Customs and Border Protection This customer experience profile is from 2020. To view this year’s profile, click here. User Interactions Customer Feedback Social Media Presence Customer Experience Indicators Executive Summary In 2019, one of the busiest travel periods on record, Customs and Border Protection officers screened more than 410 million people entering the United States. When the coronavirus pandemic hit in the spring of 2020, and the volume of travelers plummeted, the agency adjusted its security checkpoints to continue its screenings while trying to protect travelers and employees from the virus. In feedback provided on the airport screening experience before the coronavirus, people reported high levels of satisfaction, potentially because of faster screening times. In 2019, the CBP expanded options to help customers enroll in trusted-traveler programs, such as Global Entry, that provide expedited screening to low-risk, preapproved travelers. More than two million travelers enrolled or renewed their Global Entry membership that year—a record high. Automated processes also helped reduce wait times; 6% more travelers used digital interfaces to process their passports compared to the pervious year. Still, customers continue to face some challenges with CBP services. The need for more welcoming CBP officers is the area for improvement most frequently cited by air travelers in an annual agency survey. And customer satisfaction scores with the CBP website dipped in 2019, possibly due to complicated language and a cumbersome design that made it difficult for users to complete their intended task. More Profiles Airport Security Screening and Passenger Support Services Citizenship and Immigration Applicant Services Customs Airport Security and Screening Services Farm Loan and Conservation Service Federal Student Aid Individual Taxpayer Services Medicare Customer Support Services Outdoor Recreation Reservations for Federal Lands Passport Services Veterans Education and Training Benefits Veterans Outpatient Health Care Services Service Overview The CBP screens people entering the United States to prevent potentially dangerous people and materials from coming into the country. Primary Customers People entering U.S. borders, whether international travelers, visitors or returning residents. Key services related to customs security and screening Security screening of international travelers who cross U.S. borders. Management of applications and enrollment in trusted-traveler programs. More than 2 million Global Entry applications received received in fiscal 2019(1.7 million applications received in fiscal 2018). Management of the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, which determines the eligibility of visitors from certain countries to enter the U.S. without a visa. Support to callers through the CBP Information Center and Traveler Communications Center. Data at a Glance Of travelers surveyed said they were satisfied with the CBP checkpoint experience at airports in fiscal 2019 Estimated average wait times at CBP airport checkpoints compared to fiscal 2018 Of visitors surveyed on CBP.gov were not able to complete the purpose of their visit in fiscal 2019 People Interact With CBP By (All data for fiscal year 2019) CALLING THE CONTACT CENTER 2.7 million calls to the CBP Information Center, which handles general inquiries (2.1 million in fiscal 2018) 5.1 minutes average wait time (5.8 minutes in fiscal 2018) 325,663 calls to the CBP Traveler Communications Center, which handles program-specific inquiries 5 minutes average wait time to speak with a representative VISITING ONLINE 46.6 million visits (40.5 million in fiscal 2018) PASSING THROUGH CHECKPOINT 410.3 million travelers processed at air, land and sea ports of entry (413.9 million in fiscal 2018) 9.3 minutes estimated average wait times at airport checkpoints (~12 minutes in fiscal 2018) 50% of traveler passports processed in airports by digital interfaces such as self-service kiosks and the Mobile Passport Control app. (44% in fiscal 2018) Customer Experience Insights The following insights and data pertain to airport-related screening and security services only and does not cover land or sea entry points. Click tabs to expand Customers generally have positive experiences at CBP airport security checkpoints. Satisfaction with the screening experience at CBP airport checkpoints, 2016 to 2019 2016 2017 2018 2019 Overall experience 92% 92% 91% 94% Overall CBP officer experience 94% 94% 94% 96% Overall physical processing area 91% 91% 91% 92% In 2019, the agency was able to reduce wait times for air travelers going through screening by generating daily wait time reports for international airports across the country. Once managers identified airports with high wait times, they could take action to reduce delays, such as deploying more staff members to airports that needed them. The average wait time was an estimated 9.3 minutes, about three minutes shorter than the previous year, according to a CBP survey. Only about 6% of travelers CBP surveyed characterized their wait time as long. Recent efforts to train CBP officers to be more welcoming during the screening process and use complaints as a constructive learning opportunity also have helped improve overall customer satisfaction, though some travelers still note CBP officers could be more welcoming. Customers appreciate and increasingly used the expedited Global Entry screening process. The average processing time at airport customs for Global Entry members decreased by 50% over the previous three years. Air travelers in the Global Entry program estimated waiting just over four minutes on average, compared with travelers who waited 12 minutes going through a standard