[nfbmi-talk] : mcr Wants Consumer Input??

[Terry D. Eagle]

What? Why?  Is this for real, or an early April Fools joke?

Why would a state consumer council in Michigan decide to seek consumer input
all of a sudden?

 

  

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE - METHODOLOGIES FOR GAINING INPUT

 

Purpose for Discussion: 

In the Fall of 2014, the MRS State Director informed the MCRS Chair and
Executive Director (ED) that she would like the Council to host customer
focus groups around the state.  Since that time the three primary MCRS work
teams have had discussion about this opportunity and determined that the
Council should create a plan for implementation.  The Executive Team
directed staff to place the above discussion topic on today's agenda, so
that initial input could be gathered and used for the focus group
operational plan.  The Chair will designate a short term Ad Hoc Work Team to
consider input and membership direction gained from today's discussion along
with other materials regarding the implementation of customer focus groups.
The charge for this short term team will be to make recommendations to the
Executive Team (ET) based on their findings. 

 

The above purpose for the discussion was presented by the ED and the
document of questions included in the meeting folder was reviewed. 

 

What is the value of direct customer input?

*        Good opportunity to sit down with someone in management to talk
about customer experience and get honest feedback

 

What are we missing?  What kind of information do you want to gather? What
questions will be asked? How will they be asked?

*        Opportunities for customers to be able to exchange information,
help keep them in the loop, to feel empowered.

*        Forum for getting information out to customers to tell them 'why
MRS is doing what it's doing'.

 

Who is the target audience?  Customers only?  MRS only? BSBP? Both? The
larger disability community?

 

The ED reported that historically, when facilitating employment focus
groups, the Council would connect with district offices to reach out to
customers who had plans signed and/or cases closed successfully/not
successfully.  About seven years ago, the State Director asked the Council
to host Focus Groups in the Detroit area to gain input about the service
system.  The groups were held three times and were a great success, with
excellent attendance and findings were embraced by MRS to strengthen their
system for customers. 

 

*        It was suggested to ask CILSs to do outreach to their customer
population, there could be more than one population to connect with in a
community.  

 

*        Start with overview of what VR services are intended to do for
customers, remind them of what system is supposed to do for them.  Successes
shared, challenges raised.

 

*        We should have the ability to conduct multiple focus groups, may be
distinctions between MRS, BSBP, other customers, along with different points
in the process, the beginning, middle, end of VR and/or post-employment
groups?

 

*        There may be local/regional/macro differences to consider -
2-pronged approach.

 

*        What emphasis should be considered for services to transition youth
with the anticipated changes with the implementation of WIOA?  What are the
expectations of everyone involved, the students, VR, and Education?

 

*        Collaboration is important with VR/schools/universities to work
together with customers in so many different places in the VR process.

 

*        Widen the scope and ask questions, if they were going to do a focus
group, what kind of information would you want to ask for?  The ED reported
that they have done this in the past - interesting responses, some of the
best ideas came from customers. MRS Orientation process tends to become
rote, feedback from audience was to "back up" and provide more definitions
with face to face interactions.

 

*        For customers, they want to know what their rights are.
Frustrations with counselors.

 

*        It was suggested to contact the Comprehensive Statewide Needs
Assessment committee to do determine if this kind of information could be
added to the next three information gathering process. 

 

*        Issue discussed about how not all customers may be aware of
services provided by CAP.  

 

*        What is the customer experience?  What are the themes?  What
impacts affect services to customers?

 

Is this something the Council wants to pursue?  

*        Consensus was reached to move this project forward. Members
expressed lots of interest in member participation, helping to do the work,
participate in the process.

 

*        From experience as a Council member, have learned that services
differ so across the state, based on match differences/local agreements,
transitions services.  Different areas/groups could take on a different way
to facilitate the focus groups.

 

The Chair will designate a short-term ad hoc work team to discuss the
logistics and a timeline for the process.

 

In the past, the Council has provided a meal for customer attendees of focus
groups and also a travel stipend to cover transportation costs.

 

What do members think about the need for geographic diversity?

 

*       Consensus on having them all over the state. Look at what has been
completed by other organization's final reports (Community Rehabilitation
Organizations (CROs, the Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC),
the Centers for Independent Living (CILs) etc.).  CROs and CILs will help
get people to attend the focus groups.

 

What is the value of the information/input from customers?  What do we do
with the information after we have received it?  If the members determine
themes from comments made at a focus group, how do you know it's credible?

 

*       Info gathered would be good info for Council to put into the State
Plan.  Beforehand, what do you want to ask customers?  What do you want to
know from them?

 

*       CROs and CILs could host focus groups, both would want to have input
to the questions before they were asked, with a lot of variation needed
around the state.

