Customer Surveys
Creating a valid and reliable survey is something best done by experts.
However, you need to understand what should be in a survey in order to be a good
judge of surveys. The use of general questions such as "rate how well the customer
service desk met your needs" is a good question to know how the desk personnel are
doing overall, but will not provide you with useful data to help improve if customers say
do do not think the desk personnel are doing very well.
In creating a survey, you need to think about the
"core process"
of your site. What business are they in? What are the major components? What
customer groups should be surveyed (there are usually more than one customer group for any
process). What are you trying to accomplish? Are you looking for a feel good report
card, or data to improve?
The following information is how experts would go about designing a
survey. You should think about this (from Quinn article) in designing a simple survey for
your assignment.
Multiple Paths to Obtaining Customer Knowledge
Ask customers (e.g., formal and informal interviews, casual conversations, focus
groups, etc.).
- Direct experience of people involved in delivering services (e.g., admission clerks,
nurses, social workers, physicians, etc.).
- Other information sources (e.g., statistics on utilization, letters written by
customers, verbatim comments on surveys, etc.).
- Research methods directly involving customers of the people who provide services to
customers.
Designing a Customer Measurement System
Step 1:
Use less structured research methods for determining customer
needs, expectations, and delights.
Direct observation.
Participant observation.
Individual interviews.
Focus group interviews.
Content analysis of spontaneous letters and comments (complaints and praises).
Process flow diagrams.
Step 2:
Use more structured methods to prioritize what is important to
customers.
Mapping major dimensions/indicators of quality.
Identifying quality characteristics of each dimension/indicator.
Planning and conducing a pilot test (who, when, where, how, data collection forms, and
interpretation).
Step 3:
Use structured methods for measuring quality based on customer judgments.
Personal interview.
Telephone interview.
Self-administered questionnaire.