inspection booth or more than 10 minutes using an automated passport control kiosk. As of September 2019, there were 6.7 million customers enrolled in the program, a 16% uptick from the previous year. The number of Global Entry applications has quadrupled since 2012. Processing applications continues to be a challenge for Global Entry, delaying enrollment for some people. The 2018-19 government shutdown and a record high number of applications contributed to a backlog of applicants needing background checks. The pandemic—which kept enrollment centers closed as of September 2020—further worsened this backlog. While most applications took about 15 days or fewer to process as of October 2019, about 25% of applications took 150 days or longer—a 60-day increase from the prior year. To help streamline Global Entry enrollment, CBP is offering Enrollment on Arrival, which allows travelers who get conditionally approved online to enroll in the program while at a U.S. international airport, rather than going to an enrollment center. This service is offered at 57 airports and has enrolled more than 300,000 customers in the Global Entry program since its launch in 2018. CBP officers and physical processing areas have room for improvement, although most customers express overall satisfaction with both. Out of all suggestions for improvement, among the most common was CBP officers being more welcoming—a growing trend over the last three years. A small portion of customers also recommended improving physical processing areas by making them more inviting, cleaning facilities better, and maintaining kiosks to prevent bottlenecks created by broken equipment. Because these spaces are not always under CBP control, making improvements require collaboration between the agency and international airports. Customers would like a better experience with the CBP website, noting difficulty in completing the purpose of their visit. Customer satisfaction with the CBP website 2017 2018 2019 Overall satisfaction 56% 56% 52% Able to complete purpose of visit 62% 62% 57% Likelihood of returning to site 86% 85% 83% According to our analysis of CBP’s customer survey data, the most common reasons people have a hard time completing their task on the agency’s website are: The content was not easy to understand (63%). There was a page error, bad link or technical issue (30%). The information was outdated (7%). To further understand the CBP website experience, we assessed webpages that explain how to travel to the U.S. without a visa and what items need to be declared at customs. We gave them a D for their essay-style presentation of information rather than easy-to-read bullet points and their organization of content around CBP programs as opposed to user needs. Click to see full results of our website experience analysis Website Experience: How easy is it to navigate and understand online information? Reviewers looked at the pages from the perspective of people seeking to answer two questions: What items are prohibited or need to be declared when I return to the U.S.? https://www.cbp.gov/travel/clearing-cbp https://help.cbp.gov/s/?language=en_US https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/agricultural-items How do I determine if I am eligible to travel to the U.S. without a visa? https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/visa-waiver-program https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ CBP Grade D Opportunities to improve Information about bringing items into the U.S. is presented in an essay-like format with too much text, which puts a great burden on the user to plow through and understand it all. The webpages are busy, with many pieces of information competing for attention. Content is organized around CBP programs such as the Visa Waiver Program, instead of around questions a user would likely ask—for example, “Do I need a visa to travel to the U.S.?” Content is written in the third person instead of speaking to the user and includes unnecessarily complicated language (e.g., “officers determine admissibility upon travelers’ arrival”). Webpages lack streamlined bullet points, groupings and graphics that would help the user spot and cross-reference important information quickly. Figure 1. Essay format with difficult words forces the user to do the work (https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/agricultural-items) Figure 2. Many elements on the page compete for the user’s attention (https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/visa-waiver-program) Key Improvement from last year Ongoing challenge Connecting on Social Media The CBP uses social media to provide tips and information for travelers on topics such as what people can bring through customs checkpoints and how to apply for Global Entry. The CBP social media team monitors the agency’s social media accounts to analyze what the public does after reading posts—for example, how widely particular posts are shared—and uses that information to improve future messages. During the first few months of the pandemic, the team used Twitter to share videos and updates on how the agency was protecting employees and expediting clearance for low-risk travelers through customs, and to inform customers about closures of trusted traveler enrollment centers. Twitter (@CBP) Joined: October 2008 Followers: 304,200 Total tweets: 12,000 Facebook (@CBPgov) Joined: February 2018 Followers: 48,800 Total likes: 42,900 Instagram (@cbpgov) Joined: December 2014 Followers: 125,000 Total posts: 1,187 YouTube (U.S. Customs and Border Protection) Joined: July 2009 Subscribers: 24,400 Total views: 3.6 million Social media practices Posts almost daily?Yes Responds to customers?No Includes multimedia content?Yes For background information