Customer satisfaction survey?

[ddubois]

My son's are joining a very small troop, and I've just stepped up to be the Troop Membership Chair.  One of my prescribed functions is to "Have an annual customer satisfaction survey done with current Scout families".  I am unable to find an existing survey to distribute, and would prefer not reinventing the wheel.  Plus, I'm not sure what I would ask.

 

Also, I wonder how useful a survey would really be.  I'm thinking maybe this sort of thing might be better done as phone conversations, particularly to reach out to no-longer-active members, to get feedback about what would have kept them in the program.

 

YIS,

-Dan

[Krampus]

My son's are joining a very small troop, and I've just stepped up to be the Troop Membership Chair.  One of my prescribed functions is to "Have an annual customer satisfaction survey done with current Scout families".  I am unable to find an existing survey to distribute, and would prefer not reinventing the wheel.  Plus, I'm not sure what I would ask.

 

Also, I wonder how useful a survey would really be.  I'm thinking maybe this sort of thing might be better done as phone conversations, particularly to reach out to no-longer-active members, to get feedback about what would have kept them in the program.

 

YIS,

-Dan

We use Google Forms. Very easy to set up, tracks your data and you can import in to a spreadsheet. It is online so people can even go back and edit their responses if you like. It is better than SurveyMonkey because you can literally do whatever you want.

 

In regard to questions, check out what others have done in this area.

[CalicoPenn]

I'm sorry - a what?  A Customer Satisfaction Survey?  For a Boy Scout Troop?  Whoever is asking for that really needs to get trained so they understand the Scouting program.  It's not a business and your families/Scouts are not "Customers".

 

There are two opportunities for every rank to see how satisfied the Scouts are (I don't really care if mom and dad are satisfied - I already know they'll never be satisfied because parents tend to have agendas quite separate from the Scouts).  Your "surveys" are the Scoutmaster Conference and the Board of Review.  The Scoutmaster Conference is a great opportunity for the Scoutmaster to not only give feedback to the Scout but to get feedback from the Scout.  The Board of Review?  Beyond making sure that all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed in his book, this is the opportunity for the committee, through the BOR to see how satisfied or dissatisfied the Scouts are with the program, with the Troop, with the leaders.  The best BOR's are not just a review of the Scout but are also a Scout's review of the Troop.

 

Not to mention all the informal opportunities to take a satisfaction pulse of the Troop like around campfires, or during meal preparation, or while out on a hike - just casual conversations between adults and boys.  Don't forget the PLC - every time they meet there should be some time for the Patrol Leaders to report back on what their lads want more of and want less of.

 

That's all the "Customer Satisfaction Survey" that you need. 

[Krampus]

That's all the "Customer Satisfaction Survey" that you need. 

 

Actually, not really.

 

You get feedback from your Scouts using those methods. But successful units have done quite well using feedback surveys to query their parents, MBCs and other folks to get program ideas that might not otherwise filter up through the boy ranks. The ideas are then filtered back through the PLs and PLC as input from the adults. 

 

This is no different than sending Timmy home to get ideas on where to camp based on family camp outs or vacations. And since different people communicate differently, this is yet another means of collecting data, just like a parent meeting or paper survey.

 

I've seen units doing surveys all the time since I was a kid. They would poll parents and families on all sorts of issues (fund raising, dues increases, family camp out dates/locations, etc.). TC's do it all the time. This is a modern update to something that's been going on for decades.

[Stosh]

I rely on exit interviews over the phone with boys that have dropped the program. 

 

What they like is handled every time the patrols meet.

 

What they don't like is caught at the exit interviews.

[Eagledad]

I find the parents are more forward than the scouts. Scouts don't like these kinds of discussions. Parents know and don't mind explaining the truth. 

 

Barry

[Beavah]

If you're really a small troop then I reckon you'd be better havin' conversations, eh?  It would just be on you to make sure yeh took the time to have a conversation with everybody, rather than just da folks who are easiest to talk to.   I wouldn't do group conversations, because often folks in groups stay mum in da face of louder personalities.

 

For a bigger unit, doin' a survey isn't a bad thing.  It at least gives folks an outlet without disruptin' anything else.    Plus, Scoutmasters spend their time with kids and sometimes miss warnin' signs from parents.

 

I would encourage yeh to structure any survey in terms of positives though, eh?  Don't ask lots and lots of "what's wrong with us?" questions or yeh might just get a gripefest.  Start with things that they like most about da program, what positive things the troop can build on, what da next steps are to continue to enhance the program.  Are there boys that they feel have really helped their son? (it's always great to give a PL or older scout some positive feedback at his next BOR).  Is there some skill they'd really like to share with the troop? (look to encourage volunteerin' and productive engagement).

 

Suggestions for improvement will naturally out on their own, but you might miss lots of good things if yeh don't ask.   It also helps keep the tone of comments productive.

 

Beavah

[MtnScouter]

If you're really a small troop then I reckon you'd be better havin' conversations, eh?  It would just be on you to make sure yeh took the time to have a conversation with everybody, rather than just da folks who are easiest to talk to.   I wouldn't do group conversations, because often folks in groups stay mum in da face of louder personalities.

 

For a bigger unit, doin' a survey isn't a bad thing.  It at least gives folks an outlet without disruptin' anything else.    Plus, Scoutmasters spend their time with kids and sometimes miss warnin' signs from parents.

 

I would encourage yeh to structure any survey in terms of positives though, eh?  Don't ask lots and lots of "what's wrong with us?" questions or yeh might just get a gripefest.  Start with things that they like most about da program, what positive things the troop can build on, what da next steps are to continue to enhance the program.  Are there boys that they feel have really helped their son? (it's always great to give a PL or older scout some positive feedback at his next BOR).  Is there some skill they'd really like to share with the troop? (look to encourage volunteerin' and productive engagement).

