected 2 options for their preferred method of payment (card and cash).

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Summary of Original Objectives & Outcomes

Application form ease of useOutcome: 112 customers (73%) said they found the application form easy to complete. 44 customers (29%) said they did not find the application form easy to complete.

Customers were only asked to comment if they did not find the application form easy to complete. The majority of customers commented on the application form’s ease of use – 29 customers (63%) gave negative comments on this, with the majority of these around the form being difficult/complicated to complete or needing help to complete the form.

12 customers (26%) thought the application form was too long or had too many questions, while 4 customers (11%) said the form was time consuming to complete or took too long to complete.

Although customers were only asked to comment if they had found the application form easy to complete, there were a few positive comments given; ‘The process was very fair and thorough…’, ‘Had help from library staff’ (2 x comments).