Todd Hollander Market Research

Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
3. Get buy-in from managers 
4. Develop the process 
5. Create a schedule 
 

Step 6: Select a supplier

In Step 5, you created the schedule that will serve as the roadmap for the for the employee survey project. This is how to tackle the first five activities on the schedule and select a supplier for your survey.
 

1. Identify possible suppliers

If you already have one or more preferred suppliers, this step may not be needed. If you don’t have a short list yet, you need to create one. The quickest and most effective way to develop the list is to: 

• Ask for referrals from people you trust
• Search the internet for “employee survey provider”; “employee survey expert”; “employee survey company”; “employee survey consultant”; etc.
• Submit a Request for Information (RFI) to companies that appear to be good prospects
   

2. Request quotes

It is often assumed that a Request for Proposal (RFP) is the proper way to communicate with potential suppliers. However, at this point, unless you already have a preferred provider, an RFP is overkill. Instead, you should use a Request for Quote (RFQ). This is a much simpler document that enables suppliers to quickly provide the information you need to narrow the field. For more information about this useful tool, see "How to engage market research suppliers in the planning of your research - a Win-Win approach."

3. Review quotes

Assess the information provided by the suppliers to narrow the list to a select group of two to four candidates from whom you will request a formal proposal.

Bottom Line

Selecting the supplier for your employee survey can seem like a daunting task. Following this 5-step process will enable you to make a timely and informed decision.

Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
3. Get buy-in from managers 
4. Develop the process 
 

Step 5: Create a schedule

• Timing
• Responsibility
• Deadline

Example

For a typical employee survey, the schedule might look something like this:

Bottom Line

A clear, comprehensive, documented schedule is a critical component of an effective employee survey program.

Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
3. Get buy-in from managers 
 

Step 4: Develop the process

• Each significant activity
• The sequence of the tasks
• A brief description of each task

Staffing

Example

For a typical employee survey, the process might look something like this:

Bottom Line

A clear, comprehensive, documented process is a critical component of an effective employee survey program.

Previous Steps
1. Determine Objectives
2. Select a data collection method
 

Step 3: Get buy-in from managers

When a company contacts us about conducting an employee survey, it is often because one visionary person or a small group of people understands the importance of gathering employee feedback. The critical task then becomes convincing senior management of the need for an employee survey process. Without this buy-in from senior management, the chances that the survey will produce meaningful change in the organization are greatly reduced. The challenge can seem formidable, but by following a simple 3-step process, you can enlist the support you will need from the management team. Here’s how.

A. Present the need

Every company struggles with how to allocate resources to maintain satisfied and productive employees. In the absence of information about how employees view the workplace, important decisions affecting productivity, morale, retention, training, and benefits are often based on little more than anecdotal evidence or historical impressions. As a result, companies often either ignore significant problems or waste valuable resources trying to solve problems that don’t exist. A well-planned, well-executed employee survey process can ensure the optimal allocation of limited resources.

B. Present the benefits

The cost of employee dissatisfaction is simply too high to ignore. It is easy to measure the hard costs of disgruntled employees, with average turnover costs at or above 150% of the employees’ yearly salary. What is harder to measure is the loss of customers, prospects, productivity, and profitability caused by a negative company climate. A thriving corporate culture in which employees are excited about the company and their future can improve both productivity and profitability. The most effective means of achieving this climate is through a well-planned, well-executed employee survey process.

C. Present the objectives

Setting proper expectations is a key component of a successful employee survey process. To this end, it is imperative that the top decision-makers understand and agree to the specific objectives of the research. Now is the time to share the list of objectives you developed in Step 1: Determine Objectives.

Bottom line

Getting buy-in from managers is a critical step in developing an effective employee survey process. To avoid problems and surprises, make sure every key decision-maker agrees with the need, benefits, and objectives of the research.

In a recent post, I critiqued the invitation for a Technical Support survey from Apple. Here’s my review of the online survey.

Grade: B-

Pros

• The survey is short enough that a low percentage of respondents are likely to abandon the survey (exit without completing).
• The rating scales are well balanced
• It includes an open-ended question to capture additional comments and suggestions

Cons

• It lacks an instruction for a grid rating
• There is a separate question for a rating that could have been included in the grid
• The grid columns are a little too wide
• The button that says “Next Page” should read “Submit Survey”
• The survey ends on a closed-ended question instead of the one open-end

Details

(click on image to enlarge)

Bottom Line

This survey is likely to produce actionable information for Apple but needs a little tweaking to be more user-friendly.

