Patient Engagement in Healthcare – Meaning, Importance & Strategy

Patient Engagement in Healthcare - Meaning, Importance & Strategy
Patient Engagement in Healthcare - Meaning, Importance & Strategy

What is Patient Engagement

Patient engagement is the active involvement of patients in their healthcare. It is a process that empowers patients to take a more active role in their well-being and to work in partnership with healthcare providers to achieve better outcomes. It can include educating patients about their condition, giving them tools and resources to manage their health, and encouraging them to provide feedback and input on their care.

Why is it Critical for Healthcare?

Patient engagement is essential for healthcare because it can lead to better Health Improvement and Quality of Life (QoL) outcomes, higher satisfaction, and improved quality of care. Studies have shown that engaged patients are more likely to adhere to treatment plans, have better health outcomes, and experience higher levels of satisfaction with their care.

Patient engagement can also lead to cost savings for the healthcare system. Engaged patients are more likely to take an active role in preventing and managing chronic conditions, which leads to more disease prevention and fewer hospital visits and readmissions.

Furthermore, patient engagement can also improve the quality of care. When patients are more involved in their care, they can better provide feedback and input on their treatment plans, leading to more personalized and effective care. Additionally, when patients are more engaged, they are more likely to be satisfied with their care, which can lead to higher levels of trust and confidence in their healthcare providers.

Patient Engagement Strategies

There are several strategies that healthcare providers can use to improve patient engagement. Some of the most effective strategies include:

Education & Communication

One of the most critical strategies for patient engagement is education and communication. This includes providing patients with information about their condition, treatment options, and resources for managing their health. Additionally, it is important to communicate with patients so that they easily understand and ask questions, and provide feedback on their care.

Usage of Technology

Another effective strategy for patient engagement is the use of technology. This includes electronic health records, patient portals, and mobile health apps. These tools can help patients access information about their health, communicate with their healthcare providers, and manage their care.

Feedback and Evaluation

Another important strategy for patient engagement is feedback and evaluation. This includes regularly collecting patient feedback about their care and using it to improve the care provided. Additionally, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of patient engagement strategies and make adjustments as needed.

Collecting Patient Intelligence this way is called Real World Evidence generation in healthcare and promotes prevention. Often these actions are linked to guidance from state healthcare authorities. For example, a Washington Post article recently mentioned that the National Health Panel in US have recommended that women should start screening for Breast Cancer from the age of 40 years, lowering the previous recommendation from 50 years at one go! 

 

This is leading to change of strategy for many healthcare provider. They are focusing on massive increase in feedback collection from high probability target demographics of women above 35 years rather than the age of 45 years previously for even better preventive care.

Washington Post Article on Women recommended to do mammography check from the age of 40 years.


Patient-centered Care

Finally, patient-centered care is one of the most effective strategies for patient engagement. This approach focuses on the patient’s needs, preferences, and values and is tailored to their unique needs and circumstances. When patients feel that their care is tailored to their needs, they are more likely to be engaged in their own care.

Common Patient Engagement Questions

Surveys are an important tool for healthcare providers to gather feedback from patients about their experiences. Several key questions should be included in any patient engagement survey to assess patient satisfaction with the healthcare services they receive, identify areas for improvement, and ultimately drive better patient outcomes. Some of the common patient engagement questions include:

  • How satisfied were you with the quality of care you received?
  • Was the staff respectful and attentive to your needs?
  • Was the waiting time for your appointment reasonable?
  • Was it easy to schedule appointments and make changes if needed?
  • How satisfied were you with the communication you received from your healthcare provider?
  • Were your questions and concerns addressed in a timely manner?
  • Would you recommend this healthcare provider to others?

Patient Engagement with Softbrik

This is a hugely under-rated aspect of healthcare that enables patients to take an active role in their health and well-being. By working in partnership with healthcare providers, patients can achieve better outcomes, higher satisfaction, and improved quality of care. The importance of patient engagement is undeniable, and with the help of the right tools, it can be easily achieved.

If you want to increase patient engagement in your practice, Softbrik can help. With Softbrik, patients have a convenient place to engage in their care, leading to improved patient engagement in the practice. It offers a one-stop shop for patient engagement and makes it easier for patients to be more involved in their care.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is patient engagement so important?

Patient engagement allows individuals to play a more active role in their healthcare and work in partnership with healthcare providers to achieve better outcomes, higher satisfaction, and improved quality of care.

What are patient engagement activities?

Patient engagement activities include patient education and communication, technology usage, feedback and evaluation, and patient-centered care. These activities aim to increase patient involvement in their care and improve the overall quality of healthcare provided.

Patient Journey Mapping in Healthcare | Importance & Benefits

Patient Journey Mapping in Healthcare | Importance & Benefits
Patient Journey Mapping in Healthcare | Importance & Benefits

What is Patient Journey

The patient journey is the term used to describe the various stages a patient goes through when seeking medical treatment. It begins with the initial decision to seek care, continues through the process of obtaining a diagnosis, and ends with the outcome, such as recovery or discharge. The patient journey is a complex process that involves multiple touchpoints, including interactions with healthcare providers, medical tests and procedures, and administrative tasks.

The patient journey vs. the patient experience

The patient journey refers to the specific steps a patient goes through when seeking medical treatment. This includes the initial decision to seek care, the process of obtaining a diagnosis, and the outcome, such as recovery or discharge. The patient journey can be thought of as the “path” a patient takes through the healthcare system. It involves multiple touchpoints, including interactions with healthcare providers, medical tests and procedures, and administrative tasks.

The patient experience, on the other hand, refers to the overall perception that a patient has of the healthcare system, including their interactions with healthcare providers, the quality of care they receive, and the outcomes they experience. 

The patient experience is not just limited to the medical treatment itself but also encompasses the entire process of seeking care, including the ease of scheduling an appointment, the cleanliness of the facility, and the communication between the patient and healthcare providers.

Patient Journey Mapping

Patient journey mapping is used to understand and improve the patient experience. It involves identifying critical touchpoints in the patient journey, gathering data on patient experiences, and analyzing the data to identify opportunities for improvement.

