IES990101A2 - Self-contained, tamper resistant customer survey device. - Google Patents

Abstract

A customer survey device, particularly a customer survey device for carrying out customer surveys at point of sale comprising a closed box-shaped device (10) having removably attached thereto at least one survey sheet (14) and having at least one aperture (16) which is adapted to receive one or more survey sheets in a manner which hinders subsequent removal of the sheets thus deposited. The device combines user friendliness with tamper resistance. <Figure 1>

Description

Self-contained, tamper resistant customer survey device This invention relates to a customer survey device, in particular to a self-contained, tamper resistant customer survey device.

One of the problems frequently encountered in conducting surveys into customer satisfaction, especially in the service industry, is the difficulty in achieving a high enough level of customer compliance to make the survey cost effective.

Customers typically view completion of such surveys as an unwelcome chore particularly when they have no or only very minor complaints. They will therefore only take the time to complete and return a survey if the procedure involved is extremely user friendly or if some form of incentive is offered.

Methods of increasing user friendliness include using interviews, which many customers find intrusive, or making written forms easy to complete e.g. by using “multiple-choice” techniques and/or by confining to a single, one-sided sheet.

Other methods include carrying out the survey at the point of sale e.g. at the checkout desk in a hotel or when presenting the bill in a restaurant. This approach can further be simplified by not requiring the customer to seek out a place to deposit the survey sheet. In this latter case however the possibility of tampering with, and thus reducing the accuracy and reliability of, the survey is increased.

What is needed in such situations, therefore is a procedure which combines user friendliness with a system for prevention of tampering. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide such a device for use in such a procedure.

The present invention therefore concerns a customer survey device comprising a closed receptacle having removably attached thereto at least one survey sheet wherein said receptacle has at least one IE 990101 aperture therein which is adapted to receive one or more survey sheets in a manner which hinders subsequent removal of the sheet.

As will readily be appreciated, the receptacle can take a variety of shapes and sizes depending upon the circumstances surrounding the survey which it is intended to carry out.

Suitable shapes would include cylindrical and boxlike e.g. square or, especially, substantially rectangular in cross-section.

Size will vary in accordance with intended use. Thus, in cases where collection of survey sheets is intended at a fixed location the receptacle will be large enough to be affixed to a wall or other suitable location and of a size large enough to be conspicuous yet convenient.

In other, particularly preferred, uses such as for mobile presentation e.g. with the bill at a service location such as a restaurant, hotel, petrol station, shop or the like, the receptacle will conveniently be of a size which allows it to be hand-held as a separate device or incorporated into a pre-existing or customised device for presenting a bill.

A particular embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention is thus one wherein the device is of a size and shape that enables it to be hand-held.

The receptacle can be made out of any material which lends itself to be conformed in the desired manner. Examples of such materials include cardboard, wood, plastics, metal or combinations of these. The receptacles may be manufactured either as finished units or as partially prefabricated blanks which can be fully assembled when and where needed. This latter approach facilitates storage and transportation of individual units where widespread and large-scale use is contemplated. Such blanks will typically be manufactured in the form of a single sheet of cardboard stamped out in a particular format by a suitably configured die. To use, this sheet can be folded along appropriate lines to form a IE 990101 box which may then be closed. Closure means can be permanent e.g. with adhesive or temporary e.g. with an adhesive strip preferably provided with means such as a printed text to show evidence of tampering. 5 The receptacles will also be constructed in a way which allows 10 access to the completed survey sheets placed therein by a permitted person. This can be achieved in a variety of ways for example by providing for one face of the receptacle to be opened and re-closed. Alternatively in a simple form such as the pre-formed blanks described above the device may simply be forced open and the sheets removed once a survey is concluded. The used box would then simply be discarded. 15 The customer survey sheets which are to be removably attached to the receptacle will typically take the form of a series of single sheets attached to one another along part of their edges or surfaces. For example, they can be glued together along one edge in the manner of a pad to allow removal e.g. by peeling off of single sheets either by tearing along a perforated tear line or by detaching at the glued edge. 4 20 Alternatively they can be attached to each other along part of one surface by applying a non-permanent adhesive thereto in the manner of Post-Its® (Post-It is a Registered Trade Mark of the 3M company). The individual sheets can be made from varying weights of paper for example conventional paper to somewhat heavier card depending on the intended use. i 25 Such pads of customer survey sheets will conveniently have a backing sheet of sturdier material such as heavy card which will be - 30 attached to the receptacle. Attachment can be permanent e.g. by adhesive or temporary e.g. by sliding into a pouch or slot in the receptacle. This latter arrangement would allow a replacement pad to be attached to an existing receptacle if the original pad is empty or if it is desired to use the same receptacle for a different survey.

