CUSTOMER SERVICE SURVEYS
 
DO YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT THEY THINK?

In this age of instant competition, especially via the Internet, often the only difference between two organizations is the speed and quality of their customer service. The organizations that want to keep up find out—as accurately as possible, and as fast as possible—how their customers view them. And this applies within the organization as well. Departments and teams also need to know the responsiveness and quality of their service to their internal customers.

At Communication Excellence Institute, we have created an Internet-based Customer Service Survey, a highly effective way for gaining knowledge of the attitudes and perceptions of customers, both external and internal. Using customized online surveys, this method allows organizations to select just those issues in customer service that are most critical to them. Management then receives concrete information on its staff's communication and interpersonal behaviors toward its customers—from its customers!

Online, customers complete each of up to 50 survey items presented in scale format (typically 1-10), followed by space for prose comments after each one. This information is automatically converted into a management report in statistical, graphic, and prose formats—anonymously and confidentially. At a glance, the attitudes and views of customers are clearly seen. You can also add demographic items to segment classes of respondents. Because our surveys are so adaptable, you can also poll your own staff, using the same set of questions, and comparing their self-evaluation with that of the customers.

CEI's professional consultants bring to the Customer Service Survey process many years of high-level leadership experience in the corporate world, health professions, and higher education. Knowledgeable in both the public and private sectors, they apply their collective wisdom, grounded in practice and current theory, to the challenges of customer service and satisfaction. The survey and subsequent analysis reflect state-of-the-art survey research and practice.

The Internet-based Customer Service Survey is $5,000. This fee includes the design of a customized survey instrument for your organization, posting the instrument on a web page, and up to 10 copies of the confidential report of the results. If your organization wishes CEI to create and send pre-survey notices, follow-up communiqués, or any additional material that will boost the return rate of the survey, we will be happy to offer you a quote for these services.

Many organizations desire a telephone survey of their key customers. CEI survey specialists conduct excellent phone interviews, generating important and useful anecdotal evidence as well as some statistical information. Creating the interview protocol, leaving messages, conducting all phone calls (5-10 minutes each), and writing a report of the results are all billed at $250 per hour.

For more information on CEI's Customer Service Surveys or for a free consultation, please call the Institute at (800) 410-4CEI (4234) or e-mail us at cei@talk2cei.com.