As a leader in a technology-driven world, you have many facts and figures that influence your decisions. Unfortunately, many times fact and figures do not tell the whole story about the issues or problems your community faces. Whether you are plagued by poor conversion rates or low resident satisfaction, quantitative numbers don’t always offer a path to resolution.
That is why taking the pulse of your residents’ perspective through custom surveys is so essential.
Today’s surveys are designed with behavioral economics in mind and are executed in ways that help attach personal stories to the numbers and provide actionable, qualitative data to help you make better decisions for your organization. From understanding resident satisfaction to achieving timely service recovery, surveys are often an underrated and underutilized tool that can help leaders and communities reach their short and long-term goals.
Knowing What Your Customers Think
It is easy to fall into the trap of believing you already understand what your residents are thinking. Especially, in the digital age where online reviews can give you access to anecdotal feedback instantly. However, what communities need to remember is that those online reviews only represent a small sample of your population; those prospects or residents who had enough initiative to write – whether it was out of anger or admiration. Surveys can capture the thoughts and feelings of a more complete representation of your community, giving a clearer picture of what your residents truly think.
Increasing Participation
To discover the root of your unresolved problems, you need to create an environment where residents will truthfully and dependably respond. A well-designed and well-executed survey is imperative to getting the actionable results you seek.
Surveys conducted by phone historically have a higher response rate than paper or email methods. Also, speaking directly to the interviewer allows the respondent to feel more connected and engaged. Callers should be warm and cordial, and use concise and comfortable language that encourages rapport with the resident. Each step in the process should be tailored to help increase participation and promote completion of the entire survey.
Getting the Timing and Process Right
When should you survey your customers? It all depends on what you want to know. Are you trying to solve overall community morale, or do you have an issue with prospect conversion? You can tailor surveys to identify and address different problems within the organization.
Practical communities don't view surveys as a one-time event. Your community changes with every employee and resident that enters and the thoughts and opinions of residents are not static. Consider surveying your residents at regular intervals to make sure you are consistently checking the pulse of your organization.
Taking Action
Use the information gained to make visible changes in your community in direct response to your residents’ thoughts and feelings. Inaction (or perceived inaction) can be detrimental to morale, as it looks as if you weren't listening to your residents’ concerns.
If the survey identifies opportunities for service recovery in real-time, be proactive! Addressing issues personally with your residents can go a long way in reestablishing trust in the community. Finally, you can utilize positive feedback gained as marketing testimonials to build your reputation and help others choose your community.
In a senior living industry inundated with data points and key indicators, it may seem like conducting resident surveys is just another way to add to the information overload. However, it’s just the opposite. Today’s resident surveys are intentionally designed to help you sort through all of the statistics to find meaning and create resolutions in your community.