How to Achieve Great Client Survey Response Rates

Written by: Summer E. Poletti, Cachet/PTM Director of Client Relations

The PTM/Cachet Client Relations Department conducts online client satisfaction surveys every year and continues to enjoy a 60 to 98% response rate. That’s right, up to 98% response rate on an online survey!

Over the years, we have done tons of research and have found that most advice for online surveys is intended for a B2C audience. It took a lot of fine-tuning, but we have come up with tried and true methods that are specifically tailored to monitor payroll and payroll tax filing services.

Incentives – Payroll professionals are always busy, so give them a reason to spend some of their precious time filling out your survey. We have tried both a drawing for a big prize and small incentives given just for filling out the survey. Hands down, the small incentive works the best. Perhaps it’s a desire for instant gratification or that deep down feeling that we’re unlucky and probably won’t win. In any event, giving a client a credit on an upcoming invoice just for filling out the survey will do wonders for your response rates.

Freshness – You need to monitor feedback on your payroll, tax filing and ancillary services at least annually, but don't fall into the trap of asking the same questions each time. People will get sick of answering them. Review your survey each time and decide if you still need information on all of those topics. Re-work the survey as needed so it will not become stale and boring.

Length – Again, payroll professionals are busy, so keep it short. Only ask questions that are necessary to gauge performance and improve payroll, tax and ancillary services. Ask as few questions as you can get away with, make as many multiple choice responses as possible and leave comment boxes optional.

Read – This seems to go without saying, but it seems as though many surveys are used only to generate stats to post bragging rights about payroll and payroll tax filing services on the company’s Web site or to use the stats to evaluate employee performance. Take the time to read the responses; they give great information about clients who might be less than satisfied, who might be better fit for a different product you offer, etc.

Follow up – Again, this one seems to go without saying as well, but some people feel that surveys are just a waste of their time and will not fill it out regardless of whether or not you offer an incentive. You will have to earn their trust here. After you have read the survey responses, immediately follow up with any unsatisfied clients and thank them for their feedback (see our blog post on 5 Things Clients Love to Hear). Forward information to Sales when a client’s response leads you to believe he may be a better fit for another one of your other products or if the client may benefit from one or more of your ancillary services. Follow up regularly with unsatisfied clients until you feel as though the account has been turned around and the client is once again a fan. Follow up with clients if you implemented a suggestion they made (again, see our blog post on 5 Things Client Love to Hear). If your clients realize you are using their responses to actually improve your service, they will fill out your survey year after year.

Relationship-Oriented Service – You are likely to get better response rates from your clients if you interact with them more than just once a year. Don’t wait for them to call you, pick up the phone every once in a while and call them “just because”. (See blog post on 5 things clients love to hear).

Client Satisfaction Surveys can either be a nuisance to everyone involved or a great tool you can use to improve your services on a regular basis. It’s all in the way you manage the survey process!

The American Jobs Act of 2011

Written by: Patricia DeKeyzer, PTM Marketing Coordinator

President Barack Obama on September 12, 2011 spoke to the Congress of the United States stating, "Today, I am pleased to submit to the Congress the enclosed legislative proposal, the "American Jobs Act of 2011," together with a section-by-section analysis of the legislation.

The purpose of the American Jobs Act of 2011 is simple; put people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans, which is great for us in the payroll and payroll tax processing industries! More people working means more payrolls and more payroll tax processing.

It will provide a tax cut for small businesses, to help them hire and expand; plus an additional tax cut to any business that hires or increases wages. This Act should put more money in the pockets of working and middle class Americans by cutting in half the payroll tax taken from paychecks. The typical savings will be an average of $1,500 a year.

Unemployment benefits will be extended to help those out of work support their families while looking for employment. While training programs will be structured to build real skills that will help the unemployed have real jobs. A new tax credit will be provided to employers hiring workers who have been unemployed for over 6 months. For our low-income youth and adults it will expand job opportunities through a new Pathways Back to Work Fund.

The Pathways Back to Work Fund is summarized as;

• Summer and year-round jobs for youth.
• Subsidized employment opportunities for low-income individuals.
• Local efforts to implement promising work-based strategies and provide training opportunities.

The President talked about the very real danger that could happen from the economic situation in Europe that may further jeopardize our own economic recovery;

“This is not a game; this is not the time for the usual political gridlock. The problems Europe is having today could have a very real effect on our economy at a time when it’s already fragile. But this jobs bill can help guard against another downturn if the situation in Europe gets any worse. It will boost economic growth; it will put people back to work. And by the way, this is not just my belief. This is what independent economists have said — not politicians, not just people in my administration. Independent experts who do this for a living have said this jobs bill will have a significant effect for our economy and for middle-class families all across America. And what these independent experts have also said is that if we don’t act, the opposite will be true. There will be fewer jobs; there will be weaker growth.”

The Senate plans to vote next week, the week of October 10th, on the $447 billion jobs bill. The American Jobs Act is made up of the kind of ideas that both Republicans and Democrats have supported in the past.

Prominent, independent experts have confirmed that the American Jobs Act will materially improve economic growth and employment next year.

The American Jobs Act of 2011 if fully paid for, includes specific offsets to close corporate tax loopholes and asks the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share that more than cover the cost of the jobs measures.

President Barack Obama spoke at a press conference in the East Room of the White House, Oct. 6, 2011, about the upcoming Senate vote on his plan, American Jobs Act, that is designed to put people back to work and put more money in the pockets of working Americans.