©1995ArthurAndersen&Co.S.C.,Allrightsreserved.4-14.TheCustomerSurveyCustomersurveysareperhapsthemostfamiliarofthemanytechniquesforassessingcustomerneeds.Frequentlyconductedtodeterminecustomersatisfactionlevels,aproperlyadministeredsurveyprovidesinsightintothoseattributescustomersdeemmostimportantintheirrelationshipwiththecompany.Thissectionbringstogethermanyofthelessonslearnedfromourresearchandclientengagementstoguidethereengineeringconsultantinthedevelopment,administrationandanalysisofacustomersurvey.Althoughthisdiscussionfocusesonthemoretraditional,paper-basedsurvey,wefindthatthebasicmethodsdescribedherealsoholdtrueformoreinnovativedeliveryvehiclessuchastouch-tonetelephonesurvey,videokiosksandothers.4.1BuildingInQualityUp-FrontCompaniesarefloodingthemarketplacewithpoorlydesignedsurveysandunder-thinkingtheprocessbywhichtheyconductcustomerresearch.Inonemanufacturer,itwasfoundthatoneofitscustomerscouldbesampledasmanyasthirtytimesduringtheownershipcycleofthecompany’sproduct.Inothercompaniesitiscommonforallsurveystobechanneledtoasingleindividualwhoanswersthemall-aresearcher’snightmare.Timeandenergyarethecurrencyofthe1990’sanditisessentialtodevelopcustomersurveysthatareefficient,yetprovidethenecessarydetailformanagementtopinpointareasforchange.Themostimportantsuccessfactorinconductingcustomersurveysisbuildingqualityinfromthestart-notafterthesurveyshavebeencollected.Alltheanalyticalhorsepowerintheworldwillnotextractvaluefromsurveysthathaveaskedthewrongquestionsoraskedtheminthewrongway.Werecommendthefollowingkeyqualitychecklistintheearlyphasesoftheprocess:þIncludecross-functionalrepresentationfromthecompanyduringsurveydesign.Thisbuildsthenecessarybuy-intotheprocessthataddscredibilitytotheresultsandrecommendationsderivedfromthesurveydata.þIncludeselectedcustomersintheidentificationoftheissuestobeaddressedbythesurvey.Thisinsuresthedatacollectedbythesurveywillrevealissuesofgreatestimportancetocustomers.þWorkthroughtheanalyticalframeworkup-front,thisinsuresthecollectionofusefulinformationthatprovidessolidanswerstovitalquestionswithoutclutteringthesurveywithnonessentialissues.4.2CustomerSurveyApproachOverviewThebasicapproachtoconductingacustomersurveycanbeviewedinfourphasesasdepictedinthefollowingillustrationandtable.Subsequentsectionsgivemoredetailofthetechniquesthatmaybeappliedineachphase.TheCustomerSurveyApproachPhase3Phase4SurveyDistributionandResponseDataAnalysisandReportingPhase2SurveyDevelopmentProjectPlanningPhase1CustomerNeedsAssessment©1995ArthurAndersen&Co.S.C.,Allrightsreserved.4-2ThumbnailDescriptionOfCustomerSurveyPhasesPhaseDescriptionDeliverables1.ProjectPlanningEstablishestheoveralldirectionandqualitycontrolfortheengagement.Careshouldbetakentoinvolveallrelevantstakeholdersincludingacross-functionalcompanyteamandrepresentativecustomers.Objectivesofthesurveymustbeclearlydefinedandagreedupon.þStatementofObjectivesþDetailedProjectPlanþTeamOrganizationþKickoffPresentation2.SurveyDevelopmentAcollaborativeeffortbythecompanyteam,industryexperts,andselectedcustomersidentifyingrelevantissuestodevelopaprecisionsurveyinstrument.Practicalconsiderationisgiventotherespondentsviewpoint,sothatsurveyitemsareeasilyunderstoodandanswered.þRankedCompany/CustomerIssuesþTestandFinalSurveyDocumentsþSurveyCoverLetterþInstructionsandSurveyItemsþSurveyTrackingMechanismsþDat...
