Time to Dissatisfied Customer

Farrokh Alemi, Ph.D.October 2006

Wasteful Surveys

• Too much money spent on too many surveys• Too many patients asked to participate• Too much time taken

Wasteful Surveys

• Too much money spent on too many surveys• Too many patients asked to participate• Too much time taken

Two Stage Sampling

1. Sampled patients are asked one question2. Patients with extreme responses are asked

to give reasons

First Question

• Were you satisfied with your care?• Delighted, exceeded my expectations• Satisfied• Not sure• Dissatisfied• Did not meet my minimum expectations

Asked from a random sample of patients

One Question Survey

Less burden on the patientsImproved response rate

Same Results with Less Data

Time to Dissatisfied Customers

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Consecutive Visits

Num

ber o

f Pat

ient

s D

issa

tisfie

d

Upper Control Limit

Same Results with Less Data

Time to Exceeding Expectations

0

1

2

3

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13

Consecutive Visits

Num

ber o

f Pat

ient

s D

elig

hted Upper Control Limit

Second Survey Provides Reasons for Dissatisfaction

Not only whether the process is changing but also why is it changing

Second Survey

• Check who was involved?

Physicians Nurses Food and dietary X-ray and laboratory Other, please specify:

• Tell us what went wrong? What worked well?

Asked from only those whose expectations we have exceeded or whose minimum expectations we have

not met

One Question Survey

Less cost to the organization

Cost per 100 Responses

Number of people surveyed

First survey

Second survey

Response rate

Cost per 100

Responses

Traditional approach 100 0 30 5000

Proposed approach 100 5 85 441

$15 per survey

$3 per postcard

$15 per survey

Take Home Lesson

Time to dissatisfied customer monitors if changes have led to improvement and saves time & money