User satisfaction with federal e-government Web sites leveled off after nine months of steady improvement, according to the latest quarterly findings of the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The new data shows a slight decline to an aggregate government Web site score of 71.9 from the December index score of 72.1 on the ACSI’s 100-point scale. The index indicates that agencies could improve by focusing on specific citizen priorities. Of the government Web sites measured last quarter, 35 percent showed a decline in customer satisfaction, 33 percent remained flat and 31 percent increased—evidence of the uphill struggle agencies face to constantly improve the public’s perception of their services.

The findings come in on the heels of a recently issued Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guideless for federal government Web sites that set new standards for performance. The guidelines include a requirement that the sites be “citizen-centric.” The ACSI e-Government Satisfaction Index is the leading measure of citizen satisfaction with 59 government Web sites.

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