Identifying key touchpoints

The first step in patient journey mapping is to identify the key touchpoints in the patient journey. These touchpoints include healthcare providers’ interactions, medical tests and procedures, and administrative tasks. By identifying these touchpoints, healthcare organizations can better understand where patients are experiencing the most friction and where opportunities for improvement exist.

Gathering data on patient experiences

Once the key touchpoints have been identified, data on patient experiences can be gathered. This data can be collected through surveys, focus groups, and interviews. The data must be collected from diverse patients to capture a broad range of perspectives.

Analyzing the data to identify opportunities for improvement

The final step in patient journey mapping is to analyze the data to identify opportunities for improvement. This analysis can be done using various tools, such as statistical analysis, process mapping, and customer journey mapping. By identifying areas of friction in the patient journey, healthcare organizations can take steps to improve the patient experience and achieve better outcomes.

How to do Patient Journey Mapping in Healthcare

To begin the process of patient journey mapping, it is important to gather information from various sources, such as interviews with patients and staff, observations, and data analysis. This information can create a visual map of the patient’s journey, including key milestones and touchpoints. 

It is also essential to involve a diverse group of stakeholders, including patients, staff, and management, in the mapping process to ensure that all perspectives are considered.

Once the journey map has been created, it can be used to identify areas for improvement and opportunities for innovation. For example, it may highlight communication breakdowns between different departments or inefficiencies in the patient’s experience. Healthcare providers can improve the quality of care and customer satisfaction by addressing these issues.

It is also important to review and update the patient journey map regularly to ensure that it remains relevant and accurate. This will help ensure that healthcare providers continuously improve the patient’s experience and address new challenges as they arise.

Benefits of Patient Journey Mapping

Patient Journey Mapping is a powerful tool that can help healthcare providers to understand and improve the patient’s experience. Some key benefits of patient journey mapping include:

  • Improved patient satisfaction: By understanding the patient’s journey, healthcare providers can identify areas where the patient’s experience can be improved. This can include long wait times, lack of communication, or inefficiencies in the patient’s journey. Healthcare providers can improve the quality of care and customer satisfaction by addressing these issues.
  • Increased efficiency: Patient Journey Mapping can also help healthcare providers identify areas where processes can be streamlined or made more efficient. For example, it may highlight communication breakdowns between different departments or inefficiencies in the patient’s experience. By addressing these issues, healthcare providers can improve the overall efficiency of the healthcare system.
  • Better communication: Patient Journey Mapping can also help to improve communication between healthcare providers and patients. By understanding the patient’s needs and perspectives, healthcare providers can ensure that they provide clear, accurate information and address patient concerns. This can lead to a better patient experience and improved health outcomes.
  • Enhanced team collaboration: Patient Journey Mapping can also help to improve cooperation among healthcare providers. By involving a diverse group of stakeholders, including patients, staff, and management, in the mapping process, healthcare providers can ensure that all perspectives are considered. This can lead to a better understanding of the patient’s needs and improved coordination among different departments.
  • Continual improvement: Patient Journey Mapping is a dynamic process that should be reviewed and updated regularly. This helps ensure that healthcare providers continuously improve the patient’s experience and address new challenges as they arise. By continually monitoring and evaluating the patient’s journey, healthcare providers can identify new opportunities for improvement and adapt their processes accordingly.

How does Softbrik Help

Softbrik is a powerful tool that can help healthcare providers to understand and improve the patient’s experience through Patient Journey Mapping. With Softbrik, healthcare providers can visualize the patient’s journey, from their initial contact with the healthcare system to the outcome of their treatment by acquiring the necessary data. The AI-enabled Voice Survey Platform ensures to the point feedbacks from patients, and also categorises them. By identifying and understanding the patient’s needs, emotions, and pain points, healthcare providers can improve the overall quality of care and customer satisfaction.

Freqently Asked Questions

What is the patient journey in healthcare?

The patient journey in healthcare refers to the process a patient goes through, from the initial contact with the healthcare system to the outcome of their treatment. This includes all the steps, touchpoints, and interactions the patient has with healthcare providers, and it encompasses the physical and emotional aspects of the patient’s experience.

What are the steps of journey mapping?

The steps of journey mapping include:

  • Defining the scope of the patient journey to be mapped
  • Data collection and analysis through various sources like interviews, observations, and data analysis
  • Creating a visual representation of the patient’s journey
  • Identifying key milestones and touchpoints
  • Identifying areas for improvement and opportunities for innovation
  • Collaboration and engagement of stakeholders
  • Regular review and updates of the map

ePROs: What are Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes?

ePROs: What are Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes?
ePROs: What are Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes?

What is Electronic Patient Reported Outcome or EPROs

Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePROs) collect patient-reported data through electronic means, such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. These data can include symptoms, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction. ePROs are commonly used in clinical research and healthcare to understand better a patient’s experience with a condition or treatment.

Types of Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes or EPROs

There are several different types of ePROs, each with its specific uses. These include:

  • Symptom checklists: These ePROs are used to assess the presence and severity of symptoms related to a specific condition or treatment.
  • Quality of life instruments: These ePROs measure a patient’s overall well-being and satisfaction with their life.
  • Treatment satisfaction surveys: These ePROs measure a patient’s satisfaction with their current treatment, including any side effects they may be experiencing.
  • Patient-generated data: This type of ePRO allows patients to self-report their health status, symptoms, and treatment through a variety of means, including patient portals, wearables, and apps.

Advantages of using Electronic Patient Reported Outcome or EPRO

ePROs have several advantages over traditional methods of collecting patient-reported data. These include:

  • Increased efficiency: ePROs can be completed quickly and easily, with patients able to complete them from the comfort of their own homes.
  • Greater accuracy: ePROs can be designed to minimize errors and ensure that data is collected consistently.
  • Greater patient engagement: Patients can use ePROs to actively participate in their own care actively, leading to greater satisfaction and better outcomes.
  • Increased data volume: Electronic data collection allows for larger sample sizes and more frequent data collection, which can result in more detailed and accurate findings.
  • Cost-effective: ePROs are typically less expensive than traditional in-person interviews.

