Standard Operating Procedure- SOP

Name of institution

Customer Survey ID Code:

Ap 17

Topic & Purpose: Review Period:

Explains how to assess the satisfaction of the 1 year
laboratorys primary customers

Location: Distribution:

Version number: Annex:

V 1.0 None

Written by:

Name(s), Date(s) and Signature(s) of the Author(s)

Reviewed by:

Name(s), Date(s) and Signature(s)

Authorized by:

Name, Date and Signature

Replaces the version:
Not applicable (1st version)

Changes to the last authorized version:

Not applicable (1st version)
Institution: Version: 1.0 Date: Number of pages: Name of ID Code: Ap 17
5 procedure:
Customer Survey QM chapter: 10
Procedure

Customer Survey Procedure

Application...............................................................................................................2
Objective.................................................................................................................2
Definitions...............................................................................................................2
References..............................................................................................................2
Responsibilities.......................................................................................................2
Operating mode......................................................................................................3
Methodology........................................................................................................3
Initiation and completion of a customer survey...................................................3
1. Questionnaire design and collection of data...............................................3
2. Timeline for survey......................................................................................4
3. Scoring.........................................................................................................4
4. Data management.......................................................................................4
5. Results.........................................................................................................5
Related documents.................................................................................................5

Application
This procedure ensures the appropriate design, data collection and analysis of a
customer satisfaction survey.

Objective
This procedure explains how to assess the satisfaction of the laboratorys primary
external customers: patients, clinicians and public health authorities.

Definitions
Correction: Action to eliminate a detected nonconformity.

Customer: Organization or person that receives a product or service from a

supplier organization.

Customer satisfaction: Customer's perception of the degree to which the

customer's requirements have been fulfilled.

References
To be filled in if necessary

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Institution: Version: 1.0 Date: Number of pages: Name of ID Code: Ap 17
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Customer Survey QM chapter: 10
Procedure

Responsibilities
The Laboratory Director:
initiates and oversees the customer survey.

The Quality Committee:

validates the questionnaires for the survey and reviews report;
coordinates with the Laboratory Director in overseeing the customer
survey.

The Quality Manager:

is responsible for the design, implementation and analysis of customer
surveys, noting that these tasks can be delegated but retained under
his/her supervision;
designates a coordinator;
maintains the documentation.

Coordinator:
coordinates conduct of the survey.

Staff:
help conduct the customer survey.

Operating mode

Methodology

1. In order to assess the satisfaction of the customers, three types of

questionnaires can be developed for the three main types of customers of public
health laboratories: patients, clinicians and public health authorities.

2. Questionnaires are submitted to the customers and the results are collected
for analysis and generation of report. Analysis of the replies will give the
laboratory indications for improvement.

Initiation and completion of a customer survey

1. Questionnaire design and collection of data

a) The Quality Manager will develop a questionnaire specific to the targeted

customers and a cover letter introducing and explaining the survey.

b) Each questionnaire can be split into two parts:

general demographic data on the customer (e.g. age, living or practicing
distance from the laboratory, first time to the laboratory or number of visits,
medical specialty if practitioner);

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Institution: Version: 1.0 Date: Number of pages: Name of ID Code: Ap 17
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Customer Survey QM chapter: 10
Procedure

satisfaction questions.

c) There should be an initial meeting with the Quality Committee to distribute

the first version of the questionnaire for discussion and review.

d) Once the questionnaire is finalized and validated, sufficient questionnaires

should be printed to accommodate the expected number of customers to be
surveyed.

e) Distribute the questionnaires:

For patients, coordinators will be assigned to hand out the questionnaire
and wait for the patient to complete. The coordinator should only explain
the meaning of questions, if the customer asks, and not try to influence
responses to the questionnaire.
For clinicians and public health authorities, provide questionnaires through
the post.

f) Collect the completed questionnaires:

For patients, the questionnaire should be directly collected by the
coordinator.
For clinicians and public health authorities, the questionnaires should be
returned by mail.

2. Timeline for survey

a) For patients:
ALL patients who come to the laboratory during a specific time range selected
by the Quality Manager will be asked by the coordinators to fill in the
questionnaire. The patients should be given the questionnaire upon their
initial arrival to the laboratory, i.e. prior to having a sample taken or test
performed.

b) For clinicians and public health authorities:

During a specific time range selected by the Quality Manager, all the
laboratory results that are provided to the requesting clinician or customer will
be sent with the questionnaire and a cover letter introducing and explaining
the survey. There should also be included a stamped, self-addressed
envelope to send the completed questionnaire back.

3. Scoring
The satisfaction part of the survey will be assessed through closed questions,
with four possible choices: Very unsatisfied, Unsatisfied, Satisfied and Very
satisfied. Responding persons will therefore have to choose between a good

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Institution: Version: 1.0 Date: Number of pages: Name of ID Code: Ap 17
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Customer Survey QM chapter: 10
Procedure

group (Satisfied, Very satisfied), and a bad group (Unsatisfied, Very

unsatisfied).

4. Data management
Data should be managed as appropriate, using a paper based system if
necessary, but preferably using data management software.
Free survey software are available that can be used for development of the
questionnaire, data analysis and reporting.

5. Results
General results will be available in a report.
Corrections will be taken out following SOP Corrective Actions to correct the
weak points determined by the analysis of the results.

Related documents
Customer survey form/questionnaire Ref XXX
SOP Corrective Actions Ref XXX