I recently contacted Apple technical support via their online support form to solve a problem I was having with a download from the iTunes store. A few days later I received the following invitation to complete an online survey:

Dear Apple Customer:

Recently, you contacted Apple support using Apple’s online web support form. We’re very interested in getting your feedback regarding your support experience.

If you have a moment, we hope that you’ll take our support survey. The survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete. To get started, simply click on this web address or copy and paste the entire URL into the address field of your web browser.

http://abs.apple.com/ssurvey/survey.html?id=76B5F6C

The information you provide will be used to improve our product support and future offerings. We will not use information collected via this survey to sell you products or services. If you have additional questions about how Apple will use this data, please consult Apple’s privacy policy at http://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/.

We know you’re very busy and we appreciate the time you take to give us your thoughts and suggestions.

Sincerely,

The Apple Online Support Team

Note: We are unable to respond to messages sent to this survey e-mail account. Please call AppleCare, visit Apple’s support website, or visit an Apple Retail Store if you require further assistance.

Grade: A

Pros

This invitation conforms to 7 of the 8 best practices I detailed in “How to write an email invitation for an online survey,” (Dec. 17, 2007):

The survey invitation should communicate:

1. That the recipient is being invited to take part in a marketing research study
2. The purpose of the research
3. Who is conducting the research
4. How to complete the survey
5. How long the survey will take
6. What the the incentive is (if any)
7. How the privacy of survey respondents is protected
8. That the recipient can opt out of further contact with the sender

Cons

This invitation does not allow the recipient to opt out of future survey invitations. While not a fatal flaw, failing to include this option can have two negative consequences:

1. It may annoy or anger someone who would never participate in this type of survey, which could diminish the consumer’s perceptions of or satisfaction with the company.
2. It may cause some consumers to refrain from using the online support option in the future because they know it will provoke another survey invitation. As a result, they may opt to use telephone support, which is more expensive and less efficient for the company.

Bottom Line

This is an excellent invitation. With one addition I would recommend it as a template for online survey invitations.

Previous Step
1. Determine Objectives
 

Step 2: Select a data collection method

Online surveys are the most common method of data collection for employee surveys, followed by written surveys. Face-to-face and telephone interviewing methods are rarely used in employee research because they are generally too time-consuming, expensive and intrusive. The selection of the data collection method should be based on the following considerations:

1. Respondents

• Which method is most accessible?
• Which is most convenient?
• Which is easiest to use?
• Which assures the highest level of anonymity/confidentiality?

2. Company

• Which method is more cost-effective?
• Which offers the better potential for a high percentage of completed surveys?
• Which offers the most honest responses?
• Which offers the most thorough responses?

When all or most employees have access to the Internet from work, online surveys are almost always the method of choice because they offer a number of advantages over paper surveys, including:

• Higher response rate
• Faster turnaround
• More thorough responses
• More honest/candid feedback
• Ability to require responses to certain questions
• Flexibility to skip irrelevant questions and ask follow-up questions
• No data entry costs
• No data entry errors

When a significant percentage of employees lack Internet access from work, Intenet-connected computer kiosks can be provided in common areas such as cafeterias and break rooms. This approach retains the advantages of online surveying and is generally preferable to mixing methods (collecting some data via the Internet and the rest via written surveys).

Bottom Line

When selecting the data collection method for employee surveys, choose the one that offers the most benefits for both the respondents and the company.

The information from employee surveys should deliver valuable insight that creates positive change in the organization and improves the bottom-line. Before doing anything else, it is critically important to define the objectives of the research.

Most problems with employee surveys can be traced back to the objectives or the lack thereof. Avoid the temptation to jump into the middle of the process and start drafting a questionnaire or selecting a supplier. Until you have a set of clearly-defined objectives, nothing else matters.

Well-defined objectives are the best way to assure a good outcome for your employee survey. When the goals of the study can be expressed in a small set of clear and concise phrases or sentences, the rest of the process becomes considerably easier. One of the best ways to clarify your objectives is to decide how you intend to use the information. Be sure to commit the objectives to writing and refer to them at each stage of the process.

Here are some strategic and tactical objectives to consider when developing the employee survey process.

Strategic Objectives (Why you are doing the survey)

• Identify cost-saving opportunities
• Improve productivity
• Reduce turnover
• Strengthen relationships among managers and employees
• Assess training and education needs
• Improve communication
• Enhance understanding of, and alignment with, the company’s mission and values

Tactical Objectives (Key elements of a successful survey)

• Buy-in from management
• Buy-in from stakeholders
• Buy-in from employees
• High survey participation rate
• Candid feedback
• Positive employee perception of the survey process

Bottom Line

Setting meaningful objectives is the first step in a successful employee survey process.