Effective Real World Scenarios of EPROs

In clinical trials, ePROs can collect data on the effectiveness of new treatments and medications. This can include information on symptoms, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction. This information can be used to determine the safety and efficacy of new treatments and identify any potential side effects.

In chronic disease management, ePROs can monitor patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes or cancer. It can help healthcare providers to assess the effectiveness of treatment and identify any potential issues. For example, a patient with diabetes may use an ePRO to track their blood sugar levels, which can then be used to adjust their treatment plan.

In patient-centered care, ePROs can be used to involve patients in their own care and treatment decisions. This can lead to better outcomes and increased satisfaction, as patients can take an active role in their care. ePROs can also monitor patients remotely, which can be especially helpful for those unable to come to the clinic.

In remote monitoring, ePROs can monitor patients, especially those unable to come to the clinic. This can include patients who live in remote areas, are bedridden, or cannot travel due to a medical condition. ePROs can collect data on symptoms, quality of life, and treatment satisfaction, which can then be used to adjust treatment plans or identify potential issues.

Challenges of Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes or EPROs

Despite the many advantages of ePROs, some challenges need to be considered. These include:

  • Technical difficulties: ePROs require a reliable internet connection and may be difficult for some patients to complete due to a lack of access or technical skills.
  • Data security: ePROs store sensitive patient information and require secure data storage and transfer to protect patient privacy.
  • Data interpretation: ePROs require careful interpretation of the collected data, as the results may be affected by a patient’s circumstances or biases.
  • Implementation: The implementation of ePROs can be complex, especially for healthcare providers who may need to become more familiar with the technology.

Softbrik and Electronic Patient Reported Outcome

Electronic Patient Reported Outcomes (ePROs) are a vital tool in the healthcare ecosystem, providing valuable information on treatments’ effectiveness and helping patients be more engaged in their care. They offer a cost-effective, efficient, and accurate way of collecting data.

Softbrik allows patients to share their health information and experiences directly with their healthcare providers through various channels, including voice message-based customer support. This approach to EPRO not only increases patient engagement and provides healthcare providers with valuable insights into their patients’ health status and treatment progress.

Voice message-based customer support of Softbrik can be integrated into the EPRO process by allowing patients to share their experiences and concerns through voice messages. These voice messages can be easily recorded and transmitted to healthcare providers, providing a more personal and direct form of communication. This can help patients feel more connected to their healthcare provider and increase their engagement in their care.

By integrating voice message-based customer support into EPRO, Softbrik helps healthcare providers better understand their patients’ experiences and make more informed decisions about their care. This can lead to improved patient outcomes, increased satisfaction, and higher quality of care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an example of a patient-reported outcome?

A patient-reported outcome (PRO) is any information about a patient’s health status that comes directly from the patient rather than from a clinician or medical record. An example of a PRO could be a patient’s self-reported level of pain or a patient’s self-reported quality of life.

What does ePRO stand for in clinical trials?

In clinical trials, ePRO stands for “electronic patient reported outcome.” This refers to collecting PRO data through electronic means, such as a tablet or smartphone app, rather than paper-based questionnaires. ePROs are used in clinical trials to collect data on the effectiveness of new treatments and medications and to assess the safety and efficacy of these treatments.

Everything You Need to Know About Patient Data Privacy

Everything You Need to Know About Patient Data Privacy
Everything You Need to Know About Patient Data Privacy

What is Patient Data Privacy in Healthcare

Patient data privacy in healthcare refers to protecting sensitive personal information, such as medical records, test results, and insurance information, from unauthorized access, use, and disclosure. It includes the safeguarding of both physical and digital forms of patient data.

Importance of Privacy and Security in Healthcare

Privacy and security in healthcare are critical for protecting patients’ sensitive personal information and ensuring they control how their information is used, shared, and accessed. Ensuring patient data privacy is important for several reasons:

Individual Autonomy and Control

Individual autonomy and control are fundamental rights of patients. Ensuring patient data privacy allows patients to control how their personal information is used, shared, and accessed. This empowers patients to make informed decisions about their care and choose treatments or procedures they want or do not want to undergo. 

When patients trust that their personal information is being protected and kept confidential, they are more likely to share important information with their healthcare provider, leading to better care.

Maintaining Public Trust

Maintaining public trust is crucial for the healthcare industry. Patients will only share sensitive information with healthcare providers if they trust their information will be kept confidential. Patients who do not trust that their personal information will be protected may be less likely to share important information with their healthcare provider, leading to poor care. Maintaining public trust also helps to prevent breaches of patient data privacy and to minimize the damage if a breach does occur.

Protection from Misuse

Patient data can be misused for fraudulent activities, such as identity theft and insurance fraud. Privacy and security measures protect patients from these types of misuse. It is crucial for healthcare providers to implement strong security measures and to train their staff on how to identify and prevent misuse of patient data. Additionally, healthcare providers must be transparent about their data collection practices and obtain patient consent before collecting, using, or sharing patient information. By implementing these measures, healthcare providers can help prevent the misuse of patient data and protect patients from becoming victims of fraud.

Legal frameworks for Privacy in Healthcare

There are several legal frameworks in place to protect patient data privacy in healthcare:

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

The HIPAA is a US federal law that protects patient privacy and the security of health information. It applies to all healthcare providers, including hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies. The law requires covered entities to implement policies and procedures that protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of electronically protected health information (ePHI) from complying with its requirements.

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

The GDPR is a set of rules that give EU residents more control over their data. It applies to all companies that process people’s data residing in the European Union (EU). The law took effect on May 25, 2018, and organizations must comply by this date. Organizations must abide by this regulation if they collect or store any personal data from EU citizens.

