ISLAMABAD: The Taxpayers’ Satisfaction Survey (2023) of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has covered 550 firms/ companies that are members of the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and members of Chambers of Commerce in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.

The survey sample targeted two major taxpayer groups: (i) businesses which were members of the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) and (ii) businesses which were members of Chambers of Commerce in Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.

A total of 550 firms were surveyed from both these groups based on membership listings across the three cities.

This sample size was sufficient to cover all four business types comprising sole proprietors, AOPs, private limited companies, and public limited companies. Note that 10 per cent of the sample included women-owned /represented companies. Of the 550 firms which were surveyed, 516 were confirmed to be registered taxpayers.

Hence, the valid responses considered for this exercise were based on these 516 businesses.

The planned modality was to conduct this survey online, through a customised survey software and associated weblink.

However, as a result of low online response rates, the online surveys were supplemented by telephonic surveys, as well as, physical visits in industrial and commercial areas across the three cities. Participation in the survey was voluntary and all data was obtained anonymously to ensure confidentiality of respondents. The data collection exercise was implemented during the month of January 2023.

There were a few limitations affecting the implementation of this survey.

First, due to the tax-oriented nature of the survey, there was hesitance on part of businesses in participating in this survey resulting in low response rates.

Second, the original modality of conducting this survey online proved sub-optimal; supplementary data collection techniques were deployed to meet the sample target in the given timeframe.

Third, while sample frames were drawn based on the PBC and Chambers’ member directories, this was applicable for online and telephonic surveys; on-ground surveys followed random walk method in selected industrial and commercial areas in the three cities with qualifier questions on membership of respective Chambers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023