Carson Research Consulting Inc. :: We Know What Works

With accurate information about your organization's activities and the environment it operates in, you can make good strategic decisions, set long-term goals, and meet them.

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RESEARCH
We conduct customer satisfaction research by developing surveys, designing sampling methodologies, and establishing short-term feedback loops, all of which will enable you to use the information in a timely manner. We conduct customer satisfaction research via the internet, U.S. mail, and the telephone, including 360 degree surveys. We can also supplement survey results with personal interviews and focus groups. All surveys are conducted using strict confidentiality protocols.
It costs a lot more to attract a new customer than it does to keep one you already have. Customer satisfaction research can help you learn more about how loyal your customers are, why they use your products or services, and how they compare you with competitors. With timely, accurate knowledge about customer satisfaction, you can:
- Take steps to increase customer loyalty;
- Attract new customers using the least effort and resources; and
- Address problems quickly and keep customers from defecting.
EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION RESEARCH
We conduct employee satisfaction research, including survey design and sampling methods, using a short-term feedback loop that will enable you to use the information in a timely manner. We conduct employee satisfaction research via the internet, U.S. mail, and the telephone, including 360 degree surveys. We can also assess customer satisfaction using personal interviews and focus groups. All research is conducted using strict confidentiality protocols.

Satisfaction among employees is important financially and for its humanitarian value. Employees with higher job satisfaction:

care about the quality of their work;
are more committed to the organization;
have higher retention rates; and
are more productive.

FOCUS GROUPS
We conduct focus groups nationally specializing in customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and other organizational research. We also conduct focus groups for program evaluations, needs assessments, and community-based research.

Focus groups are more in-depth than surveys, and allow a more detailed and intricate examination of a situation. Focus groups can provide a deeper understanding of the beliefs and values that underlie decisions, and uncover the meanings behind the choices people make. Focus groups can be used to examine how people make decisions in order to learn more about customer and employee experiences, and even to help understand the results of a large-scale survey.
ORGANIZATION DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH
We use scientific research methods to determine the impact of organization development interventions. This includes conducting customer and employee satisfaction research, using focus groups and questionnaires to evaluate changes that occur through training and leadership development, and developing performance measurement systems for organizations.

One of the most important yet often overlooked elements of any organization development intervention is the evaluation of impact. Organization development efforts result in healthier and more resilient organizations, and an OD intervention that has been proven effective is going to be more desirable than one that just seems effective.

Evaluating your organization development interventions can also capture Return on Investment for organizational interventions, especially in the corporate sector. Managers are asking about the payoff in all forms of organization development and training, from large scale interventions to even a simple, half-day training course. When managers can document how an intervention impacts the bottom line they are able to make better decisions, and evaluation can help them do this.

PROGRAM EVALUATION
Maybe you have to conduct an evaluation as part of a grant that you received. Perhaps your board has been asking questions about outcomes, or maybe your staff is starting to wonder how effective a particular program is. Whether you are thinking about evaluation because of requirements or outside pressure, or you are just interested in learning more about how well your organization is doing, knowing the benefits of evaluation activities can help you get the most return out of every dollar you spend.