GB2259670A

GB2259670A - Market research brochure

Info

Publication number: GB2259670A
Application number: GB9119969A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard John Gray
Original assignee: Keymite Ltd
Current assignee: Keymite Ltd
Priority date: 1991-09-17
Filing date: 1991-09-17
Publication date: 1993-03-24
Anticipated expiration: 2011-09-17
Also published as: GB2259670B; GB9119969D0

Abstract

A brochure includes a first page 50 of transparent or translucent material and a second page 54. A backing sheet 51 is attached to the free edge of the first page. An image on the first page may be viewed individually with the backing sheet folded in or the image may be viewed superimposed upon an image on the second page by folding the backing sheet out. The images are in the form of bar charts representing the results of a market survey (see Figs. 2 and 3), the combined image, produced when the backing sheet is folded out, showing the difference between a customers expectations and the customers experiences of the service offered by a company (see Fig 4). The first bar chart upon the first page may be coloured red or orange and the second bar chart on the second page may be green to highlight the height differences between the bars of the bar charts. <IMAGE>

Description

Performance SurveYs and a Brochure Therefore This invention relates to a method of making a performance survey, and to a brochure for presenting the results of the survey.

In particular, in the motor trade, garages and dealers will in the course of time build up a reputation with customers.

In order to improve a business it is useful to what the reputation of the business is , and where improvements to the business should be made in order to improve customer satisfaction Market research surveys concerning customer satisfaction have been undertaken for many years and generally result in a report which is voluminous, highly complicated and difficult for a layman to understand.

The present invention provides a method of making a performance survey , in particular but not exclusively concerning levels of cutomer service , and which is simple, and provides the results in a brochure of simplified form.

Accordingly there is provided a method of making a survey in which performance is measured in known parameters deemed to be of importance, by measuring persons' expectations for each parameter and presenting the results in the form of a first bar chart divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter, measuring persons' perceived experience for each parameter and presenting the results as a second bar chart also divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter and which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart, wherein the two bar charts are combined to present a third bar chart also divided into sub-areas that are arranged in said same order and which indicate a performance index in relation to the individual parameters.

Preferably, the parameters are prioritized.

Also according to the invention there is provided a brochure for presenting the results of a performance survey and which includes a first page having a first bar chart thereon divided into sub-areas that represent one of either a persons' expectations relating to specific parameters or perceived personal experiences relating to said parameters, a second page having a second bar chart thereon also divided into sub-areas which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart and that represent the other of said persons' expections and said personal experiences, wherein the two bar charts are combinable to present a third bar chart divided into said sub-areas arranged in said same order and which indicates performance in relation to individual parameters.

There is also further provided according to the invention a method of presenting the results of a market research survey in which performance is measured in known parameters deemed to be of importance, said method comprising measuring customer expectations for each parameter and presenting the results in the form of a first bar chart divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter, measuring customers perceivable experience for each parameter and presenting the results as a second bar chart also divided in a said area that equate with each parameter and which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart, and combining the two bar charts to present a third bar chart also divided in sub-areas that are arranged in said same order and which indicate performance in relation to the individual parameters.

The invention will be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a typical survey sheet for a method of making a survey according to the invention.

Fig 2 is a bar chart showing the results of survey of persons' expectation.

Fig 3 is a bar chart showing the results of the survey of persons' perceptions.

Fig 4 shows the bar chart of Fig 2 superimposed on the bar chart of Fig 3 to give an immediate assessment of performance.

Fig 5 shows a second way of combining the two bar charts to a performance index in which tte expectation level from Fig 2 is taken as 100%.

and Fig 6 is a sketch of a brochure according to the invention.

With reference to Fig 1, there is shown a typical performance survey sheet, in the particular use for testing the opinion of the customers of a vehicle dealer and/or service workshop.

The sheet is divided into two parts, Part A that relates to customer expectations of the business and Part B that relates to customer perceptions of their experience with the business. Each part A and B is sub-divided into parameters 11- 17 deemed to be of importance in relation to the particular business. The parameter for each part A and B are identical.The parameters 11-17 are given a score 18 with arating from 1 to 10, 1 being low and 10 being high.

A large number of survey samples are taken by canvassing customers of the respective business and the results of the survey for each parameter are analysed by computing the scores 18.

The results for the expectations are presented in the form of a first bar graph or chart Fig 2 with the parameters 11 - 17, being represented as sub-areas of the bar chart. The sub-areas can be arranged in any way across the bar chart but are preferably arranged with that deemed most important first, and then the height of importance falling off across the chart. In this case the sub-areas 21 - 27 arranged left to right across the chart are derived from the parameters, 14, 15, 12, 11, 13, 16 and 17 respectively.

