Public service quality and its impact on citizen satisfaction: a formative experience in Ecuador

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between public service quality and user satisfaction, based on a training experience developed within the Decentralized Autonomous Municipal Government of Buena Fe, Ecuador. The intervention consisted of a training program aimed at officials from five strategic areas: Property Registry, Financial Directorate and Municipal Treasury, Transit and Land Transportation and Road Safety, Council Secretariat and Citizen Participation and Attention, and Municipal Commissioner’s Office. The program lasted seven weeks, with three-hour weekly sessions, and was delivered by seventh-semester students of the Public Administration program at the Technical State University of Quevedo, under the project’s academic supervision. The methodological approach was descriptive and applied, focused on strengthening competencies in effective communication, empathy, conflict resolution, quality management, and continuous improvement in citizen services. The sample was composed of 74 public officials selected intentionally. Data collection included direct observation, evaluation forms, and satisfaction surveys, allowing for both quantitative and qualitative insights. The results reveal a positive impact on officials’ willingness to adopt user-centered practices, as well as the identification of critical areas for improvement in operational efficiency and citizen attention. Furthermore, findings confirm that continuous training is a key strategy to strengthen citizen trust and enhance institutional legitimacy. The study concludes that the articulation between universities and public institutions represents a replicable model to raise management standards in the Ecuadorian public sector.