Tips for Ensuring Patient Data Privacy

Here are some tips for ensuring patient data privacy:

  • Strong security measures: Implementing strong security measures is critical in protecting sensitive patient data from unauthorized access and breaches. This can include a combination of technical and administrative controls, such as encryption, firewalls, and access controls. Encryption helps to protect data in transit and at rest, making it unreadable to unauthorized individuals. Firewalls can help block unauthorized access to a network or system. Access controls, such as role-based access or least privilege, can be used to limit access to sensitive information to only those who need it for their job responsibilities.
  • Limited access to patient data: To ensure that sensitive patient information is only accessed by those with a legitimate need for it, it is important to limit access to it. This can be accomplished by setting up role-based access controls, which determine who can access the information based on their job responsibilities. For example, a doctor may have access to more sensitive information than a nurse. This helps to prevent unauthorized access and potential breaches.
  • Staff training on data privacy: To ensure that all staff members understand their responsibilities when it comes to handling patient data, it is important to provide regular training on data privacy and security. This can include information on HIPAA regulations, data encryption, and best practices for protecting sensitive information. Regular training can help ensure that all staff members are aware of the importance of protecting patient data and how to do so effectively.
  • Secure communication methods: When sharing sensitive patient data, it is important to use secure communication methods. This can include encrypted email, secure messaging, or even faxing. These methods help to protect the information in transit, making it unreadable to unauthorized individuals. It is important to choose a secure method of communication that is both reliable and convenient for all parties involved.
  • Two-factor authentication: Implementing two-factor authentication can help to ensure that only authorized individuals can access sensitive patient data. This involves requiring a user to provide two forms of identification before being granted access to the data. This can include a password and a fingerprint, a smart card, or a token. Two-factor authentication provides an additional layer of security, making it more difficult for unauthorized individuals to access the data.

Final Thoughts

Data privacy and security are becoming increasingly important in the healthcare industry. The HITECH Act, HIPAA, and state laws require you to protect patient data from unauthorized access or misuse. To ensure your organization complies with these regulations and best practices for protecting patient data, consider implementing a comprehensive data security program that includes policies, procedures, and technologies designed to prevent breaches of personal health information (PHI).

By protecting patient data privacy, healthcare organizations can ensure that patients can trust that their personal information will be kept confidential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 primary rules of HIPAA?

The 4 main rules of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) are the Privacy Rule, the Security Rule, the Breach Notification Rule, and the Omnibus rule.

What is the most crucial aspect of patient privacy?

The most crucial aspect of patient privacy is maintaining patient trust. When patients trust that their personal information will be protected and kept confidential, they are more likely to share important information with their healthcare provider, leading to better care.

Customer Feedback: What to Collect and When

Customer Feedback: What to Collect and When
Customer Feedback: What to Collect and When

What is Customer Feedback?

Customer feedback is a way for customers to tell you what they think about your product or service. It can be positive or negative, formal or informal, and quantitative or qualitative.

Customer feedback can be extremely valuable because it tells you what customers think about your business, the product or service you provide, and how they feel about your experience with you. It is crucial to build trust with your customers and improve their loyalty.

The Benefits of Gathering Customer Feedback

As a business owner, you know that customer feedback can improve your operations and deliver better customer service. But are you sure about how to collect it? And what kind of information should you be collecting?

Here are some of the benefits of gathering customer feedback:

  • Customer feedback helps you improve your products and services.
  • It can strengthen relationships with current customers by helping them feel heard and valued.
  • It provides valuable information about your brand image in the marketplace through word-of-mouth recommendations from people who’ve tried things firsthand instead of just hearing about them secondhand after they’ve been published elsewhere.

It can be used to drive your marketing efforts by uncovering potential new opportunities or identifying gaps in the market that you could fill. It can help you make more informed business decisions about pricing, product development, customer service, and many other aspects of running your company.

How to Collect Customer Feedback

Once you have the right incentives, it’s time to get feedback. The following are some tips for collecting customer feedback:

Email

The most common way to get feedback from customers is via email. It’s easy to set up and cheap to send, and customers are likely already using it as their primary means of communication with you.

Send an email when you have new products or services available. It is especially useful if your business sells physical goods since it allows you to ask for customer feedback on specific products rather than just asking for general preferences about your brand or line of work.

SMS

Sending an SMS is one of the easiest ways to get customer feedback. You can send a general message asking customers how they’re feeling about their experience, or you can use this as an opportunity to ask specific questions. 

Many options are available if you want feedback on your customer service, products, services, or anything related to your business.

Interview

Interviews are a great way to gather customer feedback. It allows you to get more personal information and let you ask follow-up questions without having to change your script as much. This way, if someone says something that doesn’t fit what you’ve planned for the interview, you’ll still have time to ask them later. 

You can also ask open-ended questions that encourage people to form their own opinions rather than just giving answers based on what they think will please others or fit best into pre-determined categories.

Website Feedback

Website feedback can gather general information about the website, such as what customers like or dislike about the site and specific details about products and services. The information can be analyzed to help determine how to improve the website, products, and services offered or the overall brand experience.

Website feedback can take two forms: surveys and forums. Surveys are short questionnaires with multiple-choice answers that allow users to provide feedback quickly while still getting enough detail for you to make actionable changes based on their responses.

Social Media Feedback

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be great ways to collect customer feedback. These platforms allow you to interact directly with customers and receive feedback through comments or posts. The benefit of social media is that it’s a relatively easy way for customers to leave their thoughts on your business. It’s also an anonymous medium, so you don’t have to worry about some people feeling uncomfortable providing negative feedback.

However, if you do choose to use social media as part of your customer feedback strategy, there are a couple of things you must remember:

Analyzing and Interpreting Customer Feedback

Customer feedback analysis is the process of analyzing and interpreting customer data. It can be performed primarily in two ways:

  • Qualitative analysis: Qualitative analysis involves looking at the meaning behind customer feedback. This analysis helps you understand what the customer is saying or how they feel about a specific aspect of your product or service. Qualitative analysis will tell you that this feature is not currently offered but could be added as an option to increase customer satisfaction with your product or service.
  • Quantitative analysis: Quantitative analysis involves analyzing numbers from surveys, polls, etc., to find patterns in people’s responses over time – such as which features have been requested most often by customers; or which demographic groups had high ratings for certain products/services compared to others. This type of data is easier for teams who need to be trained in qualitative methods because there are clear-cut answers based on percentages rather than subjective opinions.

