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As published in the Summer 2001 edition of Competitive Advantage, a publication of the American Society for Quality.

What Gets Measured Gets Done, Or Does It?

By Lucy Klausner, Vice President
Polaris Marketing Research, Inc.

More companies than ever are measuring their non-financial performance in attempts to improve business and retain both customers and employees. The problem is that not all are leveraging their measurements to improve their organizations.

"Isn't that why we're measuring in the first place?" says Paige Lillard of Turner Studios.

To get the most mileage out of customer and/or employee satisfaction programs, companies must prepare their corporate culture so what gets measured is what really gets done. They must select the right measurement and approaches, and then integrate the results into clearly communicated performance goals.

Companies that create an environment of continuous improvement are best suited to capitalize on the results of satisfaction programs. Not only do they incorporate change smoothly, but they continually seek input on how to improve the measurement process itself so the results stay current and relevant.

Web-based or telephone interviewing, interactive voice response or mail surveys, indepth interviewing or focus groups - each research methodology has its own advantages and drawbacks. Companies should choose their measurement systems depending on what they want to know and from whom they want to know it. Taking time to select the methodology that best fits the situation allows companies to gather a wealth of information on which to base their quality programs.

Successful quality programs, of course, start with honest appraisals of performance, shared widely and openly with the staff. Employees then can select areas for improvement and develop action plans on which performance goals are set. 

Wise managers capitalize even further on the quality process by communicating to customers just what changes have been made as a result of their input.

By preparing the culture, selecting the right measurements and integrating results into performance goals, companies can create a passion within their organization that parlays quality into a true competitive edge.

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Reprinted with permission by Competitive Advantage, a publication of the American Society for Quality, Summer 2001.

Lucy Klausner is a former Vice President of Polaris Marketing Research Inc. in Atlanta. Paige Lillard is Director of Business Excellence for Turner Studios.
For further information, contact Polaris Marketing Research at 404-816-0353. Polaris is a full service marketing research firm, headquartered in Atlanta, specializing in customer satisfaction and lost customer research.