THE NUMBERS ARE IN --- Thanks to the follow-through of DVR customers, the recent Customer Satisfaction Surveys spearheaded by the Washington State Rehabilitation Council are yielding results.
With the full support of our partners at DVR and the expertise of the Social and Economic Research Center at Washington State University, the Council’s Customer Satisfaction and Program Evaluation Committee led a ten-month survey design process. As a result of that effort the Council developed two surveys: one, to gather information from those waiting for services and the other, to learn from customers receiving services.
In June, one-thousand six-hundred surveys went out to a sample of DVR customers across the state. During the six weeks when data was being collected 394 were returned. The overall response rate for the surveys was 24.6 per cent. John Harrison, the Chair of the committee that conducted the survey said, “I feel very positive that we’ve received this response because it gives us significant data that allows the Council to make thoughtful recommendations to DVR.”
The Council’s aim in conducting the survey was to see the big picture, to use a collection of individual experiences to illuminate trends and identify necessary changes to policy and practice within DVR. Thanks to our survey respondents, the WSRC has a quantitative basis on which to make its policy recommendations in 2007. In the coming weeks and months, the council will be analyzing the data we received and more information will be forthcoming. We would like to thank DVR, Washington State University, and each customer who took the time to complete the survey. Your willingness to participate in this process is the key to creating the positive change everyone wants.
Questions
Answers Promote Dialogue Between the Council and DVR
In April 2007, the Council submitted seven recommendations to DVR's Senior Leadership Team based on our surveying efforts. The senior leadership team provided a written response. Together the Council and the Division have followed up with quarterly dialogues at our meetings. We discuss if and how DVR has implemented our recommendations. Of the five recommendations we have discussed to this point, DVR has taken action on three. We see this as a good faith effort on their part to honor our policy partnership.