 

Will data be anecdotal?  Qualitative?  Quantitative?

*        The focus group provides face to face conversations, which are the
value of the information you receive.

*        Would want to look for trends - positive or negative.

*        Would the State Plan be a driving force for designing the survey
questions/tool?

 

Should DSU staff be able to attend the focus groups?  

*        If counselors are present, it could skew the data.  One member
thought that maybe not if counselors that were present worked in other
regions of the state.  Members seemed to be in agreement that this would not
be an option.   

 

Check with other SRCs to see what they have done to both gain customer input
and then what did they do with the collected customer data?

 

The Council needs to determine how they want to proceed, the creation of an
implementation plan and how the findings will be utilized.  

 

*        An example was shared of an Assistive Technology Grant application
that needed direct needs information from people around the state. Focus
Groups were created and implemented, utilized RICCS (from the MDDC) to get
people to attend.  It was amazing how much information was obtained and
different in each community.  They did receive the grant following this
process.  Question asked:  what kind of AT do you dream of?  Generally
people wanted ease for activities of daily living.

*        Need to determine what the State Director wants to get from these
focus groups.

 

NEXT STEPS:  move forward, get more information, involve partners, and ask
partners the questions discussed by Council today.  Establish the internal
MCRS Ad Hoc Short Term Work Team. 

 

*        What does a representative sample need to be to be able to effect
change?  Or do we still want to learn the information regardless of the
presence of representative samples?

 

*        In the past, even with small groups of customers, still resulted in
big changes in policy, system services, etc.

 

*        Training centers/schools would seem to be a good representative of
customers statewide to the VR programs.  With request for focus groups
coming directly from state director, it is anticipated that all input will
be welcome.

 

Washington State General SRC example was shared that they received mailing
lists of customers to invite them to public comment, with follow-up phone
calls to remind them of opportunity.  How does that happen with the need for
customer confidentiality? Would need customer releases signed by customers,
or VR staff would have to call customers.  Due to confidentiality, Council
members/staff would not be able to call customers. The ED will talk with the
Washington SRC Staff to find out more about their process for phone calls to
customers.

 

Accessibility of invitations/preferred formats would need to be considered.

 

What about a Pilot opportunity?  Create a plan and see how the process goes?
Tweak as needed to improve for next focus groups.

 

The ED asked Sue Howell, what is it that you want to gain from the MCRS
Focus Groups?

Her response: We need to learn what customers think about the VR system,
where is it weak/not serving them? Get input on new initiatives - proactive,
not reactive.  Incorporate businesses in the process in the future to get
business involved.  Need to refine both sides of VR - services to customers
and also to businesses.  Looking to create better efficiencies, improve
processes.  With businesses, need to listen to what their needs are and how
can VR do better.

 

*        It is important to remember that any data collected needs to be
taken verbatim the way it was received.  If we change their story, it then
becomes distorted and no longer contextually sound. 

 

S. Howell expressed concern about the separateness of all of the systems,
the need to work together more, find the common ground. Questions should be
designed so that gaps, disconnects between program and business services are
revealed. 

*        MRS hasn't always served business customer in the same way that
customers have been served.  Governor's initiatives, etc. trying to
demonstrate a more comprehensive approach to VR - business and VR customers
are both customers.  Good to hear.

 

S. Howell reported that MRS has had a reduction in new customers and
referrals for services. They are looking for ways to be more assertive.
Businesses need to gain a better understanding for all that MRS has to
offer.  New initiatives (Governor's Summit and others) are helping to show
businesses what MRS can do for them and their employees. Conversations about
'culture' are having an impact as well.  There should be a 360 degree
provision of VR services thru BSBP and MRS. The MRS focus for this year is
implementation and alignment of systems they connect with.  

 

Veterans Administration (VA) perspective shared.  The VA has also been
adopting the 'dual' customer approach.  In-depth, comprehensive engagement
at all levels for all cultural perspectives/distinctions, they have found it
is a much more effective way to educate and inform both customers. 

 

*        Should focus groups be held for businesses as well?  This could
take place in the future, though a need to be separate from applicants. 

 

S. Howell stated that she sees focus groups as becoming a VR report card, do
them frequently enough for VR to be able to tweak/change systems to improve
services to customers, including businesses.  

 

The ED stated that there continues to be consensus to move the focus group
project forward.  The members who are interested in joining the short term
work team include: Trina, Caryn, Sharon, Mike, Zach, Brian, Carol. Adam
indicated his interest when planning for the business arena.  The DSU
Liaisons will be:  MRS:  Jim Bunton and BSBP: Lisa Kisiel.  The ED will
contact SILC for a representative, along with Todd Culver at MARO.

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