How do you measure and maintain customer satisfaction in program management?

Drawing from my experience, I've found that setting realistic and clear expectations from the outset is pivotal in managing customer satisfaction in program management. By establishing what can be achieved within given timelines and resources, and ensuring this is clearly communicated to all stakeholders, we lay a foundation of transparency and trust. This approach not only aligns expectations but also minimizes the potential for misunderstandings down the line, making it easier to measure and maintain customer satisfaction throughout the lifecycle of the program.

Keeping everyone on the same page is key. Changes could happen due to unexpected circumstances. Keeping the client and the team in the loop is important in case any adjustments are needed and expectations changed.

Agreed, I would also like to add including wide open communication, we’re all moving towards the same goal, let’s not keep info close hold that could potentially benefit the team.

Root all work and communication based on the contract. Avoid setting precedent or performing work you did not negotiate. Goodwill has to be accounted for on the financial statements.

One thing I have found helpful is being flexible. What is a realistic expectation may need to be adjusted based on expectations and consumer needs. Keeping that in mind can take the pressure off if things are not going as planned.

Avoid blind faith commitments. Do not allow the customer to back you into a corner. Reiterate commitments routinely and avoid scope creep. The customer is not always right…other than contractual commitments.

First step is to agree on the governance structure and cadence. The RACI framework can help organize stakeholders and determines who gets informed, consulted and who gets to decide or is accountable. In most cases, dashboards and status slides are best to communicate broadly on progress. In other cases it works best to share a list of deliverables and the status for each (planning, in progress, done, blocked, paused…).

Effective communication is the glue that binds customer expectations and satisfaction! ?? By keeping customers informed and engaged, providing updates on status, achievements, risks, and issues, we build trust and rapport. Soliciting and incorporating feedback not only demonstrates our commitment to meeting their needs, but also helps manage any deviations from original expectations. Through consistent, transparent communication, we foster collaboration, ensuring customer satisfaction and buy-in. Let's strive to be skillful communicators, forging lasting partnerships with our customers, and contributing to the growth and success of our businesses! ????

I agree but there’s a fine line between keeping the customer engaged and allowing the customer to dictate program execution. The latter behavior will certainly destroy trust, rapport and collaboration. Set the boundaries early and keep each other in check when boundaries are crossed. May be a difficult conversation but necessary.

Meeting expectations and delivering value: the ultimate measure of success! ?? By achieving program outcomes aligned with the customer's vision and strategy, we validate our commitment to excellence. Ensuring quality, usability, and providing adequate support and training to customers and end-users cements our status as trusted partners. When we meet or exceed expectations, we showcase our program's success and impact, bolstering our reputation and credibility. Let's dedicate ourselves to delivering value, exceeding customer expectations, and becoming the go-to experts in our respective fields, shaping the future of business success! ????

CSAT and NPS are the most widely used and valuable metrics. Another helpful metric is revenue over time. In the product realm, helpful metrics include retention, churn rate, conversion rate, and stickiness. ? The percentage of consumers who continue to use your product over time determines the retention rate. The churn rate is the opposite of the retention rate. ? Stickiness is a metric for engagement that counts how many days a month a customer uses a product or service. Stickiness is the daily active users (DAU) ratio to monthly active users (MAU). ? The conversion rate is the percentage of free trial users who join up for a paid service.

Be sure that you hire survey research professionals with training and experience in measuring consumer behavior. Since the advent of the Internet, everyone thinks they can do a survey. And everyone is trying to get people to take a survey. So hiring a survey expert with a keen eye for questionnaire design and a strong aptitude for quantitative analysis is critical to measuring program performance. -Donato Vaccaro, Ph.D.

Measuring customer satisfaction is the compass guiding us toward continuous improvement! ?? Collecting and analyzing data from customers and stakeholders helps evaluate our performance against agreed-upon expectations. Metrics like CSAT, NPS, CES, CRR, and CLV serve as our trusty yardsticks to gauge satisfaction levels. These insights illuminate our programs' strengths and weaknesses, spotlighting areas ripe for improvement and innovation. Let's harness the power of customer satisfaction metrics to refine our strategies, evolve with the market, and deliver exceptional experiences that keep customers coming back for more! ????

No matter which framework or style one uses to manage a program, find ways to incorporate shorter feedback loops. Empathy is key, reduce the effort for the customer should be the mantra. A solution is cool and slick only when the customer gets the job done effortlessly.

Proactive management of customer expectations: the secret to delighting customers! ?? Anticipating and preventing potential problems helps us stay ahead of the curve, taking corrective actions before issues escalate. By closely monitoring and responding to customers' changing needs, preferences, and feedback, we can adapt our programs to consistently exceed expectations. Embracing this proactive approach, we sidestep surprises, delays, and disputes, ensuring a smooth and positive customer experience. Let's champion proactive customer management, delivering top-notch experiences that elevate our businesses and leave our customers raving! ????

It's important to remember what it's like to be a customer - for any product, any service. Even when you know your news won't align with what a customer wants to hear, think about your experiences. Consider something as "simple" as waiting on the appliance repairperson. Are you more understanding about them being an hour late if they tell you why AFTER they arrive? OR is it better when they call BEFORE to tell you they're running over on the previous job? I prefer the latter, and I become more understanding when I know in advance. We fear telling clients "bad news," so we put it off, but we can temper the response and showcase our awareness when we take the proactive path - often for a better relationship-building step overall.

Clear and Mutually Aligned Project Briefs from the outset. There’s and old saying, you can’t manage what you can’t measure. But you also can’t manage to a metric that isn’t outlined in writing or without a shared definition of success. For instance, if you are measuring based on the number of impressions, and the client believes that number of conversions is most important, you could be in an awkward position of backtracking and defending a POV that should have been discussed and determined before a debrief. More detail and less ambiguity upfront is always preferable to the alternative. That’s not to say that expectations can’t evolve, but the brief should be a living document throughout the project lifecycle.

As a CEO, I receive a lot of offers for goods and services. I’ve contracted with many vendors and the experience is really a mixed bag. It’s is as much of a learning experience for the purchaser as it is for the seller. We all become more aware of what to look for over time and we become more realistic when we dial in our expectations as we become more sophisticated in the process over time. This is why many companies like to stick with familiar vendors. Learning what keeps your customer happy and returning is as important as acquiring that new customer. And never market a product as essential to any business. Market it as enhancing the business. We existed without the product before it was released.

Learning and improving from customer expectations: the path to growth and excellence! ?? Reflecting on customers' expectations, satisfaction, and program performance helps us identify invaluable lessons and best practices. Sharing and celebrating achievements with customers and stakeholders not only showcases our dedication but also acknowledges their invaluable contributions. Embracing this mindset, we enhance our program management skills, competencies, and ultimately deliver better value and quality to our customers. Let's seize the opportunity to learn and improve, transforming our businesses into customer-centric powerhouses that thrive in the ever-evolving market landscape! ????