| I recently launched a FAQ campaign on IVR | | | | employees. Needless to say, the 10% response |
| Surveys, inviting existing clients and anyone who | | | | was not what they expected, and certainly was |
| wanted to participate to submit their questions | | | | not representative of their employee base; |
| regarding IVR Surveys. Surprisingly enough the | | | | therefore it was of little use in planning their |
| most popular question was, How can I increase | | | | benefits strategy change. They were very |
| my survey response rates when using IVR? I | | | | disappointed, I would be. The first reaction, by the |
| would like share a client story with you that will | | | | clients project team, was "Our employees don 't |
| help answer this question. I was recently | | | | use IVR ", and this is why so few responded. Our |
| consulting with a healthcare benefits group who is | | | | client called us immediately to ask for our opinion, |
| a client of our IVR outsourcing services, we | | | | and what could be done. Of course, as soon I |
| develop and host about a dozen surveys per | | | | heard where the invitation was inserted; basic |
| year for them. They were experiencing a 10% | | | | marketing 101 told me where the problem was. |
| response rate on a particular project, when the | | | | Since the client had already invested in developing |
| average for projects of this scope is about 30%. | | | | the survey, and had pre-paid for some |
| They chose IVR specifically because of the | | | | transactional services, I suggested that they |
| demographics they were targeting, and where | | | | conduct a small pilot, a mailing to 200 employees. |
| access to the internet was limited. The survey | | | | This was a simple post-card invitation, with the |
| invitation was part of a benefits package | | | | survey toll-free number, and access code, plus a |
| information kit sent out to 15,000 employees and | | | | compelling reason to call , "We are making |
| the package contained about 50 pages. If you | | | | changes to your benefits plan, and your opinion is |
| have worked in a large organization, or your | | | | important to us. " Printing and mailing were |
| employer offers you benefits I 'm sure you are | | | | cost-effective and the response rate jumped to |
| familiar with this type of package. Included in the | | | | 65%. Needless to say the client was ecstatic, and |
| package there was an invitation to participate in | | | | the next week, they mailed all 15,000 postcards, |
| an employee survey. The client thought they had | | | | achieving a 62% participation rate. Applying basic |
| this under control. The organization was relying on | | | | marketing principals to promoting surveys, |
| the results of this survey to tailor changes to the | | | | became part of our clients practice, and escalated |
| benefits package to the realities faced by | | | | the average survey participation rate for |
| employees, and the client wanted to obtain a | | | | employee surveys from 30% to over 50% |
| significant enough sample to make the changes | | | | where IVR access was provided. |
| that reflect the needs and wants of the | | | | |