An Evaluation of Customer Satisfaction of the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service Among Texas County Judges and Commissioners

Abstract

This study sought to determine and evaluate the level of client satisfaction of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service among elected county officials, namely county judges and commissioners.

The research was conducted with the county judge and all four county commissioners of all 254 counties in Texas resulting in total population of 1270.

The main purpose was to determine the level of satisfaction of county judges and commissioners with the professionalism and courtesy of local staffs and the information they provide and whether the county officials perceived a positive return in their investment in the local Extension programs. A secondary purpose was to determine the participants’ perceived strengths of Extension, areas of potential improvement and opportunities for other impacts.

The sample population was 1270 Texas county judges and commissioners, with 653 participating in the survey. The instrument used was a single page (front and back) survey with 15 statements/questions to which participants responded on a Likert-type scale, nine questions gathering demographic information and 3 open-ended questions to gather perceived strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for additional impacts.

The results included seven significant findings and their corresponding recommendations for Extension and four areas of further research.