Improving the Respondent Experience

in the United Kingdom

Julie Curzon/Debra Prestwood UK Office for National Statistics (ONS)

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Overview

• The aim of this programme of work

• Our strategy and why we need to do this

• Research findings and feedback from respondents

• Communication initiatives and what we hope to achieve

• Results of cognitive testing and evaluation

• Concluding comments and next steps

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The aim of this programme of work

Our overall aim is to:

• Improve the respondent experience when dealing with ONS

We want to:

• Identify and implement measures to help respondents complete ONS business surveys

• Help them understand why supplying their information is important, what it is used for and how ONS data can help their business.

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Our Respondent Strategy

ONS developed a Respondent Strategy

Identified 3 key principles:

• Provide more choice• Minimise impact• Improve how we communicate

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Why are we doing this?

• The economic climate and resultant pressure on respondents

• Risk of losing goodwill and impact on response rates

• To maintain quality of our outputs

• Reduce failure demand activity

• Maintain ONS reputation within the business community

• Respondent feedback

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Research findings (1)

Respondents wanted more information:

• About the survey organisation

• On why the survey is being conducted

• On the use of the statistical outputs

• Clarity on when and how to respond and their legal obligation

• How we maintain confidentiality of their information

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Research findings (2)

Respondents also wanted:

• Links to the web page where the relevant outputs were published

• To know how important their data are

Survey Statistics

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What have we been doing to improve business survey communication?

• Created a dedicated front line team dealing with incoming and outgoing respondent calls – a central point of contact.

• Developed a Charter for Business Survey Respondents

• Designed a database specifically for collecting respondent feedback

• Developed respondent information pages on the ONS website

• Standardising written communication e.g. re-designed questionnaire front pages and newly selected flyers

• Piloted use of e-mail for response chasing

• Introduced a continuous programme of quality assuring telephone conversations with respondents

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What did we hope to achieve?

• a reduction in response chasing calls• a reduction in calls to the Respondent Relations

Team seeking advice on relatively basic issues• encourage a more timely response• improve response rates and therefore the statistics

we produce• reduce respondent burden and improve the

respondent experience of ONS• increase the credibility of ONS business surveys i.e.

build trust, promote a consistent and corporate image of ONS

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Respondent Feedback Database

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Feedback on selection in 2013Top 5 surveys

Selection - How? Selection - Why? Selection How long?0

100

200

300

400

500

600

ABI/2 (Non-Production) Construction Output and Employment Survey

Financial Institutions Proving Survey MBS

RSI

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Top 5 issues in top 5 surveys

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Examples of improvements .....

• Respondent Information pages on website

• Questionnaire front page developments

• Newly sampled business information flyer

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CURRENT STYLEPROPOSED

Slide 17

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Survey purpose paragraph added (if not already present). The paragraph should:

• Provide respondents with information on the concrete use of the statistical output;

• Provide respondents with a link to the page where the relevant outputs are published;

• Emphasise how important the respondent’s data are (simply adding the words ‘imperative’ or ‘are key in contributing to....’ can alter the style and tone of the existing paragraph);

• Emphasise that it is their data that is used to produce key outputs (minor change to language e.g. many of the survey purpose paragraphs start with the words ‘The information supplied is used to estimate....’ when changing it to ‘the information you supplied is used to estimate...’ would be much better).

Contact details moved to one place so less clutter & easier to find

More visible deadline date

Clear message that compliance is required

BIG PROGRESS!.Addition of new user friendly URL to take respondents to respondent FAQ web pages – hopefully reducing unnecessary calls to RR. Have never been able to include this URL before!

More information on confidentiality – a key concern for respondents

Guidance will be provided on how to write these paragraphs, but we are also providing example paragraphs for surveys, and definitions of measures such as GDP, RSI etc

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Newly Selected Flyer

Old New

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Results of cognitive testing on the changes

Cognitive testing revealed that respondents…………

• had an improved understanding of who ONS is and what the data is used for

• were reassured that the survey request is legitimate and their response was legally required

• understood the nature of the survey request and what to do next

• had a basic understanding of why their business was selected to take part in the survey

• located the return date easily; were clear about when the questionnaire should be returned; easily identified contact information

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Other findings

Importantly, the changes we have introduced have not

had any detrimental affect on response

• Decrease in volume of incoming calls

• Response rates increased

• More timely response

• We recognise one size does not fit all

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What next?

• A survey calendar that gives respondents an indication of when they can expect to receive a survey

• Introduce more survey specific FAQs on Web• Roll out the new questionnaire front page and flyer across

further business surveys• Improve customer service by developing coaching

workshops on dealing with difficult conversations• Launch of podcast through social media• Explore how we can provide personalised statistical

feedback

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Conclusion

• We have taken a practical approach so far and are encouraged that we seem to be on the right track

• We recognise there is much more to do

• We will continue to explore how we can improve the experience and balance the needs of business survey respondents and statistical users through learning and work sharing with international colleagues.

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Questions