The Financial Administrative Services and Transactions (FAST)/Accounts Payable Office conducted a survey of all Tier 2 approvers during July and August. A PDF of the FAST survey results are available for downloading and review.
Analysis
The FAST/Accounts Payable (AP) survey indicated generally positive ratings in the areas of transaction processing, customer service, and professional conduct. For example, 78 percent responded positively to the statement "Overall, FAST handles my reimbursement processing accurately and in a timely manner." These results are consistent with the FAST/AP Office's internal data regarding invoice processing and turnaround times for travel and expense reimbursements.
Of the written responses, fifty-four percent are positive comments on various aspects of the FAST Office's customer service. The following are summaries of those comments made by multiple respondents:
- The FAST staff is knowledgeable and courteous.
- The FAST staff is hardworking, helpful, and responds quickly to various issues as they arise.
- Reimbursements are processed quickly.
- Turnaround times for reimbursements have improved.
The survey also revealed several areas that will offer opportunities for improvement. These include communication and coordination of a variety of issues with the Purchasing Office, and the desire for more consistent and timely training of the FAST Office staff in interpreting policy and providing customer service. The following are summaries of those comments cited by multiple respondents:
- Lack of communication or coordination between FAST and Purchasing.
- Inconsistent policy interpretation and reinforcement.
- Inconsistent quality of service, including slow turnaround times for reimbursements that are not routine or are submitted with problems.
Other issues that were identified from the written comments reflected concerns specific to certain divisions: these will be addressed individually by the respective FAST supervisors and managers.