Study this materials and list more difficult and critical thinking MCQ questions with answers: Methods forassessmen : Customer

surveys

In order to actively seek information about how clients view the laboratory$$s

service, it will be necessary to conduct surveys $($paper$-$based or electronic$)$

or to use interviews and focus groups. In this way the laboratory can

address specific questions to areas of concern, and can look at areas not

commonly covered by complaints or internal processes.

ISO standards put a heavy emphasis on the importance of customer

satisfaction; customer surveys are required in ISO $9001$ standards for

quality management systems. Any laboratory that implements a quality

management system, whether accredited or not, needs to use some method

for surveying clients in order to understand whether needs are being met.

To be successful, surveys should be carefully planned and organized.

Deciding which clients to ask to participate in a survey is important.

Surveying health care practitioners is often easier than surveying patients.

Laboratory staff can also be asked to participate in surveys and may offer

good suggestions for streamlining operations to improve customer service.

Any survey questionnaire should be pre$-$tested for clarity. When developing

material, avoid leading and biased questions. Be sure to analyze the results

in a timely manner, and, when possible, provide some feedback to the group

that has been surveyed.

If the survey is to be conducted using interviews, the following tips can be

helpful.

$$ Write out all questions in advance, so that everyone is asked the same

questions.

$$ After asking some specific questions about their satisfaction with the

laboratory, ask an open$-$ended question that allows customers to provide

honest feedback. For example, ask how the laboratory could improve its

service to you.

Employing focus groups can be a very useful technique for gathering

information on customer satisfaction. The process of a group discussion will

often elicit comments and ideas from all the participants that might not

otherwise surface. When conducting focus group discussions, consider the

following:

$$ assemble small groups of $8-10$ people;

$$ include people with diverse backgrounds and laboratory needs;

$$ start by asking questions that build trust;

$$ develop a focus group guide for consistency between groups;

$$ ask open$-$ended questions$$not $$yes or no$$ questions. Summarize verbal responses in a written report that can be used by the

laboratory as a tool to improve customer service.

Successful

surveys identify

OFI

When measuring customer satisfaction, whether by survey, indicators, or

audits, much will be learned when the method is successful. This

information and the insights on customer service that it provides can be used

to help the laboratory identify opportunities for improvement $($OFI$).$ The

OFI will lead to preventive and corrective actions.

Information gathering must lead to change in a continual improvement

process.