01/12/09 Online Satisfaction Surveys Get Results

The introduction of online satisfaction surveys can drastically improve the level of customer feedback. A pilot exercise conducted by Rightpath Claims showed a response rate of 80% within 3 days, with 82% of respondents also offering separate comment.

Speaking about the importance of customer feedback, Paul Staples, Client Services Manager for Rightpath Claims, explained that: “As a service organization, an understanding of how your operation is measured against your own criteria is inadequate. Given the largely intangible nature of service, much of the quality of service received is subjective and depends on the needs of each individual customer. Therefore, it is what they think about your service that is critical in measuring how successful you have been in meeting their needs.”

Not only do online satisfactions surveys cost nothing to collect, from the customer’s perspective they are easy to access and complete, and gives them an important means to become heard. 

One of the obstacles you have to overcome is the need to help the customer distinguish between their feelings toward the claim outcome (which is largely out of the claims handler’s control) and their views on the claims experience (which is within their control). Paul Staples explained that “the first question we included on the survey captured their thoughts on the claims outcome before then enquiring about the service. This enabled us to get what we feel is a much more accurate view on the service we deliver. Whilst there was a small element of dissatisfaction on the claims outcome, which is almost inevitable, this did differ from the service satisfaction results which showed a 100% satisfaction rate”.