Business Partnership Produces Results at IU Health

This week, Kirkpatrick Partners is pleased to congratulate Indiana University Health on their 2011 ASTD BEST award! In particular, we're recognizing the efforts of Linda Hainlen, one of our Kirkpatrick certified facilitators as a key team member.

Below, Linda shares how her learning team helped to raise customer satisfaction scores from the 70^th to 98^th percentile by utilizing the Kirkpatrick Business Partnership Model.

Business Partnership Produces Results at Indiana University Health
By Linda Hainlen

Recently the cafeteria at one of our hospitals contacted our Learning Solutions team for assistance in raising their customer satisfaction scores. They specifically asked for a customer service class. One of our primary corporate goals is to increase customer satisfaction scores so our interest was immediately piqued.

The beauty in utilizing the Kirkpatrick Business Partnership Model (KBPM) is going beyond satisfying a request to obtaining true results. More often than not, the request we receive (customer service class) is not the real solution. In applying the KBPM we discovered two areas of need: leadership commitment to the process and customer service skills. We worked with leadership to refine expectations and create a plan to reach those expectations and discussed how we would measure the results. The cafeteria already had a defined measurement process in place for satisfaction that is periodically repeated at a corporate level so that became our ultimate measure of success.

We embedded ourselves into the department (we find true relationship building always obtains better buy-in and results) and provided the necessary education together with support and coaching. Even after the education and follow-up, early indicators where just not present. We realized the cafeteria staff had never really experienced five-star service so our expectations where not realistic. So, we partnered with a local five-star restaurant. We took groups of employees, together with their managers, to the restaurant. Our goal was for the employees to experience or feel what it is like to receive five-star service. Our hypothesis was, once they experienced how it felt, they would want to provide that kind of service to our customers.

The staff was apprehensive at first—what do I wear? Which silverware should I use? What if I don’t understand the menu? We were able to relate that fear to how our patients feel when they come to one of our hospitals. The restaurant staff was well prepared to put them at ease and provide them a great experience. They all felt special and cared for.

After the restaurant experience, we debriefed with each group and continued our follow-up. The outcomes were phenomenal! The staff returned with a new resolve and understanding. The customer satisfaction scores went from the 70^th percentile to the 98^th percentile!

Truly partnering with leadership, measuring along the way and sticking with the process until results are obtained has resulted in great outcomes. If you have not utilized the Kirkpatrick Business Partnership Model before, it is a must have for obtaining true outcomes!

Additional resources:

Kirkpatrick Business Partnership Certificate Program

Kirkpatrick Four Levels™ Evaluation Certification Program

Kirkpatrick Four Levels™ Evaluation Certificate Program

Kirkpatrick Quick Tip Vol. 1 #24: Maximizing Results Through Business Partnership