When to Collect Customer Feedback

There are many times when you should collect customer feedback. Use these tips to help you decide when to ask customers for their thoughts:

Gathering feedback from customers after a purchase

You’ll have a lot of information to sift through after you’ve received feedback. Be sure to take notes on the types of responses you receive and what they mean. For example, if a customer says the product was difficult to use or did not fit, you can use this information to create future product designs.

Collect period-specific feedback

When it comes to collecting feedback, timing is everything. Generally, it would help if you collect customer feedback at the right time in the customer lifecycle. In addition, you must collect product feedback at the right time in the product lifecycle and company feedback at the right time in your company lifecycle – which can be different than your customer lifecycle.

Continuous satisfaction feedback

A feedback loop is a process that allows you to collect and use customer feedback in a way that helps to improve the customer experience continuously. To begin this process, you need to define what data you want to gather and how it will be used. You also need to identify the right people within your organization to take action on that data.

For your business model to thrive over time, you will want continuous satisfaction feedback from customers and employees. When customers are happy with the product or service they receive from you, they’ll tell others about their experience, encouraging new customers to look for similar services elsewhere, online or offline.

What to do with the Gathered Feedback

Once you have gathered customer feedback, there are several things you can do with it. You can share it with other companies in your industry or write an article about your findings that helps others understand what customers want. Whatever the case, having a framework for collecting feedback will help ensure that all of the information is useful and relevant when used later.

As a business owner, you always look for ways to improve your business and stay ahead of the curve. Customer feedback is a great way to do this and a great way to keep on the pulse of what customers want.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you collect customers feedback?

Customer feedback can be gathered through various methods, including online and offline channels, to provide insights into the customer experience and identify areas for improvement.

What are the three 3 most common reasons for collecting customer feedback?

Collecting customer feedback can help businesses to identify problems and areas for improvement, make changes to improve the customer experience, and build customer loyalty.

Types of Effective Market Research Surveys for Different Sectors

Types of Effective Market Research Surveys for Different Sectors
Types of Effective Market Research Surveys for Different Sectors

What is Market Research Survey

Market research surveys are a key part of understanding your product or service market. They can be used to understand what people like about a product, what they don’t like, and why they feel that way. Market research surveys can also help companies understand how well their marketing efforts are working and how they can improve them.

Why Market Research Survey is Important for Different Sectors

A business market research survey is an essential part of any company, whether you are in the technology, medical or education sectors. The information can improve existing products and services and develop new ones.

Telecom

The telecom market has been proliferating in the last few years. This is due to the increased use of mobile phones and other internet devices. Telecom Market Research Survey is the data collection used to analyze a market or a group of consumers. Such surveys can be conducted to increase sales, improve customer satisfaction, or gather information for marketing campaigns.

For example, if a telecom company finds out that its customers are not happy with the customer support they provide, then it can take steps to improve it so that they retain its existing customers while attracting new ones as well.

Healthcare

The healthcare industry has to be constantly updated and revised. With the increasing demand for medical services, there is a need to keep up with the trends in medical research. With this, companies such as hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities must conduct market research surveys to understand their customers’ needs better.

For example, healthcare professionals can use market research surveys to learn more about the types of medications their patients are using and whether these drugs are working for them. If they notice that many of their customers are not satisfied with the results they get from current medications, it may be worth exploring alternative therapies that work better for them. 

Similarly, if they notice that many people in the community do not have health insurance and cannot afford to see a doctor regularly, then they can provide low-cost or free care so that everyone has access to medical services.

SaaS & IT

If you work in the IT department for a company that provides SaaS services, your main goal is to ensure that users’ experiences with your product are as seamless and easy as possible. You want to ensure they can use the software without problems and provide excellent customer service whenever issues arise.

In the SaaS & IT industry, market research surveys are a common practice to understand how customers perceive your product. The results of these product market research surveys can be leveraged to optimize your product, identify new opportunities and challenges, and prepare for future growth.

Banking

Banking is a highly regulated industry, so you must ensure that your products and services comply with the rules and regulations set by government agencies. You also must protect your customers’ personal information while using your product or service. As such, market research surveys are crucial for banks because they help them gain insights into customer perceptions and preferences.

They also help banks to learn their customers’ want and need, what they like and dislike about the bank’s services and products, how satisfied they are with those services and products, etc.

Education

The world is changing rapidly, and education is also evolving rapidly. The market is becoming more competitive, and the need for quality education has become very important.

The role of market research surveys in education has been increasing day by day. 

It helps understand students’ and teachers’ needs, requirements, and preferences. It also helps identify gaps between what students want and what they get. Market research surveys should be conducted regularly so that they can be used to improve the quality of education.

Retail

A retail market research survey is an integral part of any retail business. It helps in knowing what products to sell, where to sell them, and how much should be charged for each product. A retailer needs to conduct a market research survey every year or so, depending on the industry they are in.

This survey aims to identify changes in customer preferences and to buy behavior so that the retailer can keep up with the latest trends.

E-Commerce

E-commerce is a growing industry, and a greater demand for market research comes with it. E-commerce sites need to know how their customers behave and how they want to keep up with the competition. Market research surveys help businesses understand their target audience and how they can best serve them.

E-commerce market research surveys are an effective way of understanding customer behaviour, preferences, and buying patterns. It helps you understand why they are choosing your brand over its competitors. This will help you improve your products and services so that they can meet customer needs better than anyone else in the market.

E-commerce businesses can conduct these surveys by email or by asking customers to fill out a form on their website.

Types of Market Research Surveys

There are different types of market research, and some surveys can be used for more than one purpose. Here are some examples:

Customer Experience Surveys

These surveys are used to gather feedback on customer experience. They help businesses understand customers’ thoughts or feelings about their products and services and any issues they encounter. This can improve existing products or services or create new ones that better meet customer needs.