IE 990101 A further embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention is thus one wherein the customer survey sheets are presented in the form of a peel-off pad the final sheet of which is permanently attached to the receptacle.

The aperture in the receptacle will be of a size chosen to facilitate receiving a completed survey sheet in either rolled, folded or unfolded form. Typically therefore it will take the form of a slot or circular hole in one face of the receptacle. Preferably the slot or hole will have dimensions slightly larger than the smallest dimensions of an unfolded, folded or rolled survey sheet. As will be appreciated such an arrangement will materially assist in the prevention of tampering by rendering removal of a survey sheet from the receptacle by inverting/shaking or by insertion of a thin object.

A further embodiment of a device in accordance with the invention is thus one wherein the receptacle is boxlike in structure and wherein the aperture comprises a slot in one wall of the receptacle said slot being large enough to accommodate a customer survey sheet in rolled, folded or unfolded form.

, - The examples set forth above and below are in no way intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention or of specific embodiments thereof. Alternative embodiments for achieving the intended result will be evident to the skilled person.

The invention will be further illustrated by the following description of embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of a device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a top view of the device in Fig. 1; IE 990101 Fig. 3 is a reduced size view of the device in Fig. 1 in disassembled form; Fig. 4 is a side view of the device in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side view of the device in Fig. 1 showing the 5 opposite side to that shown in Fig.4; and Fig. 6 is a rear view of the device in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 there is indicated, generally at 10, a box-shaped device according to the invention. The largest dimensioned front face 11 of the device has attached thereto, via backing card 12, a pad 13 of individually removable customer survey sheets 14 which are glued together along one edge thereof 15.

The largest dimensioned front surface 11 of the device is further provided with a slot 16.

The fully assembled box carries security labels 17 bridging the 15 joins between back 18 and top 19 and bottom 20. These security labels , are applied and printed upon in such a way as to indicate when tampering with the device has occurred. The arrangement of security labels on the device can be seen more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6.

In Fig.3, from which pad 13 and security labels 17 have been 20 omitted for clarity, the blank 21 from which the device is formed is shown. Dotted lines indicate score lines in the blank to facilitate folding. The blank comprises tabs 22 and a series of discrete areas separated by score lines which form front 11 with slot 16, back 18, top 19, bottom 20 and sides 23 of the device once assembled. As also visible in Figs. 4 and back 18 is longer than front 11.

To assemble the device the blank 21 is folded along score lines inwardly from the plane of the blank in such a way that tabs 22 are located inside the device 10 and are then affixed e.g. by gluing to the IE 990101 inside of the faces of the device to which they correspond. Security labels 17, which may for example be self-adhesive, are then attached as further indicated to bridge the joins between the back 18, top 19 and bottom 20 of the device.

Pad 13 comprises a backing card 12 and a series of individual sheets 14 attached thereto and to each other by gluing along one edge 15 thereof. The thus assembled pad 13 is then attached to the front 11 of the device via the backing card 12 in such a way as not to obscure slot 16.

In operation the completed device 10 is presented to a customer to be surveyed for example at the same time as presenting a bill for a particular service rendered. The customer completes a sheet 14 of the survey which (s)he then peels off along edge 15. The sheet is then folded and inserted into the device via slot 16. It will be appreciated that insertion of the sheet in folded form into the slot 16 and the dimensions and location of the slot will make removal of the sheet without damaging the device difficult.

Claims (5)

1. Claims: 1. A customer survey device comprising a closed receptacle having removably attached thereto at least one survey sheet wherein said receptacle has at least one aperture therein which is adapted to 5 receive one or more survey sheets in a manner which hinders subsequent removal of the sheet.

2.. A device a claimed in claim 1 wherein the receptacle is boxlike in structure and wherein the aperture comprises a slot in one wall of the receptacle said slot being large enough to accommodate a 10 customer survey sheet in rolled, folded or unfolded form.

3. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the customer survey sheets are presented in the form of a peel-off pad the final sheet of which is permanently attached to the receptacle.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the 15 device is of a size and shape that enables it to be hand-held.

5. A customer survey device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.