NorthSky Nonprofit Network Creating Customer Satisfaction Surveys

1. NorthSky Nonprofit NetworkCreating Customer Satisfaction Surveys Presented by Christine A. Ameen, Ed.D. Ameen Consulting & Associates (ameenca@ameenconsulting.com)

2. Agenda • Defining who is your customer • What questions do you want to ask and why • Qualitative versus quantitative questions • What scale to use • Tips for writing questions • How to get the feedback • How to analyze the responses • Using what you learn.

3. Definition: Customer A customer may be: • Someone who uses your services • Someone who pays for services • Someone who refers clients to you • Who else?

4. What Questions Should I Ask? The typical key elements to ask about: • Physical Surroundings • Procedures • Interactions with Staff • Timeliness • Understanding of client need • Outcomes • General Satisfaction.

5. Some cautions about questions • Don’t ask a question for which you don’t want the answer! • Don’t ask a question that is “nice to know” • Don’t ask for demographic information unless you are going to use it; if you ask, make answering optional.

6. Step 1: List your questions CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WORKSHEET 1

7. Quantitative and Qualitative • Quantitative questions result in answers that are “numerical”, e.g., a rating • Qualitative questions are open-ended and require the respondent to write an answer • Use both in customer satisfaction tools.

8. What scale to use • Avoid using “yes/no” responses in data collection for questions where a scale can be used • Consider using an even-numbered scale, e.g., 4 points, to avoid a middle point where the respondent can go to avoid making a choice • Most scales have between 4 and 7 points. Fewer than 4 makes it more difficult to show change; more than 7 may be confusing to the respondent • The points on scales should be anchored with language that helps guide how they’re to be used (e.g., 1=not at all; 3 = sometimes, etc.).

9. What scale to use: Examples The frequency scale: Not at Rarely Sometimes Often All the All Time 1 2 3 4 5 Lead in: How often do you do the following things

10. What scale to use: Examples The importance scale: Not at all Somewhat Very Important Important Important 1 2 3 4 5 Lead in: To what extent are the following things important to you

11. What scale to use: Examples The agree scale: Strongly Disagree Undecided Agree Strongly Disagree Agree 1 2 3 4 5 Lead in: To what extent do you agree with the following statements

12. Tips for Writing Questions • Start with an easy question first • Put the most important questions at the beginning • Ask only one question at a time • Don’t use abbreviations unless you define them • Avoid leading questions, e.g., “to what extent do you agree that our program is great?”

13. Tips for Writing Questions • Be culturally sensitive • Usually, the shorter the question, the better • Identify time frame if that is important • Organize questions according to content or the type of scale used • Demographic questions are asked last if at all • Include instructions right on the tool.

14. Step 2: Select your scale and rewrite your questions CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WORKSHEET 1

15. A QUICK EXAMPLE • Patient Satisfaction Survey SAMPLE

16. TRY IT OUT FIRST • Pilot test your survey • Use clients or people who are similar to your clients • Test with 10-15 participants • Ask them to suggest language for any question that was confusing • Ask them for advice on how to get people to participate

17. How to get the feedback • Who to survey? • Entire population • Sample of population • How to survey? • Email the survey • Email a link • Administer during or after an event • Don’t put it in the mail!

18. How to get the feedback • Explain what the survey is for and how you will use results • Guarantee confidentiality and/or anonymity • Explain what to do if participant doesn’t want to answer a question • Include a due date for completion.

19. How to get the feedback • Assure participants that their answers will not affect the services they receive • Consider incentives: • A drawing for a prize • Everyone gets a small gift certificate • Other ways?

20. A word about emailing surveys • Create an interactive PDF file • Create an interactive Word file • Include very specific instructions about how to open, complete, save and send the file back to you.

21. A word about using web-based surveys • Create your survey using Zoomerang (www.zoomerang.com) or Survey Monkey (www.surveymonkey.com) • Basic analysis services are available with these options • You email the link to your survey on the website

22. How to analyze results • Percentages of types of responses: • 30% said not at all • Averages: • On a scale of 1 to 5, the average was 3.8 • Percentages of categories of responses: • 65% made a positive comment about the intake process

23. Putting it all together • CSQ-8: CSQ-8 • CSQ Excel File

24. Using what you learn 3.7 3.4 3.5 3.6 2.9 2.6 3.7 3.7

25. Using what you learn • Set your benchmark before you start • Base conclusions on 30 or more surveys • If you make changes because of this feedback, tell staff • If you make changes because of this feedback, tell clients

26. Thank you for attending my session today! If you have any feedback for how I can improve my training style or content, please email me your suggestions! (ameenca@ameenconsulting.com)