Simple Customer Satisfaction Measurement Tool
By Jodi L. Medley-McMahon, © October 2004
Introduction
Small companies often find that compliance to the requirements of ISO 9001:2000 can be a daunting task,
depending on the source they use for ideas. The ISO 9001 standard now requires that a company monitor
feedback (specifically perception) from customers as to whether the organization has met requirements
(see ISO 9001:2000, clause 8.2.1). The monitoring of perception is typically translated by a company to
mean a measure of customer satisfaction. Companies often choose to create and mail out a survey. There
have been several good books written about measuring customer satisfaction that go beyond the survey,
but the suggestions and tools are not always practical for a small company to implement. Since the ISO
9001 standard specifically states that the methods for obtaining and using the information are up to the
organization, a company has a lot of simple options at its disposal. This article offers one such option.
Small companies often do not offer a wide variety of products and services, and the customer base is
smaller, so a simpler tool for measuring satisfaction may work well. Sending out surveys takes time, and
the return rate is usually not very good. The process described here is something that can be done while
someone at your company is talking to the customer, either in person or on the phone. If phone calls are
made, the entire process takes approximately four hours to complete. If more customers are added, the
process would take longer. All the customers do not have to be surveyed on the same day, or even by the
same person. The tool is very versatile.
The form and the instruction for filling it out are integrated, to provide as much help to the user when
completing the form. The flow diagram that describes the process covers the steps leading up to using the
form and recording the data. Data analysis and taking action are separate processes.
The Process
Using Instruction
ABC, do the
following:
Sales chooses a list of
customers for the “survey”.
Choose sample based on
importance to company.
Surveyor: Carry out the
survey with the customer
when talking to them for
another reason. Follow the
form’s instructions. Record
comments in Feedback
area of the form.
Sales put List of Customers
on Customer Satisfaction
form and fill in term for the
survey period.
Surveyor: send the
completed forms to
Quality Manager.
Sales provide form to the
persons completing the
survey with the customer
and/or assign persons to
complete for certain
customers
Quality
Manager
assess
feedback using
Instruction
XYZ.
Page 1 of 3
The Form
Customer Satisfaction Measurement
Insert Company Logo
Instructions:
1. When you speak to the customer on the phone, take the opportunity to ask these questions and record the
responses. You need to determine the satisfaction score from what the customer says.
2. Complete this for all the customers on the list by INSERT DATE. It takes less than 5 minutes to do this for a
customer.
3. Try to use one form for each customer. You can indicate the customer you spoke to by checking the name on the
Customer List for Measurement.
4. Forward/e-mail to Quality Manager for analysis.
Customer List for Measurement:
Period:
INSERT
Check
Customer Name
Contact Name
Phone
Questions:
1. Product Quality: Can you provide examples or feedback regarding our product quality?
2. Delivery: Can you provide examples or feedback regarding our ability to deliver product on-time?
3. Communication: ask customer if we are meeting their needs for communication. What do we do well and where
could we improve?
4. Technical help capability: ask the customer if we are meeting their needs for technical help. What do we do well
and where could be improve?
In all cases, encourage the customer to make comments and write these down on this form. Use a separate piece of
paper if necessary. We want to get as much useful information as possible in order to assess the satisfaction level.
Scoring:
1: Needs immediate attention
2: Needs attention within the next 3 months
3: meeting basic requirements
4: meeting requirements almost all the time; meeting expectations
5: exceeding requirements and expectations
Feedback
Question 1
Product Quality
Question 2
Delivery
Question 3
Communication
Question 4
Tech. Cap.
© Medley-McMahon
Score
page 2 of 3
Summary
Although this form will not work for every company, it may provide an alternative to sending out a
traditional survey. You are going to talk to your customers anyway, so why not get the feedback directly
from them the next time you talk to them. Most customers do not have time to fill out a survey.
However, most customers would be willing to answers a few questions from you so you can then do an
analysis of their perception of their satisfaction with your company.
© Medley-McMahon
page 3 of 3