Product Surveys

A market research product survey is used to gather feedback on specific products. They help businesses understand what customers think of various features and benefits, how they interact with the product, and why they purchased it in the first place.

Brand Surveys

These surveys are used to gather feedback on a company’s overall brand. They help businesses understand how customers feel about the company and what needs to be done to improve its image.

Retail Market Research Survey

These surveys are used to gather information about the retail market. They help businesses understand what customers want, how they shop for products, and how to price their items.

How to Choose the Right Market Research Survey

When deciding which type of survey is right for your business, it’s important to consider the kind of information you need and the people who will be taking the survey. For example, a brand survey may be appropriate if you want to know how customers feel about a specific product or service. 

Similarly, retail market research surveys are best suited for your needs if you want to gauge how customers shop in general or what features they want from your products or services.

Softbrik’s Voice Survey, Feedback, and Support platform allow you to collect customer feedback to implement substantial organizational changes. Get started with Softbrik’s voice survey and feedback to gather comprehensive customer insights and improve customer engagement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you automate market research surveys?

Yes, you can automate market research surveys within the AI survey and feedback platform. You can also schedule the surveys to be sent at specific times and dates and manage all responses and data with our web-based survey tool.

What are the things to consider before doing a market research survey?

When planning to do market research surveys, it is important to consider the target audience and their needs. You should also determine what information you want to gather from the survey and how to implement the data to make strategic decisions.

5 Best NPS Survey Tools and How they can Help you in 2023

5 Best NPS Survey Tools and How they can Help you in 2023
5 Best NPS Survey Tools and How they can Help you in 2023

Top 5 NPS Survey Tools for a Stronger Customer Loyalty in 2023

What is an NPS Survey

Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a customer loyalty metric that can show how likely a customer will recommend your product to others. You can use an NPS survey tool to determine the likelihood of a customer recommending your business and categorize them as promoters, passives, or detractors based on their response.

To run an NPS survey, you need to send out a survey that asks your customers one question: “How likely would you recommend [your company] to a friend or colleague?” You can then categorize responses as either a promoter (10 being the highest), passive (7-9), or detractor (0-6). Next, calculate the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors and subtract from 100.

5 Best NPS Tools of 2023

The right NPS survey tool can help improve your customer loyalty in no time. Here are the top 5 NPS survey tools to help you gauge customer satisfaction in 2023.

Softbrik

NPS scores tend to be inaccurate because they ask leading questions that are interpreted differently by different people. Most people who are pushed to answer will respond by concealing their true feelings.

Softbrik’s algorithm analyzes what customers really mean—rather than just the words they use to describe something—by scanning voice messages for formative feedback and blending it with traditional ratings. You can find out how favorable people view your company and whether they feel indifferent or disgruntled—and take concrete steps to address those issues.

Softbrik’s Voice Survey, Feedback, and Support platform allow you to capture more profound insights into your customers’ needs and identify actions that will help them. Softbrik’s AI understands the requirements of its customers and highlights critical contexts or emotions. Their buyer profiles are classified by need groups. Your team can respond to leads by prioritizing them according to their needs and value and then communicating with the prospect using personalized messaging that increases conversions by up to 40%.

Softbrik’s AI automatically analyzes quantitative and qualitative data, providing in-depth insights that reveal patterns and help spot problems.

Survicate

You can use Survicate to conduct Net Promoter Score surveys on your products, website, and emails. Increase NPS survey response rates with Survicate, which allows you to watch responses soar as you record all survey responses, even if a survey is incomplete.

It enables you to embed NPS surveys directly into emails. This decreases the number of clicks for recipients and increases response rates.

Get an overview of the health of your customer relationships with intuitive dashboards and reports. Quickly export feedback into comprehensive spreadsheets to further analyze data with Survicate.

Survey Sparrow

Survey Sparrow is an omnichannel CX management software that uses NPS surveys to help businesses identify opportunities for improving customer loyalty. Use the flexibility of dynamic lists to segment your respondents based on any criteria. Use follow-up questions to learn more about customer preferences and expectations.

You can automate the process of distributing your survey by setting it to be automatically sent at a specified time and cadence and sending it only to certain customers.

InMoment

InMoment distinguishes itself from other companies by focusing on providing timely and detailed responses to customers’ queries. This approach increases the likelihood that they will return to make future purchases.

InMoment offers a variety of survey delivery options, including in-app surveys and QR code surveys designed to boost customer engagement. It is a robust NPS feedback management system that can be deployed for any size company or use case.

AskNicely

AskNicely is a customer experience platform that allows companies to conduct surveys and gather customer feedback. The tool lets you collect automated customer feedback with customizable NPS surveys that you can circulate through various channels, including email and SMS.

AskNicely provides a simple way to create and share customer satisfaction surveys. In addition to offering the NPS survey, AskNicely has an ebook with original research that helps you learn how to improve your score and gauge your customers better.

Choosing the Right NPS Survey Tool

The best NPS survey tools can give you the data you need to make better decisions. You should see how your customers feel about their experience, what they’re looking for and how well your business is doing.

A good NPS survey tool should also be easy to use, customizable, and provide actionable data. The top NPS survey tools are flexible enough to help you adapt them to your business’s needs while providing reliable customer feedback.

Softbrik helps companies ensure complete customer communication with voice surveys. Sign up with Softbrik to design and deploy voice-to-text forms, surveys, and support issues with a few clicks. Capture customer information across all channels and touchpoints to help you improve scores and enhance satisfaction.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Platforms can you Run the NPS Survey On?

NPS surveys can be created to run efficiently using Softbrik, SurveyMonkey, Cognito Forms, and other form-building software.

What to ask when running an NPS survey?

Here are some common questions to ask when running an NPS survey:

  • How likely will you recommend this company/product/service to a friend or colleague?
  • What was the main reason for your score on this question?
  • What could we have done better?
  • Are there any specific areas where we need more work?