 

Suggestions for improvement will naturally out on their own, but you might miss lots of good things if yeh don't ask.   It also helps keep the tone of comments productive.

 

Beavah

 

I'm likin' this reply very much! I think I'll squirrel it away in my bag o' trix for that moment most needful, which unless I missed my guess entirely, will come in just a mere handful of months.  

[qwazse]

Agree with Beav. Have an open-ended conversation with someone from each family. Both parents if possible. But, sometimes a simple conversation with younger siblings could tell a lot. A boy's sister might have something to say about what she envies most about your troop (or doesn't like about adults' or boys' attitudes).

 

One very useful question: "Do you or your family have someplace nice where a patrol (or two) could camp?" That's information that the boys can immediately take advantage of!

[T2Eagle]

A few cautions for you.  First, make sure that as a troop you're actually willing to do things differently if that's the feedback you get.  I have seen organizations, for profit and non profit both, gather data like this and then spend all their energy explaining why nothing can actually change.  If you're not willing to respond don't ask because people will be more unhappy if they are broadly ignored. Next, remember you cannot make everyone happy, you may get conflicting ideas, you may get too many good ideas.   Make sure everyone has realistic expectations that even good ideas may not be able to be enacted --- all resources, including time and energy are finite.  When I took over as SM a previous SM warned me that a lot of people would have a lot of good ideas about things I should do. Finally, be transparent, let people knowmthe results and let them know what if anything you do with the information.

[SSScout]

Cal has the first good idea,  but there is no reason why one could not do a second:   The choice is whether (a BIG unit) you set up the Survey Monkey or whatever and email out the www.address,com  or (small unit) you write up some questions (poll the committee members, the SM, ) and telephone them IN PERSON (what a concept! talking to people!) to ask for their responses.   That way, you might even get some ideas that were not initially thought of when the q's were first listed. 

[ddubois]

Man, I totally forgot about this thread, and missed most of these replies.

 

I'm sorry - a what?  A Customer Satisfaction Survey?  For a Boy Scout Troop?  Whoever is asking for that really needs to get trained so they understand the Scouting program.

 

FYI, "Have an annual customer satisfaction survey done with current Scout families" is directly from:

http://www.scouting.org/Home/Membership/Youth_Recruitment/Membership_Chairman/cubscout.aspx.  Granted, that's ostensibly for Cub Scouts, but I find your reply overly dismissive.

 

For the record, all my efforts as membership chair were entirely unsuccessful.     I passed out several hundred fliers at 3 different middle schools during their open house.  I called and emailed reaching out to three different Packs (with no preexisting proscribed feeding-to-Troop) to attempt to establish a relationship and offer the Troops' services to to their Pack.  I met with District Key 3.  I passed out fliers during fundraising efforts.  I went to an after-school program and gave a speech and threw out candy.  We tried to get our Charter Organization to start a new Pack.  During my tenure with the Troop, we got zero boys to join, except one sibling who turned 11, and now I'm yoinking my two boys, as we are moving north 2 hours.  I'm pretty distraught because with two boys aging out soon, this Troop, that has existed for 80+ years, will be down to 6 boys and this risk losing their charter soon. 

 

I now I am volunteering for the vacant District Membership Chair position at my destination!  I hope I can be more effective this time. 

[Stosh]

Man, I totally forgot about this thread, and missed most of these replies.

 

 

FYI, "Have an annual customer satisfaction survey done with current Scout families" is directly from:

http://www.scouting.org/Home/Membership/Youth_Recruitment/Membership_Chairman/cubscout.aspx.  Granted, that's ostensibly for Cub Scouts, but I find your reply overly dismissive.

 

For the record, all my efforts as membership chair were entirely unsuccessful.     I passed out several hundred fliers at 3 different middle schools during their open house.  I called and emailed reaching out to three different Packs (with no preexisting proscribed feeding-to-Troop) to attempt to establish a relationship and offer the Troops' services to to their Pack.  I met with District Key 3.  I passed out fliers during fundraising efforts.  I went to an after-school program and gave a speech and threw out candy.  We tried to get our Charter Organization to start a new Pack.  During my tenure with the Troop, we got zero boys to join, except one sibling who turned 11, and now I'm yoinking my two boys, as we are moving north 2 hours.  I'm pretty distraught because with two boys aging out soon, this Troop, that has existed for 80+ years, will be down to 6 boys and this risk losing their charter soon. 

 

I now I am volunteering for the vacant District Membership Chair position at my destination!  I hope I can be more effective this time. 

 

To me, handing out flyers is not the same as taking a survey.  One needs to have a means of getting feedback from those who are contacted.

 

One cannot rely on simple "advertising" existing programs in the way flyers are intended to do.  One needs to get the true pulse of the community being surveyed to find out what it is that will provoke them to inquire further.  All the flyers do is tell them of an opportunity and give them the "take it or leave it" option for them to consider.  A survey on the other hand will allow them to identify for you what it is that they would like to have beyond the only choice of what is now being offered.

 

If I were to send out a survey to all students in the target area and only 10% of them are genuinely interested in an outdoor program, 40% in STEM and 50% in careers, it will tell me in which basket I ought to be putting my eggs. Without that information one is only guessing at what the "customer" wants.  If I'm selling rag dolls and everyone wants Legos, I'm in the wrong business.

 

As mentioned in another of my posts today, I started 42 new units with using real surveys instead of just standing on the street corner handing out flyers.

 

I am a firm believer it would be more beneficial to all to leave the tree standing than wasting my time handing out flyers.