New results from SKR: Improved business climate according to the latest measurements

It is the eleventh time that the measurement of entrepreneurs’ satisfaction with the municipalities’ service has been carried out. In the survey, the companies were able to rate the municipality’s service in fire protection, building permits, land grants, environmental and health protection, food inspection and service permits. This is presented in the satisfied customer index (NKI). The results are presented in the report Open comparisons Insight.

As a whole, Region Gotland receives a customer satisfaction index (NKI) of 68 on a hundred-point scale, where NKI 62-69 corresponds to an approved rating, 70-80 a good rating and NKI 80 or more very high customer satisfaction. The overall result is two units better than last year’s NKI 66.

– It is good and important that we have a positive development. At the same time, we cannot be satisfied, we have high goals and all our efforts throughout the organization must continue purposefully. Establishing and running a business on Gotland should be easy. We need to maintain our close cooperation and developed dialogue with business, and Region Gotland’s service is improved in order to jointly create the best possible conditions for more growing companies on Gotland, says Meit Fohlin, chairman of the regional board.

Region Gotland receives the highest score in fire protection, with an NKI of 80, followed by food control and serving permits, both of which receive an NKI of 73. This is followed by land grants, with a result of 70, and environmental and health protection, with 64. As regards the authority area building permits , where customer satisfaction is still rated as very low, the value has increased from 39 to 45.

– Dialogue and customer advice are two of the issues we need to work on, long-term and systematically. We are in a process of change and the building permit department has started a journey that will make it easier for Gotland’s entrepreneurs. Last year we made it easier for citizens and entrepreneurs to follow their matters digitally and we have now started purposeful work with customer advice in the early stages. I am happy that we now see clear signs that it is starting to produce results and will work hard to make it easier for business, says Lise Langseth, Director of Community Development.

In addition to the NKI, the satisfied procurement index has also been measured since two years ago. NUI measures how satisfied bidders are with the municipalities’ execution of procurements. Region Gotland’s NUI has increased, from 56 for 2022 to an NUI of 63 for 2023.

– It is positive that Region Gotland’s procurement index has increased. The results from NUI, together with other survey results as well as views and questions from business, form an important basis for our development work. We are continuing the development of Region Gotland’s purchasing work so that we can carry out good deals for everyone, says Nanna Sörling, head of procurement.

Region Gotland’s position in the ranking has gone from 188 for the year 2022 to 187 for the year 2023.

– This year we have improved our position in the ranking by one step. This is definitely a step in the right direction, even if the work for a really good business climate on Gotland still needs more focused efforts. Now and going forward, our focus is partly on clarifying what Region Gotland needs to develop internally and partly on intensifying the dialogue with business. We also want to take the opportunity to thank the companies that answered the survey and thus contribute to the development work, says Sanna Palomaa, growth manager.

Open comparisons Business climate is a service measurement of the municipalities’ exercise of authority vis-à-vis businesses. Seven areas are measured; fire protection, building permit, land grant, environmental and health protection, food inspection, serving license and procurement. Questions are asked in six service areas; information, accessibility, treatment, competence, legal certainty and efficiency.

The measurement includes the key figures NKI, customer satisfaction index, and NUI, procurement satisfaction index. The results for areas Procurement are reported separately in a so-called NUI measurement.

Open comparisons Business climate is primarily a tool for the municipalities’ business development. In this year’s survey, 213 municipalities participated in the NKI survey and 106 municipalities in the NUI survey for procurement.

Get more information and the report Open comparisons: Business climate 2023, skr.se