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Contact Center Automation

The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Contact Center Automation
The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Contact Center Automation

What is Contact Center AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computation that aims to mimic human action smartly by recognizing inputs, processing them, and responding accordingly. Contact Centers have played an essential role over the years in enabling enterprises to provide customer service and initiate sales conversations. Contact Center AI is about applying artificial intelligence to contact center operations.

Why is Contact Center Automation Important

While the role of contact centers is mission-critical for most organizations (especially the larger ones), it is often challenging to match customer expectations while economizing costs. There are two main cost heads associated with the contact center:

  1. Cost of Manpower: Companies need large workforces to handle high-volume customer requests. 
  2. Cost of Infrastructure: The cost of infrastructure includes the technology and real estate required to enable the contact center agents to perform. 

For decades, cutting down on contact center costs has been a high priority for businesses. However, traditional cost-cutting measures( such as outsourcing operations to a lower-cost geographic location) bottom out beyond a point. 

Artificial intelligence allows businesses to explore further pockets for cost reduction while not compromising on customer delight.

How Contact Center Automation with AI Helps

Most companies first adopt  AI for contact center automation to reduce workforce and infrastructure costs. However, the benefits of AI-based automation aren’t just limited to cost savings. As a result, AI is fast becoming a default standard in contact center automation, at least in the case of L1 support. Let’s look at these benefits in detail.

Improves Customer Journey

Initially, there was tremendous apprehension amongst naysayers that AI would lead to customer dissatisfaction & churn. The fears held merit a few years back. However, the field of AI is fast evolving, and as a result, the technology is getting better at handling customer requests. 

An improved AI-based automation system leads to an improved customer experience and journey. Think about some of the typical challenges of traditional contact centers. Two of the most outstanding ones would typically be long wait times and sketchy after-hour services. In both these cases, AI has played a pivotal role in transforming the customer experience. 

It’s not that AI today can handle 100% of all contact center cases. However, there are quite a few cases that a contact center receives daily, which are primarily about performing simple tasks such as updating information, booking or canceling appointments, or typical other such queries. These requests often comprise about 70% of all daily requests. In AI is used successfully to handle requests, the contact center can save on costs while bumping a few notches up in efficiency.

Analyzes Customer Interaction

A couple of lines from the famous Coca-cola promotional song for the FIFA world cup 2010 apply really well to artificial intelligence:

“When I will be older,

I will be stronger ….”

AI-based systems improve with age because the data it handles supervises the algorithm to perform better. There is another side benefit that’s often ignored. This data is available to the organization to analyze customer interactions. Such data collection is almost impossible in a human-agent-based contact center. More often than not, agents are overloaded with cases, and it’s unfair to estimate proper documentation of each case.

Empowers the Agent

There has been quite a hue and cry on how AI might end up jobs for contact center agents. The reality, however, has panned down differently. While there have been workforce reductions- AI hasn’t eliminated agents. Instead, artificial intelligence has ended up empowering the agents. In quite a few cases, AI is used internally to help agents resolve issues better and faster.

Enhances Overall Agent Performance

In most centers today, it’s a hybrid environment. Artificial intelligence does the gatekeeping and handles the basic requests. The escalations are then transferred to human agents. Such a system improves the overall agent performance. Agents can now spend more time per case and handle more complex issues. The overall agent performance improves as agents get better at handling such cases.

Reduces Cost

According to the report, Call Center Software Statistics for 2022, AI adoption in contact centers have led to: 

  • 59% reduction in operational costs
  • 59.9% increase in productivity
  • 36% improvement in efficiency

The cost reduction presents a compelling case for more prevalent adoption of AI in contact center operations.

Future of Artificial Intelligence in Contact Center Automation

As per Deloitte, in 2019, only 13% of Contact Centers deployed Artificial Intelligence. However, the situation is fast changing, and AI adoption is growing at a CAGR of 21.3%. In 2022, the market size for global Contact Center AI is $1.6 Billion. It is estimated to reach $4.1 Billion by 2027.

As of 2022, about 60% of contact centers are testing AI. There is one question; however, that needs to be addressed. In what form would AI be most effective to be customer-facing? 

As per Call Center Technology Survey, 2022 – 76% of customers prefer voice when dealing with contact centers. The preference for chatbots or interactive chats is just 14%. Yet, in most cases today, we see companies adopting AI using text-based chatbots. 

We can expect the trend to change towards voice-based AI. If you want to give voice-based AI a spin, you may want to try out Softbrik.

Frequently Asked Questions

What level of support does Contact Center AI offer?

There are 2 major ways in which contact center AI is used today. In some cases, it’s used to solve customer queries directly. In other cases, it is used in the backend to help agents solve customer queries better and faster.

Who are the typical users of Contact Center AI?

When it comes to adoption of Contact Center AI, the top 4 sectors are BFSI, IT&Telecom, Healthcare and Retail.

NPS Survey: Meaning, Definition, and Types with Examples

NPS Survey: Meaning, Definition, and Types with Examples
NPS Survey: Meaning, Definition, and Types with Examples

What is an NPS Survey?

 A crucial end goal for any business is to make their customers happy. How do you measure how happy your customers are? Asking them is a possible way but it’s not really a feasible option if the business deals with thousands of customers. Net Promoter Score Survey (NPS) survey quickly gathers information from your customers, providing you with valuable feedback. The feedback aids you in improving your products/services, creating a loyal customer base, and eventually scaling your business. Here’s how it can benefit your business.

Types and Examples of NPS Surveys

There are several types of Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys that businesses can use to gauge customer satisfaction and loyalty. Some of the popular surveys are: 

  1. Employee NPS: This type of survey is used to measure employee satisfaction and engagement within an organization. It helps to identify areas where the company can improve the employee experience and foster a positive company culture.
  2. Brand NPS: This type of survey measures the overall perception of a brand and its products or services among its customers. It can help businesses understand how they compare to their competitors and identify areas for improvement.
  3. Software NPS: This type of survey is specifically designed to gauge the satisfaction of customers using a particular software product. It helps the software company understand how well their product is meeting the needs of its users and identify any issues that need to be addressed.
  4. Transactional NPS: This type of survey is used to measure customer satisfaction immediately after a transaction or interaction with a company, such as after making a purchase or contacting customer service. It provides real-time feedback that can help businesses address any issues and improve the customer experience.