The results of the customer perception are presented in the form of a second bar graph or chart Fig 3 with the parameters 11 - 17 being represented left to right across the bar chart in the same order as far as the bar chart of the expectations, so that the sub-areas 31 - 37 correspond to the parameters 14, 15, 12, 11, 13, 16, and 17.

The bar chart of Fig 2, and bar chart of Fig 3 are drawn to the same scale, with bar chart of Fig 18 the expectations being drawn on transparent or translucent sheet material.

This allows the two charts Fig 2 and Fig 3 to be combined into a third bar graph or chart Fig 4, simply by superimposing the graph of Fig 2 on top of the graph of Fig 3.

A performance indication of how the customers expectations were met for each parameter is immediately apparent.

The differences, taking the expectations as a par value, can be detected by those portions of the sub-areas that extend beyond the overlapping portions of the sub-areas 21 - 27 superimposed on the sub-areas 31 - 37. (The expectations are hatched ) So that in the case of Fig 4, sub areas 21, 22, 23, for expectations extend beyond the corresponding sub-areas 31 - 32 for customer perception. This equates with a below par performance. The sub area 34,35,36,and 37 for perceptions extend beyond the corresponding sub- areas 24-27 for expectations, indicating an above par performance.

The If the bar charts Fig 2 and Fig 3 are coloured, for example Fig 2 is red or orange and Fig 3 is green the differences become more readily apparent as red and green areas representing below and above par, respectively, and the superimposed overlapping areas assume a greyish hue. The differential value from par between expectation and perception is immediately apparent as a red or green coloured area. The larger the area the greater the differential.

The two bar charts of Fig 2 and Fig 3 can alternatively or additionally be combined as another bar chart Fig 5. Again the parameters 11 - 17 are represented as sub areas left to right across the chart in the same order as for Figs 2 - 4.

The expectations value is taken as a par value P and is represented by a straight line.

The perception for each perameter is represented as a positive or negative value based on its percentage variation from par. Thus the performance of the business for each parameter is immediately apparent as being above or below the line P.

The bar charts Fig 2, 3, and 5 can be arranged in a brochure so that each chart is on a seperate sheet of the brochure.

The bar chart Fig 2 is arranged on a transparent or translucent sheet 50 with a removable backing sheet 51, hinged on the free edge of the sheet so that the chart can be read in its own right. The backing sheet 51 is removed by folding it out of the way, and the Fig 2 chart then superimposed on the Fig 3 chart on the adjacent page 51 to obtain the combination of Fig 4.

The chart of Fig 5 is presented on another successive page 52.

Claims

1. A brochure for presenting the results of a performance survey and which includes a first page having a first bar chart thereon divided into sub-areas that represent one of either a persons' expectations relating to specific parameters or perceived personal experiences relating to said parameters, a second page having a second bar chart thereon also divided into sub-areas which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart and that represent the other of said persons' expections and said personal experiences, wherein the two bar charts are combinable to present a third bar chart divided into said sub-areas arranged in said same order and which indicates performance in relation to individual parameters.

2 A brochure as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first bar chart represents persons' expectations, and the second bar charts represents perceived personal experiences.

3. A brochure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the first bar chart is on a transparent or translucent page and is superimposable upon the second bar chart on the second page to form the third bar chart in which the performance index for each parameter which is above or below par is shown as those portions of the superimposed sub-areas that extend beyond the overlapping portions of said sub-areas.

4. A brochure as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the first chart is coloured a first colour, the second bar chart is coloured a second colour and when the two charts are superimposed the overlapping areas are showing a third colour, the performance index chart being formed from those portions of the sub-areas which are presented in either said first colour or said second colour.

5. A brochure as claimed in Claim 4 when dependent upon Claim 2 wherein the expectations bar chart is orange, the perceived experience is green, so that the performance index is below par in the orange areas, and is above par for the green areas.

6. A brochure for presenting the results of a market research survey relating to vehicle dealers' reputations, and which is a brochure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 5.

7. A method of making a survey in which performance is measured in known parameters deemed to be of importance, by measuring persons' expectations for each parameter and presenting the results in the form of a first bar chart divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter, measuring persons' perceived experience for each parameter and presenting the results as a second bar chart also divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter and which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart, wherein the two bar charts are combined to present a third bar chart also divided into sub-areas that are arranged in said same order and which indicate a performance index in relation to the individual parameters.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the parameters are each given an expectation rating from 1 to 10, by a sample number of persons, and are each given a performance rating from 1 to 10 by said sample, and the respective bar charts are an average of the said ratings.