on these metrics and our full methodology click here. How Customs Screening Services Shifted During the Coronavirus As people canceled travel plans and governments established travel restrictions, the average number of people going through U.S. customs each day plummeted. As of April 2020, the average went from 300,000 to about 5,000 travelers per day, according to John Wagner, CBP’s former deputy executive assistant commissioner, who retired in July. In the initial months of the outbreak, CBP quickly made changes to its security checkpoints to create a safer environment for remaining travelers, including constructing barriers between officers and travelers, providing officers with gloves and face masks, and partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct on-site medical screenings as necessary. The agency also closed its enrollment centers for trusted-traveler programs to help limit the spread of the virus. To keep Global Entry applications moving and limit the effects of these office closures on the backlog of applications, CBP used its authority to waive in-person interview requirements for application renewals that did not pose security concerns. Indicators that the Customer Experience is a High Priority For background information on these indicators see our methodology section. Click buttons to expand. Commitment to Customer Experience The agency: Includes high-quality customer experience in its strategic goals. Yes Specifies customer feedback as a key measure of the organization’s performance. No Has a senior executive with the responsibility and authority to lead efforts to improve customer experience across the organization. No CBP has an executive who leads the stakeholder experience initiative as part of the agency’s strategic plan, but stakeholder experience is not that position’s primary responsibility. Shares meaningful customer feedback data with the public. Yes CBP publishes customer feedback with its website and screening processes. Customer Service Basics For the most common services provided, customers can: Complete frequently used transactions online. Partially People can complete online applications for trusted-traveler programs such as Global Entry, but for security purposes sometimes must do in-person interviews at enrollment centers to verify identity. Easily find information to call an appropriate CBP representative. Partially A phone number for the CBP Info Center is easy to find on the website, but there is no description of the types of issues callers can inquire about. Schedule in-person appointments. Yes People can schedule appointments for visits to trusted traveler enrollment centers. Obtain status updates. Yes Customers can check online for the status of their trusted traveler applications. Has a process for standardizing across channels the information and guidance provided to customers. No Customer Feedback The agency collects and analyzes data and information on customer perceptions: Of specific interactions, including website visits, phone calls and in-person appointments. Yes Of a customer journey through a series of interactions or multistage processes that build toward a specific goal. No Of the overall service the organization provides. No Through qualitative research, such as customer interviews, focus groups, analysis of social media comments or direct observation. No Through a structured analysis of comments about the service left on social media channels. No More details about our methodology Footnotes and Methodology Footnotes 1 The CBP Information Center is a public-facing call line that customers can use for general inquiries related to travel, imports and exports. The CBP Traveler Communications Center provides program-specific information for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, the Electronic Visa Update System, the Arrival and Departure Information System, and Trusted Traveler programs. 2 The volume of calls reported for the Traveler Communications Center reflects the total number of customers who pressed “0” for assistance after listening to a voice recording, whereas the volume of calls reported the CBP Information Center reflects the total number of calls received. 3 Findings are from the Fall 2019 Traveler Satisfaction Survey, Wave 7 Report, an annual survey. Percentages are based on a 5-point response scale on which a 5 indicates “best” and a 1 indicates “worst.” The target sample size of 28,133 surveys was determined based on the number of surveys needed to reach a reasonable degree of confidence and accuracy in survey responses, along with other factors. Surveys were distributed among 25 U.S. international airports proportionally, based on the volume of travelers, with a greater number of surveys distributed at airports with more travelers. 4 Fall 2019 Traveler Satisfaction Survey, Wave 7 Report 5 Ibid. 6 2019 CBP Trade and Travel Report. 7 Interview with CBP team April 2, 2020. 8 Fall 2019 Traveler Satisfaction Survey, Wave 7 Report. 