Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Exploring Different Avenues of Communication With a Customer

By Craig Calvin

In each and every project in Six Sigma, you will need to pay attention to the customer's voice. In order to usher in the change that is necessary, you will need to be able to discern the needs of the customer.

Collecting data is the most important process in the Measure phase. This is the foundation upon all subsequent actions are decided upon. There are a few things to be considered in this process, the time required to gather the data, the cost involved and the pros and cons for the process are among others.

Telephone surveys are one method of collecting data. The data is based on samples gathered from a larger population. When performed correctly, the samples can be generalized for the whole population. Although telephone survey can prove expensive, they are also very valuable. There is also possibility of wrong answers being given because of strict interaction.

Mail surveys can be less expensive while still getting good information. Depending on how well the questions are created and posed, they can provide a good base for desirable results. The drawback is the amount of time it can take to receive answers back through the mail, the results are not immediate.

In person focus groups, as well as online ones, are very costly, but also highly effective. The information gathered from this method is larger in quantity as well as quality. Online focus groups are also advantageous because of the variety of people and locations represented. - 15224

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