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Proactive disclosure Print version   | |  Guidelines for Client Satisfaction Measurement Activity 5. Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Unclear objectives A challenge with any form of research or consultative process is to ensure that objectives are clear. Ideally, client satisfaction measurement objectives should be closely linked to strategic and operational business line goals and may form part of a broader performance measurement framework. You should carefully review corporate and operational plans and priorities to ensure an appropriate fit between your client satisfaction objectives and these broader goals. On a more practical level, it is not uncommon to invest a significant amount of time and energy on an initiative only to find out later that key questions remain unanswered. Be sure to take time to be specific about what you want to learn from the study. Prepare a list of questions in advance and check them regularly against your methodology and data collection instruments to be sure you get what you want. Reviewing these questions with a colleague can help ensure that they are clearly understood. Also, be sure to identify how you will use the information once you have what you need.
Inappropriate methodology A common pitfall is choosing the wrong methodology to support the objective. Keep in mind that if your goal is to be able to draw definitive conclusions about the views of a client population, you will need to conduct quantitative survey research using probability sampling. If your goal is to explore issues, attitudes or concerns in order to obtain an indication of how clients may feel about an aspect of your product or service, you should use qualitative consultations. Design flaws Flaws in research design can occur in several forms. Examples include: too long/too many questions, poorly worded questions (e.g. leading, double-barrelled), poorly sequenced questions, sensitive or inappropriate questions, hard to understand questions. Remember that questions must have face validity; in the final analysis, they must make sense to the respondent. There is a tendency to be less formal or systematic when conducting focus group sessions and other small group consultations. This tendency shows up in several ways, including: failing to consider screening criteria to achieve an appropriate mix of panelists, not taking appropriate steps to manage group dynamics, failing to maintain a record of the proceedings.
Bias In order to maintain the integrity and credibility of your measurement initiative, you will need to take care to prevent actual or perceived bias when undertaking client satisfaction measurement initiatives. Bias can occur in several ways, including:
The risk of bias can be minimized by building arms-length protocols into the consultation process and by enlisting the help of experts. For example, experts in research design (contact NRCan Communications) can help ensure that data collection methods and instruments minimize bias. Third parties, such as internal or external consultants, who do not have a direct stake in the outcome of the initiative, can be used to provide an objective analysis or interpretation of the information obtained from clients.
Lack of documented procedures/not being systematic When undertaking formal measurement initiatives, it is important that you document the procedures taken so that those not familiar with the project background will be able to understand the context within which the research was carried out. This information supports the communications aspect of the outcomes and forms an essential component of the reporting phase of the initiative. Failure to document procedures is often a sign that the initiative has not been approached in a systematic manner and that short-cuts have been taken in the process which will undermine the credibility of the results.
Quantitative treatment of qualitative data A common pitfall occurs when qualitative information and feedback is treated as being representative of all clients. Remember that feedback from a small (non-probability) sample of clients yields findings that are indicative rather than definitive. Qualitative information should be combined with other lines of evidence in order to form more reliable judgements about the satisfaction of clients in general.
Lack of strategy for using information Treating client satisfaction as a process rather than event requires that you develop a strategy for putting the information you obtain to work. This may mean taking steps to better align programs, products, and services to client needs and expectations. Often, required changes will need the support of senior management and colleagues. Lack of communications Communicating the results of client satisfaction measurement initiatives to senior management, colleagues, staff and, in certain cases, clients themselves, is a key element of the strategy that is often lacking. Decide early in the measurement process how the information is to be used, including how, when, and to whom it will be communicated to achieve results. Choices for communication include: group information sessions, formal presentations, and electronic distribution via the Intranet (for staff only) or Internet.
"...for coordination purposes, a registry of initiatives occurring across
the Sector will be developed and maintained."
"Inform
your customers, especially those who participated in the survey,
of the survey results and your proposed improvements. This lets
them know that their input has value and that your organization
is sensitive to their needs. However, be careful not to oversell
- it is better to deliver more than you promise than to promise
more than you can deliver." 
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