9 Data is from cbp.gov. Percentages are based on a 5-point response scale on which a 4 indicates above average and a 5 is outstanding. The sample size was 55,569 responses for 2017; 44,863 responses for 2018; and 43,409 responses for 2019. Social media review methodology To assess how agencies use social media to interact with customers, we examined three social media best practices identified through conversations with experts: posting frequently, delivering engaging content and responding to questions. We analyzed the most active Facebook or Twitter account by selecting specific months to examine trends throughout the year, including changes to social media activity during the coronavirus. The team defined posting almost daily as meaning the agency posted for at least 25 out of 30 days on average in September 2019, December 2019, March 2020 and May 2020. Engaging content is defined as whether the agency posted a range of multimedia content with interactive elements beyond just static images. Responds to customers is defined as whether or not agencies respond to questions through the direct message feature on Facebook or in the comment section of posts. To assess this, we examined September 2019, December 2019 and April 2020 (or another month when data was not available). “No” indicates the agency never or rarely responds to comments; “Yes – occasionally” indicates the agency responds sometimes, but there does not appear to be a consistent pattern over time; and “Yes – regularly” indicates the agency responds to comments on a frequent and consistent basis over time. The number of tweets, likes, posts and views reflect the total activity since the social media account was established. Website experience methodology For each agency, we selected for review a set of webpages that customers would theoretically visit to seek answers to frequently asked questions, vetted with each agency. We partnered with the Center for Plain Language to conduct this review. The center followed the same methodology it uses to assess plain language for its annual ClearMark awards for a range of organizations and its annual Federal Plain Language Report Card for the government. Two plain-language experts individually and independently reviewed and scored each set of pages, using five plain-language criteria to assess each site. They rated each criterion on a five-point scale: Information design and navigation. Pictures, graphics and charts. Style or voice. Structure and content. Understanding of audience. The reviewers then met to reach consensus on strengths and weaknesses of each site and to assign a letter grade based on their ratings. Customer experience indicators methodology The Partnership and Accenture developed the following list of indicators to understand how agencies prioritize the customer experience, and steps they can take to improve. The list is based on research about effective customer experience practices in both government and the private sector, and aligns with practices in a customer experience maturity self-assessment for agencies developed by the Office of Management and Budget. Leaders who participated in the Partnership’s federal customer experience roundtable provided input. Commitment to customer experience The agency: Includes high-quality customer experience in its strategic goals. Criteria: 1) customer experience with the agency’s services is listed in the strategic plan as one of the organization’s top priorities or a supporting goal of one of the priorities 2) the strategic plan provides specific actions the agency will take to improve customer experience. Specifies customer feedback as a key measure of the organization’s performance. Criteria: There is a performance measure included in the agency’s strategic plan, annual performance report or agency priority goals that is based on feedback directly from customers Has a senior executive with the responsibility and authority to lead efforts to improve customer experience across the organization. Criteria: Based on a review of the agency organizational chart and online descriptions of leadership positions, the agency has an executive who meets the following criteria: 1) customer experience is his or her primary responsibility 2) he or she reports to the head of the organization or a deputy 3) his or her work spans all major service delivery channels (e.g., online services, contact centers, face-to-face services). Shares meaningful customer feedback with the public.Criteria: In alignment with the Office of Management and Budget’s guidance on customer experience measurement, the agency publishes customer feedback that: 1) represents multiple service delivery channels 2) provides details into different aspects of the experience (e.g., beyond overall customer satisfaction) Customer Service Basics For the most common services provided, customers can: Complete online frequently used transactions.Criteria: Based on a review of the agency’s website, customers can complete major services or transactions online. Easily find information to call an appropriate representative.Criteria: Does the agency’s website provide a clear explanation of which number to call for specific issues or provide one number that customers can call to get routed to the appropriate person. Schedule in-person appointments. Criteria: Based on a review of the agency’s website, customers can schedule appointments for in-person services. Obtain status updates.Criteria: Customers can get current updates through an online or self-service channel that includes estimated timelines on items such as submitted applications or benefit disbursements. Find standardized and consistent information and guidance across channels. Criteria: At least two service delivery channels have integrated knowledge management systems so that when content for customers on one channel is updated, it is updated on the other channel. Customer Feedback The agency collects and analyzes data and information on customer perceptions: Of specific interactions, including website visits, phone calls, and in-person appointments. Of the customer journey through a series of interactions or multi-stage processes that build toward a specific goal. Of the service provided by the organization overall. Through qualitative research, such as customer interviews, focus groups or direct observation. Through a structured analysis of comments about the service left on social media channels. This customer experience profile was produced in collaboration with Accenture Federal Services.
