Client Feedback Tool Version 3.5 Released!

DesignFacilitator is excited to announce the release of version 3.5 of our Client Feedback Tool, the only feedback solution designed specifically for architects, engineers, and professional service providers.

If you already subscribe to the Client Feedback Tool, you don’t need to do anything to obtain the great new features.  Simply log in, and see what’s new.

Version 3.5 includes:

• Completely updated process for sending a survey.  The steps are the same, but performance is increased 25-570%
• Added ability to include individual survey responses (answers reports) in batch and scheduled reports.
• Enhanced reporting filters to make viewing/customizing reports more flexible
• Sending survey  reminders made easier and faster
• Over 100 additional enhancements and improvements to make the feedback experience smoother and more intuitive than before

If you have any questions or desire any update training, please contact support@designfacilitator.com to sign up for our New Features webinar scheduled for Thursday, February 18th, at 2:00pm EST.

Client Feedback Tool – Mobile

Some Client Feedback Tool clients have asked us over the years about accessing feedback while mobile.  Early in 2009 we did release a version of responding to surveys optimized for mobile devices, as this would be required for anyone checking email on a Blackberry, Windows Phone, or iPhone. We continue to explore options for a customized mobile interface, but at this time do not have an official mobile solution.

This week, Opera Mobile 10 Beta (an open-source web browser for mobile devices) was released, and in early testing, most of the functionality in the Client Feedback Tool is operational.  Surveys can be sent, reports reviewed, and data managed.  The mobile web is still in its infancy, and mobile platforms are not officially supported at this time.   However, our development team is committed to enhancing the mobile user experience in the future.

If you love feedback, and want to have it with you on the go, download Opera Mobile 10 Beta (free!) here:

http://www.opera.com/mobile/

If Opera is not supported on your device, you may also have some success with Skyfire:

http://www.skyfire.com/

Version 3 Is Here!

DesignFacilitator has released Version 3 of the Client Feedback Tool. Version 3 was developed in response to your comments– your feedback– to us. You told us you wanted the Client Feedback Tool to be faster, sharper, with more consistent actions and with more flexible, powerful reports. Version 3 provides all this and more. Its enhancements include:

• Simpler navigation and sharper screen graphics.

As soon as you log in you will notice how much easier it is to move about the new crisp screens. On the left side of the screen, clicking on a subject heading displays a list of sub-headings so you can quickly select the desired action or report without waiting for the screen to refresh. In the upper-right corner of the screen, we show you where you are on the site currently.

• A new ribbon-style toolbar with standardized actions. Found at the top of most screens, the toolbar offers

- A Filters tab where you can identify what you wish to see in the report (who, when, which project, and so on).

- An Options tab where you can control how to group and sort the information (by sender, project, team, average score, etc).

- A File tab that allows you to decide what to do with the information. You have the power to download it, print it as a pdf, send it to an email address, save the report settings as a favorite report. You can even schedule it for automatic recurring delivery to your email!

• Fewer screen post-backs.

Many subscribers previously expressed concern about the time required to post back the screen every time they changed a filter. Version 3 addresses that concern by incorporating an Update button on the ribbon. This allows you to select and change multiple filter settings without waiting for the screen to repost each time. Once you have made all your filter selections, simply click the Update button– we flash it to remind you– and all your changes are applied at once.

• Successes and challenges reports

These reports were designed to help identify areas of strength and those possibly requiring additional attention in your firm. You can tailor this report to show you which clients, projects, phases or firm members have the highest or lowest average scores, extremes, percentage of change, and so on . The Client Feedback Tool even includes several standard templates under the Options tab to help get you started.

• The Feedback Quotient® report is a Client Feedback Tool exclusive.

This report applies a proprietary formula to analyze numerous  metrics such as the number of surveys sent and received in a given period, reply rates, scores, score consistency, follow-up actions, and more. The result is a relative ranking of projects, project clients, and survey senders in your firm. You will know where feedback is being effectively used, and by whom.

Additional new functions of the Client Feedback Tool:

You can save and recall your favorite report configurations and settings.

You can create, save and send batch reports to yourself and others.

You can schedule your favorite reports for recurring delivery to your email… or others’.

You can send most reports as PDF files via email.

You can now view feedback on a mobile device.

Version 3 does not require any software changes on your part, as the Client Feedback Tool is a web-based service. Please let us know if you need help or want to schedule additional training for your team.

Please contact us if you have questions:
866-433-7322
919-573-1730
(M-F 9am – 6pm EST)
Or email answers@designfacilitator.com.

New Features Coming Soon – Version 3 Rollout

In our continuing effort to optimize your Client Feedback Tool experience, DesignFacilitator will roll out some exciting new features in late October, 2009. Version 3 enhancements will include:

• Simpler, more straightforward navigation
• Updated graphics with brighter, sharper screens
• A ribbon-style toolbar with standardized menus and operations
• An exclusive Feedback Quotient® report that ranks the quality and quantity of your feedback
• New reports that help identify your firm’s strengths and potential areas for improvement

Version 3 will also allow you to:

• View feedback on a mobile device
• Send reports as PDF files via email
• Build, save and send batch reports
• Save and recall your favorite reports and settings
• Schedule reports for recurring delivery to your email– or some else’s!
  

This upgrade should be virtually seamless and we will keep you posted as the Version 3 release approaches. The transition will not require any software changes on your part as the Client Feedback Tool is a web-based service. For your convenience, we will provide tips and training here on our blog site, in emails, and via web-based training sessions. Please let us know if you need help or want to schedule additional training for your team.