9. A method as claimed in Claim 7 or Claim 8, wherein the first bar chart is on transparent or translucent sheet, and said first bar chart is superimposed on the second bar chart to form the third bar chart, and the performance index for each parameter is shown up as those portions of the superimposed sub-areas that extend beyond the overlapping portions of said sub-areas.

10. A method of measuring the reputations of a vehicle dealer and servicing outlet in which the reputation is measured as a performance index derived by a method substantially as described herein.

10. A method as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the first bar chart is coloured, and the second bar chart is coloured, and when the first chart is superimposed on the second chart the overlapping areas are shown as a third colour, and the performance index for each parameter which is above or below par, is shown by those portions of the sub-areas which are seen in either the first or second colours.

11. A method of performing a market research survey to determine the reputation of a supplier of goods or services in which the reputation is measured as a performance index derived by a method as claimed in any one of Claims 7 to 10.

12. A method of measuring the reputations of a vehicle dealer and servicing outlet in which the reputation is measured as a performance index derived by a method substantially as described herein.

13. A method of presenting the results of a market research survey in which performance is measured in known parameters deemed to be of importance, said method comprising measuring customer expectations for each parameter and presenting the results in the form of a first bar chart divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter, measuring customers perceivable experience for each parameter and presenting the results as a second bar chart also divided in a said area that equate with each parameter and which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart, and combining the two bar charts to present a third bar chart also divided in sub-areas that are arranged in said same order and which indicate performance in relation to the individual parameters.

Amendments to the ciakns have been fled as fo"o"vs 1. A brochure for presenting the results of a performance survey and which includes a first page having a first bar chart thereon divided into sub-areas that represent one of either a persons' expectations relating to . specific parameters or perceived personal experiences relating to said parameters, a second page having a second bar chart thereon also divided into sub-areas which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart and that represent the other of said persons' expectations and said personal experiences, wherein the first bar chart is on a transparent or translucent first page and is superimposable upon the second bar chart on the second page to form a third bar chart divided into said sub areas arranged in the same order and in which the performance for each individual parameter is shown as those portions of the sub-areas that extend beyond the overlapping portions of said sub-areas, and a backing sheet is hinged at the free edge of the first page to allow the first chart to be read individually and is removable by folding to allow the two charts to be read in conjunction.

2. A brochure as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the first bar chart represents persons' expectations, and the second bar chart represents perceived personal experiences.

3. A brochure as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the first chart is coloured a first colour, the second bar chart is coloured a second colour and when the two charts are superimposed the overlapping areas are showing a third colour, the performance index chart being formed from those portions of the sub-areas which are presented in either said first colour or said second colour.

4. A brochure as claimed in Claim 3 when dependent upon Claim 2, wherein the expectations bar chart is orange, the perceived experience is green, so that the performance index is below par in the orange areas, and is above par for the green areas.

5. A brochure for presenting the results of a market research survey relating to vehicle dealers' reputations, and which is a brochure as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4.

6. A method of making a survey in which performance is measured in known parameters deemed to be of importance, by measuring persons' expectations for each parameter and presenting the results in the form of a first bar chart divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter, measuring persons' perceived experience for each parameter and presenting the results as a second bar chart also divided in sub-areas that equate with each parameter and which are arranged in the same order across the second bar chart as for the first bar chart , wherein the two bar charts are presented on individual pages in a brochure and the first bar chart is on a transparent or translucent sheet, and said first bar chart is superimposed on the second bar chart to form a third bar chart divided into said sub-areas arranged in the same order and the performance for each individual parameter is shown up as those portions of the superimposed sub-areas that extend beyond the overlapping portions of said sub-areas.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the parameters are each given an expectation rating from 1 to 10, by a sample number of persons, and are each given a performance rating from 1 to 10 by said sample, and the respective bar charts are an average of the said ratings.

8. A method as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7, wherein the first bar chart is coloured, and the second bar chart is coloured, and when the first chart is superimposed on the second chart the overlapping areas are shown as a third colour, and the performance index for each parameter which is above or below par, is shown by those portions of the sub-areas which are seen in either the first or second colours.

9. A method of performing a market research survey to determine the reputation of a supplier of goods or services in which the reputation is measured as a performance index derived by a method as claimed in any one of Claism 6 to 8.