Follow-up NPS: This type of survey is used to follow up with customers after they have had a chance to use a product or service for a longer period of time. It helps businesses understand how well the product or service is meeting the needs of its users over time and identify any potential issues that may arise.

The NPS Scale

The Net Promoter Score (NPS) scale is based on a single question: “On a scale of 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend our company/product/service to a friend or colleague?”

Customers who respond with a score of 9 or 10 are considered “promoters” and are likely to be loyal to the company and advocate for it to others. Those who respond with a score of 7 or 8 are considered “passives,” while those who respond with a score of 0 to 6 are considered “detractors.” Detractors are less likely to be loyal to the company and may even spread negative feedback about it.

NPS can be used to measure employee satisfaction as well. By asking the same question to employees, businesses can gauge the level of engagement and commitment among their workforce.

NPS surveys can be conducted in various ways, including in person, over the phone, or online. Many businesses use online surveys as a convenient and cost-effective way to collect NPS data from a large number of customers or employees. The results of NPS surveys can be used to inform marketing efforts and improve the overall customer experience.

How to Conduct an NPS Survey

To conduct a Net Promoter Score survey, you’ll need to ask some multiple-choice questions. Keep it short and sweet; your sample size will probably be relatively small, and trying to collect too much information could hurt response rates. NPS surveys can be of several types-simple questions, choice models, and hybrid. The simple question approach asks respondents to rate how likely they are to recommend your company out of ten; they can also select a write-in option for more detailed feedback. A choice model survey allows people to choose from three options (for example, definitely not recommended, neutral or recommended without hesitation). And a hybrid combines elements from both approaches.

Include Demographic Questions

While there are a few basic types of NPS surveys, depending on your specific needs, you can include demographic questions to learn more about your client’s preferences.

For example:

  • Asking people if they have kids or pets can be valuable information in a retail environment; knowing who lives near you might affect where you sell products and services.
  • On a more granular level, it’s helpful to ask about people’s income and housing situations—this can help when designing services or creating products.

The truth is that most of us will take better care of something we paid money for than something we simply feel some obligation to protect. Answering these questions may also spark ideas for new products or service offerings. You can never know too much about your customers!

Include NPS Score Question

You can ask this question: What do you think about our company?

If you can take an NPS survey using a tool or even just through email, then there’s no reason not to have one on your site; it only takes a few minutes and can provide excellent insight into what your customers and clients think of your product or service.

You should also look at trend data over time (over weeks or months) to see how well you’re doing in terms of customer satisfaction.

An example of a Net Promoter Score question:

  • How likely are you to recommend (company’s name) to your friends and colleagues?

You can usually find a score ranging anywhere from 0% (definitely not recommended) to 100% (definitely recommended). Promoters are loyal enthusiasts who will keep coming back for more, and recommending us to others. Detractors will willingly take their money elsewhere and happily tell you why they did it.

Keep Open Ended Questions for Customers' Reason behind the given Score

 While asking for feedback, it’s essential to keep your questions open-ended. That way, you can get more detailed responses about what went wrong or correct and how you can improve.

For example:

  • On a scale of 1-5, how would you rate us?
  • Or even, would you recommend us to a friend or colleague?

Keep your questions vague and ask specifically what they think went well (or not) so that they can give specific suggestions rather than just rating your company.

An example of an open-ended question would be:

  • How do we get 5 stars from you next time?

This allows customers to offer precise answers that will help steer improvements for future customers.

Ask for Customer's Feedback on Improving their Experience

A customer experience survey is a great tool to use when developing products, services, or processes. The NPS survey is an essential part of improving a customer’s experience. The motivation behind this type of survey is to gain valuable feedback from your customers in order to enhance their experience. Happy customers are more likely to share a positive experience on social media, in person, and recommend you to others. If you do not ask for their feedback, they will not be able to give it to you, and you are therefore missing a pivotal opportunity to improve your customer’s overall experience and ultimately increase sales as well.

The first thing we should ask is:

  • How do you suggest improving our product/ service/ experience?
  • If there was only one thing our organization could do to improve, what would it be according to you?

What is a Good Net Promoter Score

To have a Good Net Promoter Score means that your company is doing an excellent job at delivering exceptional customer service and being responsive to their needs. If you want to know what a good score is, it’s anything over 40%, and if you fall below that threshold, you may need to take steps toward improving your customer service or satisfaction levels. That’s where Net Promoter Score surveys come in.

What is a Bad Net Promoter Score

Before you get a Bad Net Promoter Score, we should first get a good understanding of what a Net Promoter Score means. The Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customer loyalty and growth by asking your customers to answer a straightforward question: on a scale from 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend us to your friends or colleagues? Customers respond based on a how likely scale, which ranges from 0 above – unlikely, 3 and above – neutral, 6 and above – likely, and 10 – extremely likely. Again, the scores vary depending on the organization’s needs.

The Importance of NPS Surveys

In the age of high customer churn and low conversion rates, companies are looking for new ways to save money and improve their bottom line. One of the best ways to do this is by improving NPS. The Net Promoter Score survey can be used to determine customer loyalty, predict customer success and ultimately help your company increase sales and retain customers.

For example, you might ask: How likely would you be to recommend us to a friend or colleague? with response options ranging from definitely not likely (0) to extremely likely (10). Or maybe: On a scale of 0–10, how satisfied were you with our product or service? What could we do better next time? These survey questions give respondents more room for elaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is NPS important to a company?

An NPS (Net Promoter Score) survey measures customer loyalty and provides valuable insight into how well your company is serving its customers. It can also be used as a performance benchmark for tracking customer satisfaction over time.

What is the benefit of using NPS?

The Net Promoter Score provides benefits to both your organization and your customers. For organizations, it’s a way to measure and monitor customer loyalty.

What is NPS in customer success?

A Net Promoter Score, or NPS, measures how likely your customers are to recommend your product or service.