Please contact us if you have questions:
866-433-7322
919-573-1730
(M-F 9am – 6pm EST)

Or email answers@designfacilitator.com.

Can I send a feedback survey on behalf of someone else?

Introduction

In our travels and workshops, we have seen that many professions share common difficulties. One widespread limitation many firms experience is that their members simply do not request feedback frequently enough. When we ask the firm members why they don’t send more surveys, the responses range from “I forget to send them.” to “I don’t have time— can’t my administrative assistant or accounting people do this for me, perhaps when they send invoices?”

The Client Feedback Tool Solution

Fortunately, DesignFacilitator’s Client Feedback Tool solves these problems with its ‘Send-on-behalf-of’ feature.  With this feature, a firm manager can designate one or more firm members to send surveys on behalf of other firm members. For example, let’s say your firm manager has designated Al, an administrative assistant, to send surveys for you and other firm members. Acting as a proxy sender, Al creates a survey invitation in your name. All emails, responses and reports associated with this survey invitation will identify you as the sender. In fact, once Al sends the survey invitation, he cannot even see the answer report or modify the survey– but you can.

How it works

To begin, the firm manager designates proxy sender(s):

1. Log in to www.DesignFacilitator.com
2. Click My Firm in the left navigation pane, and then click Manage Firm Members in the right pane.
3. In the 4th column, “Send On Behalf”, select the firm member(s) who will send surveys on behalf of other firm members.

In order to send a feedback request, a proxy sender must know which survey template to send, when to send it, to whom, what project it regards, and so on. The Client Feedback Tool provides a convenient PDF form for this purpose. In the example above, you would probably fill in the form and give it to Al, because Al is sending the survey on your behalf . To obtain the form, log in to www.DesignFacilitator.com, click Other Resources in the left navigation pane, and then click Feedback Collection Information Request Form. Simply print the form and write in the data.

Proxy senders follow the normal procedure for requesting feedback:

1. Log in to www.DesignFacilitator.com
2. Click My Feedback in the left navigation pane, then click ASK on the cycle graphic. Select Send a feedback survey
3. Proxy senders (only) see a Send Survey on Behalf of: selection box at the top of the screen. There, they select which firm member to designate as the sender; that is, whose name will show in the invitation emails, the survey, the reports, and so on.

Note:    The Client Feedback Tool identifies the proxy sender in only two places: the Answer Report and the Modify Survey Edit screen.

You probably want to know if someone sends a survey using your name. So if your firm will designate proxy senders, we recommend that you visit your Set Preferences page in www.DesignFacilitator.com and make sure the first checkbox, “Survey sent on my behalf” is selected.

With the Client Feedback Tool’s ‘Send-on-behalf-of’ feature, even the busiest professional in your organization can enjoy the many benefits of client feedback by delegating the survey-send task to an administrative or accounting assistant.

New Features – August 2009 Release

DesignFacilitator’s Client Feedback Tool continues to be improved and enhanced.  We recently released several new features including:

• Send On Behalf – You can designate firm members as having the ability to “Send On Behalf” which allows someone to send surveys as though they came from another person.  For instance, an assistant could send surveys on behalf of a project manager.  In this case, the recipient would see the survey as though it came from the project manager.
• Reminders to Send Surveys – firm and team managers can now schedule reminders for their staff if they haven’t sent a survey within the timeframe specified.  This will help encourage more people to collect feedback regularly.
• Intelligent Alerts – now, if one response on a survey is very much unlike the others, you can be notified.  For example, if the numeric value of all your scores is 7,7,7,7,5,7,7 – even though they are all “high” scores on our 1-7 score range, the “5″ in that sequence is lower than the other scores, and may indicate an area needing attention.   You can now be alerted automatically when a situation like this occurs.
• Scheduled Reports – You can schedule certain reports to be delivered to you via email automatically.  Set this in your “Set Preferences” page.

Client Feedback Tool – New Features

On June 28th, 2009 over 50 new features, enhancements, and fixes were released to our Client Feedback Tool.  All subscribers have immediate access to the following features, and more:

• You can now schedule batches of reports to be generated and delivered to you via email, automatically.  Look for this in the “Set Preferences” page.
• Survey recipients can now reply on a mobile device, including iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, and more.
• The Bar Graph report was enhanced, offering a variety of new charting options.  You can now create a bar graph by Project, Project Type, Project Team, Phase, Category, Question, Sender, Sender Team, Respondent, Company, Client, or Company Type.
• When sending a survey, you can select a project from a project list, rather than perform a search.
• You can now leave a follow-up comment to any feedback request, even if no one has responded to the survey.  This allows you to log why a survey remains unanswered, or to summarize an off-line conversation that replaced the survey.
• The answers report can now be printed “anonymously” – so you can print results and share them with others without revealing who gave the feedback.
• Downloadable batch reports have a new, enhanced date selector simplifying use.

For questions or help with any of these features, please contact us at support@designfacilitator.com or 866-4-DES-FAC.

Likewise, if you have any features YOU want added, please let us know!

Client Feedback Tool – New Features Added

We are pleased to announce that over 80 new features, enhancements, and fixes have been released to our online Client Feedback Tool. Some key new features include:

• Reports now include your branding / logo when printing
• New report that highlights high scores to more easily identify your successes
• New report that gathers all written feedback comments, to collect testamonials for marketing
• Optimized report printing process to make 50% faster
• Added an address book feature, to more easily select survey recipients
• Added a “contact import” feature to quickly import a list of survey recipients
• Added a new “Bar Graph” report, offering a visually rich display of your feedback