Clients, are forever being questioned on how well a particular service or product lived up to their expectations. And rightly so, because the satisfaction survey is one of the most important tools a provider has for self-reflection and making improvements or shaping behaviour. Whether it’s lessons learned, honing in on best practices or merely gaging how well a new methodology works, the survey is an invaluable tool. But how do you choose the questions to include in a satisfaction survey and how do you engage a client in disclosing information about the process?

Customize Topics to Fit Not Only Project, But Role

Approach the design and format of your survey  based on not only the project itself, but also, the specific role you play in the process. If you work closely with small teams, it may be appropriate to include several questions on communication strategies and how stakeholders felt the transfer of information was handled. In other cases, accountability may be more of an issue. Remember, you can easily adjust the individual questions to fit the client. It is critical to customize topics to fit the project and the specific role.

An Ongoing Process – Use Real Time Feedback

Use the feedback you have been getting from your client to create relevant questions. It is important at the start of the project to obtain the client’s expectations. Then during the project establish a a feedback process as how the project tracks to those expectations.

People may not want priovide feedback during the project, but it gives them the opportunity  to reflect, and they may open up later. If in the middle of the process, there’s something that isn’t going well, make an effort to conform what has changed in terms of client expectations… Real time feedback from your client is an ongoing process and this information is critical for designing, revising and updating your survey results.

Open Ended Versus Closed Questions

One of the inherent difficulties in designing a survey is to learn how to keep the client engaged and interested. Many clients simply do not have the time to sit down and write out full answers to long, detailed questions. And while this information is critical for a full picture of the situation, it is not realistic to expect a client to satisfy your request. The remedy? Use a combination of open ended and closed questions. Add a few “yes” “no” questions or multiple choice to keep the client engaged.

Putting it All Together Create Conversations  With Stakeholders

What’s ultimately more important than getting full answers to your questions is creating an ongoing conversation with your client. Providing a means to discuss feedback is an essential part of continuing the conversation in the future. If your questions are left blank or you are not satisfied with the feedback, you can always invite your client for coffee or lunch to discuss the project. At that time, it’s easier to engage them in a deeper conversation in order to fill in the blanks.