By David F. Zirkle, PhD
Market researchers have known for quite some time that individuals become more reflective as the year winds down. Human nature drives most of us to assess the past year and plan for the coming one. This would seem an ideal time to approach clients to assess their level of customer satisfaction. However, the “hustle and bustle” of the season makes it difficult to reach many of these individuals.
So, can you still reach out to customers now and expect any meaningful response that justifies your time and effort? Many organizations have found the holiday season a great time to connect with customers without feeling the need to sell or market their products and services. Consider this time to re-connect with key clients and perhaps ask a couple of questions regarding their satisfaction with your services over the past year. For healthcare organizations, this could include the medical staff, primary care physicians, practice managers, or clinic and office staff.
If your organization decides to use the holiday to reach out and connect with customers and clients, there are generally two issues to be addressed. First, what questions should be asked, and second, what scale should be used to measure the responses?
What Questions Should Be Asked?
Remember that a lengthy survey with detailed questions is unlikely to be appreciated and receive much attention during an exceptionally busy time of year.
While the exact wording can be customized to satisfy most any setting, the question areas include:
As a result of doing business with us:
- How likely are you to make us your first choice again in the future?
- How likely are you to recommend us to family, friends, or business colleagues?
These two questions can easily be included on a postage paid/self-addressed post card along with a thank you note, small gift or token of appreciation. An introduction consistent with the time of the year can be included such as, “While we reflect on the past year and prepare for the coming one, we would like your feedback on the service we have provided.” Open-ended questions asking, “Why do you say or feel that way?” can also be used to better understand the customer’s responses to each of these questions.
These two basic customer satisfaction questions really get at the heart of the matter – an assessment that includes likelihood to use in the future and willingness to refer to others. No matter what the level of satisfaction, if it doesn’t drive these two behaviors in a positive fashion, then satisfaction isn’t sufficient and corrective action needs to be taken.
How Should Responses Be Measured?
Choosing the best scale on which to measure customer satisfaction can be a challenging task. The general rule of thumb is to select a scale that works and stick with it. Research firms will offer various arguments for the best scale to use in customer surveys, e.g. multiple choice, agreement/disagreement, four-point, five-point, seven-point, yes/no, etc. Regardless of the scale used, remember the goal of the research is a consistent approach that provides reliable information for making decisions and improvements.
Many market researchers have found advantages in using a 0-to-10 scale, where 10 means “extremely likely” and 0 means “not at all likely.” While others will work, the 0-to-10 scale has significant advantages including:
- Respondents often find the scale makes great intuitive sense based on past experience. For example, school grading systems often operate on a percentage basis, e.g. 90-100% = ”A”, 80-89% = ”B”, etc. As a result, most individuals can easily relate to these scores and don’t require in-depth instructions to use the scale in a consistent and reliable fashion.
- The “decimal” system is virtually universal in part because humans have ten fingers causing us to think and reason in units of 10. We all know what a “perfect 10” means whether it’s an Olympic gymnast or diver scoring a “10” or a basketball player receiving a “10” in a slam-dunk contest.
While this approach may seem too simplistic for many, this method is more likely to provide an accurate measure of real customer satisfaction and their future intentions. And it’s relatively easy to complete, even during the busiest time of the year.
So, consider using this time to thank your customers for their business during the past year, wish them well in the future, and at the same time gather information about their satisfaction in a meaningful and reliable way.